As the paper of record for Middlesex County and the surrounding area, it is our mission to report important events in our community. The accumulation of items published in our paper results in the creation of a weekly mini-history book, and the facts reported each week become a valuable resource for historic researchers.
Obituaries are certainly one of the most important things we publish. Thus, we continue to seek and print basic obituary information for all families in our circulation area. We consider such obituaries traditional news items and they are printed at no cost to the families or funeral homes involved.
If the deceased was born, lived, died or was buried in the Middle Peninsula or Northern Neck of Virginia, their basic obituary will be published free in our paper.
For those obituaries that go beyond the “basics,” a fee is charged, determined by measuring the number of column inches needed to print the obituary. A single column inch is one column wide and one inch deep, and our current rate is $10.00 per column inch.
Basic obituary information includes the name, residence, age, date of death, occupation, church affiliation, postsecondary education and honors, military service, civic organizations and honors, immediate survivors—living or deceased—(spouse, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, step-relatives and adopted children), date and place of visitation, funeral and burial, and memorial contributions.
Photographs, special friends, pets, uncles, aunts, in-laws, nieces, nephews, etc. will not be used in a free obituary.
Please understand that these guidelines are strictly observed since one small variation in one instance could lead to much confusion when other variations are requested. A single variation from the basic obituary will trigger the fee, determined by measuring from the beginning of the obituary to the end.
Photographs may be included with a paid obituary. They will be printed in color, one column wide, and also will be measured by the inch to determine the fee.
All obituaries and photos should be submitted by email to editor@ssentinel.com as soon as the funeral arrangements are complete. To make other arrangements, call 804-758-2328. The weekly deadline for publication is 12 p.m. Tuesday.
The Sentinel reserves the right to refuse publication of material that is offensive or libelous. The paper further reserves the right to edit any information provided in order to correct grammar and spelling and maintain the style adopted for the obituary pages.