Seattle Times Obituary Deadline For Sunday Editions: 2026 Submission Guide And Pricing

Navigating the logistics of publishing a memorial during a time of loss requires precision, particularly when coordinating around print production schedules. For families, funeral directors, and estate executors seeking to publish a paid obituary or death notice in the Sunday print edition of The Seattle Times, strict editorial and composing deadlines apply.

Sunday remains the highest-circulation print day for The Seattle Times, serving King, Pierce, Snohomish, and surrounding Western Washington counties. Because Sunday editions feature heavy advertising inserts, pre-printed sections, and expanded circulation, the production cutoff occurs earlier in the week than standard weekday notices.

The Seattle Times Sunday Obituary Deadlines for 2026

Publishing in the Sunday print edition alongside the digital Seattle Times memorial portal involves two distinct pathways: direct family placement through self-service portals or submission through an accredited funeral home.

Standard Sunday Submission Cutoffs

Primary Sunday Print Cutoff

All paid obituary notices, text approvals, and high-resolution photo uploads intended for Sunday publication must be fully submitted, proofed, and paid by Thursday at 1:00 PM Pacific Time (PT).

Holiday Weekend Early Closures

When major federal holidays fall on a Friday, Sunday, or Monday (such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Thanksgiving week), the submission deadline shifts up 24 hours to Wednesday at 1:00 PM PT.

If your submission misses the Thursday 1:00 PM cutoff, the notice cannot be manually inserted into Sunday’s press run due to automated pagination and regional press distribution requirements across the Puget Sound printing facilities. In such cases, the earliest available print edition shifts to Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week, though digital publication on the Seattle Times online portal can often be activated earlier.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A note on print versus digital placement: All paid print obituaries automatically | | include digital publication on the Seattle Times web network and its affiliate | | legacy archives, ensuring permanent online discoverability. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Comprehensive Weekly Deadlines for The Seattle Times

To assist with broader planning, the operating schedule below outlines the required copy submission, proof approval, and payment deadlines for all publication days in 2026.

Note: The Seattle Times Paid Memorials Department operates Monday through Friday during standard Pacific business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT) and is closed on weekends. Notices submitted over the weekend are reviewed on the next business day.

Submission Formats: Paid Memorials vs. Free Death Notices

When placing a tribute in The Seattle Times, submitters must select between two primary listings:

1. Paid Memorial Obituaries

Paid obituaries allow families complete control over the length, formatting, biographical narrative, surviving family listings, service details, and imagery.

• Content: Unrestricted text length (billed per line or column-inch equivalent), multiple color or black-and-white photographs, emblems, and charitable donation links.
• Placement: Displayed within the dedicated Sunday Memorials / Classifieds section in print, alongside a permanent guestbook hosted online.
• Authority: Can be placed directly by legal next of kin, authorized personal representatives, or licensed funeral directors.

2. Free Basic Death Notices

A basic death notice is a condensed factual announcement providing essential public record information.

• Content: Strictly limited to the deceased’s full legal name, age, city of residence, date of passing, and the name of the licensed funeral establishment handling arrangements.
• Submission Restriction: Basic death notices must be submitted directly by a verified, licensed funeral home or crematory to confirm legal verification of death. Submissions by private individuals are not accepted for free death notices.

Step-by-Step Submission and Verification Workflow

To guarantee placement in the targeted Sunday paper, follow this sequential submission plan:

1. Draft and Character Count Verification: Prepare your copy in plain text. Standard pricing operates on line counts or modular packaging. Ensure dates, venues for Seattle-area services (e.g., St. James Cathedral, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, or private venues), and name spellings are thoroughly reviewed before submission to prevent costly post-approval corrections.
2. Select High-Resolution Photographs: Photos should be uploaded as standalone .jpg or .png files with a minimum resolution of 300 DPI at physical print scale (approximately 2x3 inches). Avoid low-resolution social media screenshots, as newsprint reproduction will cause pixelation.
3. Submit via the Memorials Intake Portal or Funeral Home: Access the official Seattle Times paid notices portal or instruct your funeral director (such as those working with Butterworth, Bleitz, or Bonney Watson) to upload the file directly through their institutional portal.
4. Review the Digital Proof: The Seattle Times will generate a scaled digital proof demonstrating exact line wrapping, photo sizing, and total lineage costs.
5. Authorize Payment Before 3:00 PM Thursday: Unpaid proofs are systematically pulled from the Sunday pagination layout. Ensure credit card payments or funeral home account charges are authorized prior to the billing cutoff.

2026 Pricing Framework and Cost Factors

Obituary costs in The Seattle Times are determined dynamically by column lineage, photographic inclusions, and digital syndication packages.

• Base Line Rates: Standard print obituaries are calculated using a baseline line rate (typically averaging 4 to 5 words per line depending on font scaling).
• Photo Insertion Fees: Black-and-white photo placements carry a fixed formatting fee, while full-color photo options incur an additional mechanical separation charge.
• Online Legacy Archive Inclusion: A mandatory digital syndication fee is applied to all print obituaries. This covers search-engine indexing, social sharing integrations, and a permanent digital guestbook.
• Emblems and Insignia: Military service branch insignias (e.g., Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines), fraternal crests, or religious symbols may be added for a small standardized fee.

Comparison: Direct Family Submission vs. Funeral Home Coordination

Choosing how to submit a Sunday notice impacts the turnaround speed and administrative burden on the family.

Critical Regional Considerations for Seattle and King County

When writing a tribute for Western Washington circulation, incorporate precise regional details to assist local attendees:

• Geographic Specifics: Explicitly indicate neighborhoods and municipalities (e.g., Ballard, Capitol Hill, West Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Edmonds) to avoid regional confusion.
• Traffic and Ferry Timings: If memorial services require cross-sound travel via Washington State Ferries (such as the Bainbridge Island or Bremerton runs) or traversing the SR-520 / I-90 floating bridges, include clear schedule recommendations for out-of-town guests.
• Regional Memorial Donations: If honoring local institutions, include official legal names for donations, such as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation, or the University of Washington Medicine Support Funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact deadline to submit an obituary for the Sunday Seattle Times?

The final deadline for text, photos, and approvals is Thursday at 1:00 PM Pacific Time prior to the intended Sunday publication date.

Submissions received after this cutoff cannot be paginated into the Sunday print run. Final payment authorization must be finalized no later than 3:00 PM PT on that same Thursday to prevent automated removal from the print schedule.

Can I submit an obituary on Friday for that coming Sunday's edition?

No, The Seattle Times does not accept Friday submissions for the immediate Sunday paper.

Because Sunday print sections are assembled, plates are created, and pre-print runs begin well ahead of the weekend, the composing department cannot insert late files. Friday submissions will be scheduled for the following Tuesday or Wednesday print editions.

How do I submit a photo, and what are the file requirements?

Photos must be submitted as original .jpg, .jpeg, or .png files with a resolution of at least 300 DPI.

Avoid uploading scanned photocopies, pre-cropped mobile screenshots, or images embedded within Word processing documents, as these compress the graphic and result in poor print quality on standard newsprint stock.

Are obituaries in The Seattle Times published online as well?

Yes, all paid print obituaries are automatically syndicated to the Seattle Times digital memorials archive and associated national memorial databases.

The online version includes an interactive guestbook where friends and community members can leave condolences, share personal photographs, and light virtual candles. The digital listing usually goes live by Saturday evening preceding the print release.

What information is required to verify a direct family submission?

To maintain publishing integrity and prevent unauthorized submissions, direct family submissions require verification of the deceased's passing.

The Seattle Times Paid Memorials Department typically asks for the name and phone number of the attending funeral home, crematory, or medical examiner handling the arrangements, or a copy of the official state death certificate before the notice goes to press.

Ensure your Sunday memorial publication proceeds smoothly by finalizing your draft and photographic elements early in the week. To avoid last-minute distribution issues, submit all text and high-resolution media through the official Seattle Times Memorials portal or your designated King County funeral director by Wednesday evening, leaving ample time to approve your digital proof before the definitive Thursday 1:00 PM PT cutoff.