The Decatur Daily is the main local newspaper for Decatur, Alabama and Morgan County. It publishes news and obituaries in print and at decaturdaily.com. Families usually place paid obituaries through a funeral home, and brief death notices are free. For television news, WAAY 31, WHNT 19 and WAFF 48 cover the Huntsville–Decatur market.
This guide explains where to get local news in Decatur, how to find obituaries, and how to place one. CollateMeaning.com is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with the Decatur Daily or any outlet mentioned here.
Key facts at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Main newspaper | The Decatur Daily, Decatur, Alabama |
| First published | February 26, 1912 |
| Ownership | Locally owned; the Shelton family has run it for four generations |
| Sister papers | TimesDaily (Florence) and the Moulton Advertiser |
| Weekly paper in Morgan County | Hartselle Enquirer |
| Obituary submissions | Obituaries@decaturdaily.com |
| Obituary questions | (256) 340-2384 |
| Obituary deadline | Prepaid and received before 4 p.m. for next-day publication; before noon on holidays |
| Local TV news | WAAY 31 (ABC), WHNT 19 (CBS), WAFF 48 (NBC), WZDX 54 (Fox) |
What is the main newspaper in Decatur, Alabama?
The Decatur Daily is the primary newspaper serving Decatur and Morgan County. It began publishing on February 26, 1912, was known as the Albany-Decatur Daily from 1916 until 1927, and launched an online edition in 1997. It is based at 197 First Avenue in Decatur.
The Decatur Daily covers city government, schools, crime, business, community events and local sports. Its website also hosts the paper’s obituary section.
What other news sources cover Decatur and Morgan County?
No single outlet covers everything, so most residents combine a few sources:
- Hartselle Enquirer: a locally owned weekly based in Hartselle, useful for the western side of Morgan County.
- TimesDaily (Florence): a sister paper of the Decatur Daily that covers the Shoals area. It is not a Decatur paper, which matters for searches like “times daily obituaries.”
- Moulton Advertiser: a weekly for Lawrence County, also owned by the Decatur Daily’s parent family.
- News Courier (Athens): covers neighboring Limestone County.
- Local television: Morgan County sits in the Huntsville–Decatur TV market. WAAY 31 (ABC), WHNT 19 (CBS), WAFF 48 (NBC) and WZDX 54 (Fox) all serve the area.
For city-specific announcements such as meetings, closures and public notices, also check the official City of Decatur website and your school district’s site.
How do I find recent obituaries in Decatur, AL?
Use this order for the fastest results:
- Search the Decatur Daily obituary section at decaturdaily.com. Entries are tagged by area, such as Decatur, Hartselle, Falkville and Trinity/Moulton.
- Check the funeral home’s website. Most funeral homes post the full obituary, service times and a guestbook, often before the newspaper runs it.
- Search by full name plus “Decatur AL obituary.” Add the year or the spouse’s name if the name is common.
- Try nearby papers if the person lived in Hartselle, Moulton, Athens or Florence.
- For official records, such as a certified death certificate, contact the Alabama Department of Public Health’s vital records office. A newspaper obituary is not a legal record.
Tip: if you cannot find a notice, the family may have used only a funeral home page or a social media post, and the newspaper may not have published one.
How do I place an obituary in the Decatur Daily?
According to the Decatur Daily’s published obituary policy:
- Email the full text to Obituaries@decaturdaily.com.
- Submit through a funeral home if possible. Obituaries are accepted from funeral homes, or from an individual only when legal documentation of executor status over the estate is presented at the newspaper’s office.
- Prepay before the deadline. The notice must be received with prepayment before 4 p.m. to run the following day. On holidays, the cutoff is noon.
- Expect edits. The paper reserves the right to edit for accuracy, style and grammar, and it does not allow defamatory, offensive or inappropriate content.
- Call with questions at (256) 340-2384.
Pricing is set by the newspaper and can change, so ask for a quote before you submit. Policies change, so confirm the details with the newspaper before you rely on them.
What is the difference between a death notice and an obituary?
A death notice is a brief, one-time announcement of a death. The Decatur Daily publishes these in print and online at no charge.
An obituary is a longer, paid notice. It usually includes funeral details and schedules, survivors and other personal information, and it is commonly placed by a funeral director on behalf of the family.
Is the Times Daily the same as the Decatur Daily?
No. The TimesDaily is published in Florence, Alabama. The two papers share the same ownership family and printing location, but they have separate newsrooms and cover different communities. If you are searching for a Decatur obituary, use the Decatur Daily. If the person lived in the Shoals area, search the TimesDaily.
How do I subscribe to the Decatur Daily?
Subscription plans, print delivery and digital access change over time. The most reliable way to get current options and pricing is to visit decaturdaily.com and use its subscription or customer service page, or contact the newspaper directly. We do not sell subscriptions.
Where can I find Decatur sports and community news?
- High school sports: the Decatur Daily’s sports section covers local teams, and the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) publishes official schedules and results.
- Community news: local papers, TV station websites and the City of Decatur’s official channels cover events, closures and announcements.
- Weather and emergencies: use the National Weather Service and local TV stations for alerts.
Which “Decatur” are you looking for?
This guide is about Decatur, Alabama, the seat of Morgan County in North Alabama. Other cities named Decatur exist in Illinois, Georgia, Indiana and Texas, each with its own newspapers. If you searched “decatur in newspaper,” you may be looking for a different city.
A short history of the Decatur Daily and local news in Decatur
The Decatur Daily has been part of local life for more than a century. It began publishing on February 26, 1912, from the basement of a building at Moulton Street and Second Avenue, and its first issues were eight pages printed on a web press. At the time it served two neighboring communities, Decatur and New Decatur.
The name changed as the towns did. The paper was called the Albany-Decatur Daily from 1916 until 1927, when the towns were consolidated by legislative act. A two-story brick building with presses in the basement opened at 101 Johnston Street in 1928, and the newspaper moved across First Avenue to its current facilities in 1972.
The paper went online in 1997. The Shelton family, who run it, added the weekly Moulton Advertiser in 2007 and the TimesDaily in Florence in 2009, which they bought from The New York Times Regional News Group. Since 2009, the three newspapers have been printed in Florence. The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce describes the Decatur Daily as locally owned and operated, with publisher Clint Shelton representing the fourth generation of his family to run it.
Why does this history matter to a searcher? Three reasons:
- It explains the name confusion. People often search “times daily” or “decatur daily news” when they mean one of two related papers. The papers share an owner and a printing plant, but they serve different communities.
- It shows the paper’s local roots. A locally owned paper usually has the deepest archive of Decatur names, events and obituaries.
- It tells you where older records live. Pre-internet obituaries and news often exist only in print, microfilm or library archives, which we cover below.
How local news in Decatur fits together
Decatur’s news ecosystem has four layers. Knowing which layer answers which question saves time.
| Layer | Best for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Daily newspaper | City and county government, schools, crime, business, sports, obituaries | The Decatur Daily |
| Community weeklies | Hyper-local news from smaller towns | Hartselle Enquirer, Moulton Advertiser |
| Regional TV | Breaking news, weather, traffic, regional stories | WAAY 31, WHNT 19, WAFF 48, WZDX 54 |
| Official sources | Alerts, meetings, closures, public notices | City of Decatur, school district, county offices |
According to the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, Morgan County belongs to the Huntsville–Decatur television market and the Huntsville radio market, which stretch roughly from the Mississippi line east to the Georgia line. In practice this means a Decatur story may be covered by Huntsville stations, and a Huntsville story may affect Decatur readers. Search both city names when you want the full picture.
A useful habit is to start with the Decatur Daily for depth, check a TV station for speed, and confirm anything urgent, such as a closure or a weather warning, with the official source.
Advanced tips for searching Decatur obituaries
The basic steps work for most searches. When a name is common, the death was recent, or the person lived outside the city limits, use these techniques.
Use search queries that match how obituaries are written
Obituaries follow predictable patterns. These query formats surface them quickly:
| Goal | Try searching |
|---|---|
| Find a specific person | “First Last” obituary Decatur Alabama |
| Narrow to the newspaper | “First Last” site:decaturdaily.com |
| Find a funeral home page | “First Last” funeral home Decatur AL |
| Find by spouse or family | “First Last” “survived by” Morgan County |
| Find a woman by maiden name | “First Maiden Last” obituary Alabama |
| Find service details | “First Last” visitation graveside Decatur |
Putting the name in quotation marks forces an exact match, and the site: operator limits results to one website.
Try name variations
Obituaries do not always use the name you know. Check:
- Nicknames and full names: Bill and William, Betty and Elizabeth, or a middle name used as a first name.
- Maiden and married names: Many obituaries list a woman by her married name and mention her maiden name in the text.
- Suffixes: Jr., Sr., II and III. A family may list the suffix in one place and omit it in another.
- Spelling differences: Names such as Smith, Smyth and Smithe, or Catherine and Katherine.
Search the right location tag
The Decatur Daily labels obituaries by community. Entries appear under places such as Decatur, Hartselle, Falkville, Danville and Trinity/Moulton. If someone lived in a smaller Morgan County town, look under that town’s label as well as under Decatur.
Check nearby papers and sources
People often live in one community and are remembered in another. If you cannot find a Decatur Daily notice, also look at:
- the Hartselle Enquirer for Hartselle-area residents,
- the Moulton Advertiser for Lawrence County,
- the TimesDaily for the Florence and Shoals area,
- the News Courier in Athens for Limestone County,
- the funeral home that handled arrangements, which may be in a different town from where the person lived.
Allow time for notices to appear
A newspaper notice usually runs after the family and funeral home submit it. Under the Decatur Daily’s policy, a notice received with prepayment before 4 p.m. runs the next day. A funeral home page may appear sooner, so check there first for a death that happened in the last day or two.
When you still cannot find it
A missing obituary does not mean something is wrong. Some families choose a funeral home page, a private service or a social media announcement instead of a newspaper notice. Call the funeral home if you know which one is handling arrangements, since staff can confirm service times.
How to write an obituary for the Decatur Daily or any local paper
Most families write an obituary once, during one of the hardest weeks of their lives. A clear structure makes the job easier. Because the Decatur Daily edits for accuracy, style and grammar, a tidy draft also reduces back-and-forth with the newspaper or funeral home.
The standard structure
- Announcement: full name, age, hometown, and the date and place of death.
- Life summary: birthplace, parents, education, work, military service, faith community and the things the person loved.
- Family: surviving spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings and other close relatives, followed by those who died before them.
- Service details: the date, time and place of visitation, funeral or memorial, and burial.
- Closing: memorial donation requests, thanks to caregivers, and the funeral home’s name.
What to include, and what to leave out
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| Full legal name and any well-known nickname | Home address, which can invite burglaries during the service |
| Date and place of death | Full birth date and other identity details that scammers can reuse |
| Names of close surviving relatives | Defamatory or offensive statements, which the paper does not allow |
| Exact service times and locations | Cause of death, unless the family chooses to share it |
| One or two specific, personal details | Long lists of every relative if space is limited |
Tips to keep it accurate
- Check every name and date twice. Errors are hard to correct once printed.
- Ask one family member to proofread before sending to the funeral director.
- Confirm service times with the funeral home, since a small mistake can leave mourners at the wrong place.
- Mind the length. Newspaper obituaries are paid, and a funeral home page or online memorial can hold a longer tribute for free or at lower cost. Ask the newspaper how costs are calculated before you finalize the text.
- Know who can submit. The Decatur Daily accepts obituaries from funeral homes, or from an individual who provides legal documentation of executor status over the estate.
Timing
Under the paper’s published policy, an obituary must arrive with prepayment before 4 p.m. to run the next day, and before noon on holidays. If a service is two days away, send the text early.
Death notice, obituary, funeral home page or online memorial: which one do you need?
Families often assume a newspaper obituary is the only option. It is one of four, and many families use more than one.
| Option | What it is | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death notice | A brief, one-time announcement of a death | Free at the Decatur Daily, per its policy | A quick public announcement |
| Newspaper obituary | A longer paid notice with life story, survivors and service details | Paid; ask the paper for a quote | Reaching the wider community and readers of the print edition |
| Funeral home page | The funeral home’s own online obituary and guestbook | Often included with funeral services; confirm with the home | Full tribute, photos and service details |
| Online memorial or social post | A tribute shared by family or friends | Usually free | Fast updates and gathering stories |
How to choose
- Need to announce a death quickly? Start with a death notice and the funeral home page.
- Want the community to see the full story? Place a paid obituary through the funeral home or directly with the newspaper if you have executor documentation.
- Working with a limited budget? Ask the funeral home whether a shorter newspaper obituary plus a longer online tribute covers what the family needs.
- Want something that lasts? Keep a copy of the printed notice and save the funeral home page address. Newspaper websites and funeral home pages can change over time.
Who can place what
According to the Decatur Daily, brief death notices are free, while obituaries with funeral details, survivors and personal information are paid notices that funeral directors usually place for the family. An individual can submit an obituary only by presenting legal documentation of executor status over the estate at the newspaper’s office. That rule is meant to protect families from false or unauthorized notices, so plan on working with the funeral home.
A note on scams
Be careful with unsolicited messages that offer to place or promote an obituary for a fee. Use the contact details published by the newspaper and the funeral home, not a number or email from a message you did not expect. Do not post details such as a home address or a full birth date.
Researching older Decatur obituaries, archives and records
Searching for an obituary from decades ago, or tracing a family tree through Decatur, calls for different tools than a search for last week’s notice.
Start with the newspaper’s own archive
The Decatur Daily has published online since 1997, so its website is the first stop for recent decades. Older issues were printed before the internet and may exist only in print or on microfilm. If you cannot find a date online, contact the newspaper to ask what archive options exist.
Check the local library
Public libraries in North Alabama commonly hold local history collections, and many keep newspaper microfilm. Call the library in the community where the person lived and ask for the local history or genealogy desk. Staff can often search by name and date range and tell you what copies they can provide.
Use state and national archives
- Alabama Department of Archives and History: the state archive in Montgomery holds newspaper collections and historical records. Contact it before you travel to confirm what it has for Morgan County.
- Library of Congress, Chronicling America: a free database of digitized historic U.S. newspapers. Coverage depends on which papers were digitized, so Decatur titles may be limited.
- Commercial archives: subscription sites such as Newspapers.com and NewspaperArchive hold digitized newspaper pages, and some local libraries offer free access on site.
Remember the difference between an obituary and a record
A newspaper obituary is a published tribute. It is not a legal document, and the details can contain errors. For official proof of death, such as for an estate or insurance claim, request a death certificate from the Alabama Department of Public Health’s vital records office. Eligibility rules and fees apply, so check its requirements first.
A simple research plan
- Write down what you know: full name, approximate death date, spouse and children, and the town.
- Search the Decatur Daily website and the funeral home’s page for any recent date.
- For older dates, contact the newspaper and the local library about microfilm.
- Check the free and paid newspaper databases above.
- Confirm key facts with an official record before you rely on them.
Tips that save time
- Search by date range, not a single day, since notices may run a day or more after a death.
- Search the spouse or children’s names as well, since many older obituaries lead with the family.
- Keep a note of every source and the date you checked it. It helps if you need to cite it later.
- Be patient with handwriting and print quality. Older scans can misread names, so try variant spellings.
Public notices, government news and how to judge a local news source
Public and legal notices
Local newspapers commonly publish legal and public notices, such as government meeting notices, bid requests and estate-related notices. If you need to find one, check the Decatur Daily’s notices section and the website of the agency that issued it. For legal deadlines, rely on the official notice or a lawyer, not a summary on a third-party site such as this one.
Government and community news
For decisions that affect residents, the best sources are often the government bodies themselves:
- City of Decatur: meeting agendas, closures, utilities and city announcements.
- Decatur City Schools: calendars, closures and board meetings.
- Morgan County offices: county government notices and emergency management information.
- National Weather Service: forecasts and severe weather warnings for North Alabama. Use it, together with local TV, when storms threaten.
News outlets then explain what these decisions mean. Reading both gives you the facts and the context.
How to judge any local news source
Not every page that mentions Decatur is a reliable news source. Ask these questions before you trust or share a story.
- Who wrote it? Look for a byline and the outlet’s name. Established papers and stations list reporters and editors.
- When was it published or updated? Old stories resurface online and can mislead, especially for closures, crime reports and weather.
- Does it cite sources? Good reports name officials, documents or records. Be cautious when the key claim has no source.
- Is it news or opinion? Columns and editorials are opinions, even when published by a news organization.
- Can you confirm it elsewhere? A major local story is usually covered by more than one outlet.
- Does the outlet correct errors? Reliable organizations publish corrections.
A word on aggregator and directory sites
Sites that collect obituary or news listings, including this one, are guides. They do not replace the original source. Use them to find where to look, then confirm details with the newspaper, the funeral home or the official agency.
Why this matters for obituaries
Obituary searches attract scammers and copycat sites that copy names to capture traffic. Stick to the Decatur Daily, the funeral home’s own page and other recognized outlets. If a site asks you to pay to read a local obituary, double-check before you do.
Common mistakes when searching Decatur news and obituaries
- Searching the wrong city. Several cities are named Decatur. Add “Alabama” or “AL” to every query.
- Confusing the Decatur Daily with the TimesDaily. They share an owner but cover different communities.
- Searching only one name spelling. Try nicknames, maiden names and suffixes.
- Assuming a notice runs the same day. Notices received before the paper’s deadline usually run the next day.
- Relying on copycat sites. Go to the newspaper or the funeral home first.
- Treating an obituary as a legal record. Request a death certificate when you need official proof.
- Forgetting to check neighboring papers. People are often remembered in the paper of the town where they grew up.
- Skipping a phone call. When details matter, such as service times, call the funeral home or the newspaper’s obituary line at (256) 340-2384.
Decatur local news starter checklist
Use this list to build a reliable routine for finding local news.
- Bookmark decaturdaily.com for local news and obituaries.
- Follow at least one Huntsville–Decatur TV station for breaking news and weather.
- Save the City of Decatur and Decatur City Schools websites for official announcements.
- Note the obituary email (Obituaries@decaturdaily.com) and deadline (before 4 p.m. for next-day publication) if you may need to place one.
- Identify the funeral homes in your community and save their obituary pages.
- Check the Hartselle Enquirer if you follow Hartselle-area news.
- Use the National Weather Service for severe weather alerts.
- Verify unfamiliar sources before you share a story.
Summary: where to start
For most people in Decatur, the Decatur Daily is the best first stop for local news and obituaries, and the funeral home’s own page is often the fastest source for service details. Add TV stations for speed, community weeklies for neighborhood detail, and official sources for alerts and public notices. When you are unsure, call the paper or the funeral home. The links to our in-depth guides below cover each topic step by step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main newspaper in Decatur, Alabama? The Decatur Daily, a locally owned newspaper first published on February 26, 1912.
How do I find Decatur Daily obituaries? Go to the obituary section at decaturdaily.com, or search the funeral home’s website for the person’s name.
How do I submit an obituary to the Decatur Daily? Email the full text to Obituaries@decaturdaily.com. Submissions come from funeral homes, or from an individual with legal proof of executor status.
What is the obituary deadline? Prepayment and the text must arrive before 4 p.m. for publication the next day, or before noon on holidays.
Are death notices free? Yes. The Decatur Daily states that brief, one-time death notices are published at no charge. Full obituaries are paid.
Is the Hartselle Enquirer a daily paper? No. It is a locally owned weekly based in Hartselle.
Which TV stations cover Decatur, Alabama? WAAY 31, WHNT 19, WAFF 48 and WZDX 54, all part of the Huntsville–Decatur market.
Is the Times Daily a Decatur newspaper? No. It is published in Florence, Alabama, and is a sister paper of the Decatur Daily.
Does the Decatur Daily publish obituaries online? Yes. Obituaries and death notices appear in the obituary section at decaturdaily.com as well as in print.
Who can submit an obituary to the Decatur Daily? Funeral homes can submit them. An individual can submit one only by presenting legal documentation of executor status over the estate of the deceased at the newspaper’s office.
Can I place an obituary without a funeral home? Yes, but the paper’s policy requires legal documentation of executor status, presented at its office. Most families find it simpler to go through the funeral home.
How much does a Decatur Daily obituary cost? The paper sets its own prices, and they can change. Ask the newspaper or your funeral director for a current quote before you submit.
What happens if I miss the 4 p.m. deadline? The notice will not make the next day’s paper. Contact the obituary line at (256) 340-2384 to ask when it can run, and tell the funeral home so it can plan service announcements.
Does the Decatur Daily edit obituaries? Yes. The paper reserves the right to edit for accuracy, style and grammar, and it does not allow defamatory, offensive or inappropriate content.
Where is the Decatur Daily located? Historical marker records place the newspaper at 197 First Avenue in Decatur, Alabama 35601. Confirm the current address with the paper before you visit.
Who owns the Decatur Daily? It is locally owned and operated by the Shelton family. The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce lists Clint Shelton as publisher and the fourth generation of his family to run it.
Where is the Decatur Daily printed? Since 2009, the Decatur Daily, the TimesDaily and the Moulton Advertiser have been printed in Florence, according to a historical marker record about the paper.
Which towns are covered in the Decatur Daily obituary section? Entries carry location tags such as Decatur, Hartselle, Falkville, Danville and Trinity/Moulton, so check the tag for the community where the person lived.
Is there a local newspaper in Hartselle? Yes. The Hartselle Enquirer is a locally owned weekly based in Hartselle.
Which TV market is Decatur, Alabama in? Morgan County is part of the Huntsville–Decatur television market, according to the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.
How do I confirm funeral service times? Call the funeral home that is handling arrangements, or check its website. It is the most reliable source for visitation, service and burial details.
Why can’t I find an obituary for someone from Decatur? Common reasons include a name variation, a notice that has not run yet, a family that chose a funeral home page or social post instead, or a notice in a neighboring paper. Try the search tips in this guide and call the funeral home if you know it.
How do I find older Decatur obituaries? Start with the Decatur Daily website, then contact the newspaper and the local library about microfilm and archives. The Alabama Department of Archives and History and national newspaper databases can also help.
Is an obituary an official record of death? No. A newspaper obituary is a published tribute and can contain errors. Request a death certificate from the Alabama Department of Public Health when you need an official record.
Is CollateMeaning.com affiliated with the Decatur Daily? No. We are an independent publisher, and this guide is for informational purposes only.
Which Decatur does this guide cover? Decatur, Alabama, the seat of Morgan County in North Alabama. Other cities named Decatur have their own local papers.
How often is this guide updated? We review contact details, deadlines and the list of outlets regularly. Check the “last updated” date at the top, and confirm important details with the source.
How do I report an error in this guide? Use the Contact Us page on CollateMeaning.com and tell us what to correct. We will check it against the original source and update the page.
Related guides
- How to Find Recent Obituaries in Decatur, AL
- How to Place an Obituary in the Decatur Daily
- Decatur, AL Funeral Homes Directory
- Morgan County, AL Obituaries and Records Search
- Decatur, Alabama Newspapers: Local News Sources Compared
- Decatur High School Football and Local Sports Coverage
Sources and editorial note
The obituary policy, deadlines and contact details above come from the Decatur Daily’s published obituary information. Newspaper history and local media details come from the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce and a historical marker at the paper’s Decatur location. Station and newspaper lists are drawn from public references. Details such as prices, deadlines and contact numbers can change, so confirm with the outlet directly. CollateMeaning.com is not affiliated with the Decatur Daily, TimesDaily, Hartselle Enquirer, or any TV station named here.
