Genealogy Requests

At Schrader Funeral Home & Crematory, we deeply respect the privacy of the families we serve. Families trust us as custodians of personal information - a responsibility we take very seriously. At the same time, we understand the importance of family history and genealogy research. 

For this reason, we are happy to provide copies of published death notices, funeral notices, or obituaries from our records whenever available. Please note: publication of a death notice is not required by law, and sometimes a notice may not exist. Most published notices come from the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the defunct St. Louis Globe-Democrat (1875-1986), St. Louis Sun (1989-1990), or local newspapers in St. Louis County.

To request a copy, please provide:

• The full name of the deceased
• The date of death (or year, if the exact date is unknown)

Including a self-addressed, stamped envelope ensures a timely response, though requests can also be submitted via email. If our reply takes longer than expected, please know our first priority is always supporting families at the time of a loss.

Typically, a funeral notice will include the names of survivors and their relationship to the deceased, along with funeral arrangements and place of burial or other disposition. 

If no published notice exists, we honor the family's privacy - regardless of how much time has passed. Respecting those wishes is at the heart of our care. 

Other sources for genealogy data include several online websites. We suggest you begin with the national archives or  archives.com.  There are also www.rootsweb.com, ancestry.com, genealogy.com, FamilySearch, and many other similar websites designed to help you trace your family's history. You can also search the Social Security Death Index. 

Locally, the St. Louis Genealogical Society, 4 Sunnen Drive, Suite 140, P.O. Box 43010, St. Louis, MO 63143, is a valuable resource for information. They are an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization.

Recently, the State of Missouri has archived 2.2 million death certificates from 1910 - 1975 and placed them into an easy-to-access PDF online database. Search the Missouri Digital Heritage Death Certificate Collection. 

If the death certificate is not available through the above collection, a relative or legal representative can request a copy through VitalChek.