Obituary
o·bit·u·ar·y [oh-bich-oo-er-ee]
a published announcement of a death, often accompanied by a short biography of the dead person
a published announcement of a death, often accompanied by a short biography of the dead person
Writing an obituary in 5 easy steps
Many local newspaper requires families to write obituaries for their loved ones. It doesn't look difficult. But it can be one of the most challenging efforts in our lives, considering the stress of the events.
If you are at this page now because you have lost a loved one, I am deeply sorry for your loss. Newspapers charge for obituaries based on how much column space is used. If we say everything we are feeling we could be spending a small fortune. Please start by contacting your local newspaper first and ask their pricing policy and deadlines. If money is an issue for you (like most people) set a budget and stick to it. Usually a newspaper will offer a free death notice, an option for those of us with no budget available for an obituary. Another thing to consider is a free online memorial, like www.FindAGrave.com. FindAGrave is a listing of cemeteries and records who is interred there, with photos of headstones, biographies, and a place for memorial visitors to leave comments and virtual flowers. Below are five easy steps to writing an obituary. 1. Start by naming who died, when, where, and if you can, who their parents were. Age and cause of death optional. 2. Who did the deceased love and who loved the deceased. 3 What did they do for a living or hobby? 4. Where is the funeral? 5. Have someone proof the work. Here are the same five steps in more depth.
Although not optional, you may wish to record the deceased persons age, especially if they were very young or of advanced years. Example of another way to include the age: Catherine "Kate" McManus died Sunday. She was born in Ireland in 1823, the daughter of the late Thomas and Kate Craeby. note: Future genealogists will thank you for including the parents of the deceased, if you can. Cause of death - optional, although death by catastrophic event should be noted, as well as war and military deaths. Details are never necessary. Information regarding suicides are generally not included in obituaries. In cases of Alzheimer's or other long term conditions many chose to use the words: prolonged illness. 2.Who did the deceased love and who loved the deceased. Name the next of kin - optional, but traditionally included. When listing family members its customary to first list spouse, siblings, then children, then grandchildren, and finally extended family such as cousins, aunts and uncles. Special friends might follow. Again: no rules. Most families will list survivors in order of personal importance. The modern style of phrasing for family is often like these examples: For living family members- Kate is survived by her daughter Annie I. McManus, Jersey City. or if the family members are deceased - Kate is pre-deceased by her husband Thomas. Depending on space available and number of descendants, sometimes grandchildren are named, sometimes they are just counted. Example, after listing surviving sons or daughters you might see the words: ... and 14 grand-children, and 3 great-grandchildren. A growing trend is families including pets in the list of survivors. For example: Kate will be greatly missed by her beloved poodles Petula and Tonto. 3. What did they do for a living or hobby? Now is a good time to add in occupation or companies worked for, military service, any honors or awards received, organizations or churches they belonged to or volunteered with or hobbies they enjoyed. Don't be shy of including what you loved about this person. Example: Kate has always enjoyed collecting dolls and baking the best desserts. 4. Where is the funeral? Finally it is essential to include accurate funeral service and visitation (or viewing) information. Sometimes this may be followed by a suggestion of where donations might be appreciated. Example: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Kate's name be made to the National Hemophilia Foundation. 5. Have someone proof the work. Done? Not yet. It is important to have a few family members or friends read your work to check spelling or any missing detail. During this very difficult time no one expects you to be perfect and remember every detail. It is okay and important to ask for help. If your newspaper offers an online file submission use that and to avoid their miss-spellings. Also it is a good idea to request a 'proof' of what it will look like, if possible. |
"I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper.
Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up."
~Benjamin Franklin
Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up."
~Benjamin Franklin
If you are having difficulty coping with grief and loss you may want to visit this page at www.helpguide.com