How to Write an Obituary

The process of penning an obituary can often be helpful when a loved one passes away. Recalling the defining moments of the person’s life can be a source of comfort for the person writing the obituary.

But many people are often perplexed about how to write an obituary. An obituary is basically a factual piece of writing that is published in newspapers announcing the death of a person. Newspapers sometimes use their own people to write them. However, sometimes, a family member has to submit the obituary.

Essentially, an obituary is a summation of the life of the deceased person. Once a loved one dies, most people feel a great need to laud their virtues, their accomplishments, and mention the better parts of their life. It is often a ritual of the funeral proceedings to remind the friends and family of the deceased about the good deeds and personal achievements of the person in their life. In fact, sending a loved one off minus an obituary would seem like a void in the whole procedure of the funeral.

If you are looking for information on how to write an obituary, here is a step-by-step guide, which you could use as a road map:

• Check out with the newspaper you are planning to publish the obituary in whether they have any restrictions about the length and how much it will cost to get it published.
• Ensure placing the obituary in the newspaper a few days prior to the funeral.
• The deceased person’s full name should be given.
• The place as well as the date of death should be given.
• Give details such as where and when the funeral will be taking place.
• Provide details about the chief events of the person’s life such as the place and date of birth.
• Make sure to mention appropriate information regarding the person’s education, which universities he/she attended, as well as any noteworthy employment details.
• You could also give the person’s hobbies and interests as well as any involvement he/she may have had with charities or community services.
• Make certain to provide all his/her major accomplishments.
• Do not forget to mention where the contributions and flowers should be sent. And, provide the name of the funeral director, if required.
• When providing the list of relatives that survive the deceased person, do not make it too lengthy. It is advisable to limit it to the immediate family and anybody that he or she may have been particularly close.
• In fact, you can find obituary templates on the Internet, which can help you along with the process of filling in all the necessary details.
• Since the space allowed for obituaries is usually limited, it is advisable to save room for writing something personal about the deceased person. After all, many friends and acquaintances will be learning about the death of the deceased person only through the obituary, hence writing something moving will enable them to evoke a warm remembrance, which they can keep.
• After writing the obituary, go over it carefully to check for grammatical mistakes and typos. Double check to see if you have included the age of the person, or the birthday, and the date of death. And it is also advisable to send the obituary to several newspapers.
• If the deceased person has lived in some other state or town for a part of his/her life, make sure to send a copy of the obituary to the newspapers of that town so the people who may have known him/her are notified.

An obituary for somebody you love can be a final parting gift to the person – a remembrance that you can pen with your words which can be kept by the other people to whom he or she may have been important.