Writing an Obituary

How to Write an Obituary

An obituary also serves as notification that an individual has passed away and details of the services that are to take place. But it can be for more than that. A well crafted obituary can detail the life of the deceased, with style.

An obituary's length may be somewhat dictated by the space available (and the related costs) in the newspaper it is to appear in. Therefore it's best to check how much room you have before you begin your composition. Remember that the obituary needs to appear in print a few days prior to the memorial service. There are some cases where this may not be possible, therefore give some consideration to the guidelines below.

What Should You Include?

• Naturally, it is vital that the full name, along with the location and date of passing is included so that there is no confusion over who has died.

• You may wish to consider placing a photograph with the text.

• If you wish, mention where the deceased resided. Do not include the street address, for security reasons, just mention the city and region. 

• In a concise manner, write about the significant events in the life of the deceased. This may include the schools he or she attended and any degrees attained; you may also include any vocations or interests that the deceased was involved with.

• Include a list of those who have survived the deceased, in addition to those who passed away prior to the death; Parents, spouse, children, siblings, and grandparents.

• Other relatives will not be mentioned by name but may be included in terms of their relationship to the deceased. 

• Include information where the body will be laid to rest.

• If you have a service date and want to make it public. Include this information at the end of the obituary.

• Finally, ask us to include the Book of Memories online page to the obituary so family and friends can write condolences, order flowers, and much more.

If you don't know where to start, do read other obituaries that our on our website. Just click the obituary tab on the top of the screen.

Final Considerations:

Any and all information to be included in the obituary should be verified with another family member. A newspaper will have to verify with the funeral home being utilized that the deceased is in fact being taken care of by that funeral home.

Seeing as most newspapers charge by the word when placing an obituary, it may not always be feasible to mention everything that we have stated in our guidelines. Use your own discretion and do not put yourself under any financial hardship. Your loved one would understand. 

Today there are online memorials, such as Book of Memories, where the obituary can be available for the cyber-community of the deceased to view. It is also a place where friends and family can leave messages of condolence, light a memorial candle, or share photographs. If this sounds like a good option for your family, call us to learn more.