An obituary includes a biographical outline and possibly a picture of the deceased. As early as you are comfortable, begin compiling the information for the obituary. Friends and family can help if needed. We’ve broken it down into 2 steps to preparing an obituary.
The following lists are a guide rather than a requirement.
WHN TIP – Funeral Home Assistance? Some funeral homes will handle placing obituaries and notices for you. Check if this is part of their service.
Step 1: Gather the Personal Details
WHN TIP – Read Examples: Review obituaries from a local publication or funeral home website; use elements from ones that best fit with what you need.
- Vital statistics about the deceased (date of birth and death)
- Information about all appropriate memorial, funeral, and burial services: location, including the phone number, day and time of services.
- Address of where to send floral tributes, requests for donations to charity, if any
- Photo (optional, often additional costs)
- Cause of death (optional)
- Place of residence and length of time the person lived in the area
- Education, work and volunteer history, military experience
- Memberships in local organizations; religious or other affiliations
- Honors and awards
- Names of all spouses, including marriages that ended in divorce or death. If a spouse is deceased, the year of death.
- Names, relationships and current towns of residence for surviving spouse, children, parents and siblings
- Number of surviving grandchildren and great-grandchildren
- Names and relationship of close relatives who are deceased: siblings, children, grandchildren
WHN TIP – Do It Yourself: You can place an obituary yourself; many media publishers are very helpful and answer any questions you may have.
Step 2: Ask About Newspaper Deadline and Fees
WHN TIP – Obituary Expense: The definition of “obituary” and “death notice” vary from publisher to publisher. Some offer these free, others charge by the line. Find out what your publication(s) charge before placing an obituary — it can get very expensive.
- Call to find out the deadline. For placement in the next day’s newspaper, obituary deadlines are generally between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
- Ask how the fees are calculated. (This is usually a per-line rate for both copy and a photo.)
- Ask if a short 6–8 line announcement of a death or of pending services is printed free of charge — answers vary.
- Ask how the payment must be made: cash, check or credit card.
- Want the obituary in a home or birth town or second place of residence? Check that publication’s deadline and fees.
- Ask if the online version will be released at a specific time.
WHN TIP – Review if Possible: If there’s time, ask for a proof copy. Double-check spelling of all names, all dates, photo caption and the headline.
Photo Credit: Toimetaja tõlkebüroo