Writing an Obituary
There are two basic types of obituaries:
Type 1 -- Short and Concise Obituary
Type 2 -- Longer and more Detailed Obituary
Type 1 -- Short and Concise
A simple paragraph or two will be sufficient to meet the basic objective of the obituary; to inform the public that your loved one has died. The shortest type of obituary will have the following information:
- Full Name
- Place of Residence
- Date of birth
- Date of death
- Plans for memorial services and internment
It will say nothing or very little about the circumstances of death, family members left behind, job, hobbies, achievements or anything of the sort. This is typically the type of obituary that is submitted to the newspaper.
Type 2 -- Longer and more detailed
The second type of obituary will create a longer life sketch of the individual who has passed away, something which may take several paragraphs to complete. This is typically the type of obituary that is used in funeral programs, prayer cards and funeral keepsakes. It may include the following information:
- Date of birth, place of birth
- Date of death, place of death
- Circumstances of death (This section is optional, and may be general or specific. Rather than referring directly to cancer or Alzheimer’s, it may be more appropriate to refer to a “prolonged illness.” In cases of suicide, perhaps no information is necessary).
- Plans for the viewing (if applicable) and the memorial service
- Name of high school or college from which he/she attended or graduated
- Military service and decorations
- Religious affiliation, such as church or synagogue
- Jobs held - including retirement
- Names and relations of family members, both surviving and pre-deceased, to include parents, siblings, spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren
- Awards/Recognitions received
- Organizations to which the deceased belonged (volunteer work, fraternal organizations, veterans’ groups, religious orders)
A picture may or may not be included with the obituary. Some families choose a recent picture while others use a picture from an earlier time in the deceased’s life when he or she was younger, perhaps from high school, marriage, or the military. The goal is to honour their memory in the most fitting manner.
Submitting an Obituary or Death Announcement to Newspapers
The obituary that gets published in the local newspaper is often shorter than the obituary included in funeral programs or other printed funeral material. Below is a quick guide for submitting obituaries or death announcements to the newspaper.
1. If you are working with a funeral home, start there first. Funeral homes and funeral directors often have all necessary forms for submitting obituaries to local newspapers. Also, some funeral homes will include a short obituary listing with the price of the funeral.
2. Set a Budget Set a price limit if you're on a budget. Newspapers may charge by the column inch or by the word, so long obituaries and tributes can sometimes cost a lot. As stated above, funeral homes may include a basic obituary as part of the funeral package. If your funeral home will be submitting the obituary, ask them about the word limits, and how much it will cost you for each additional word or inch. Refer to your copy of the newspaper to view printed obituaries to get an idea of the font and column size to better give you an idea on how many words will fit per inch.