How to Write an Obituary

Welcome to our blog post on obituaries, an essential aspect of commemorating and honoring the lives of our loved ones who have passed away. In this post, we will delve into the purpose of an obituary, offering insight into its role in announcing a death, celebrating a life, and informing the community. We will guide you through the process of writing an obituary, providing tips on structure, tone, and the key elements to include. Additionally, we will cover various platforms where you can publish an obituary, from local and national newspapers to online memorial websites and social media, ensuring that the tribute reaches the intended audience effectively.

What is an Obituary?

The primary purpose of an obituary is to formally announce the death of an individual. Typically, an obituary will include basic details surrounding the death, such as when the person passed away, how old they were, and where they lived. Other details like basic family information and perhaps a short bio will often be included, as well.

The other use for an obituary is to provide information about the service that will be held in the person’s honor. In years gone by, this may have been the only way to distribute information about a funeral service effectively. While we have many more technologies available for getting that information around to family and friends, it remains common to include it in an obituary. 

How to Write an Obituary?

Every obituary is different, as it needs to be customized to the individual in order to be meaningful. However, you can use the template below as a good example of how you can structure the obituary you need to write.

• Start with the basics

  • The full name of the deceased

  • Their age

  • Their date and place of birth

  • The date and place of death

  • Where the deceased lived

  • The cause of death (which the family may wish to withhold)

• Provide a brief summary of the deceased's life, starting from birth and working forward. Think of yourself as a storyteller. You're going to tell the story of someone's life. Either way, try to be choosy about the information you include. Ask yourself:

  • Would the reader find this piece of information interesting?

  • Does it help "keep the story going"?

  • Does the anecdote reflect something the deceased was known for?

• Name immediately family members. List relatives, both living and deceased. Include the full names of the deceased's parents, siblings, and children, as well as his or her spouse/partner. Also mention grandparents, aunts, uncles, and step-family members.

• Conclude with details about the service. Simply share the information you know, which is your primary goal anyway.

It's now common to ask friends and families to forgo sending flowers in favor of making a donation to a charity or memorial fund. The choice is up to the family. Just be sure to name the charity or memorial fund to which donations should be sent. An address helps, too.

Where to Publish the Obituary?

Newspapers

• Local Newspapers:

  • Most local newspapers have obituary sections. You can contact them directly or submit the obituary through their website.

  • This is a traditional and widely used method, especially for reaching people within a specific geographic area.

• National Newspapers:

  • For obituaries that need a broader reach, national newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, or The Guardian offer obituary services.

  • These papers often have dedicated sections on their websites for submitting obituaries.

Online

• Websites like Legacy.com, Tributes.com and Memoria.co specialize in online obituaries.

• These platforms often provide additional services like memorial pages, guest books, and photo galleries.

How does the Memoria Obituary Work?

We believe in creating interactive obituaries that allow you, your family, and friends to contribute collectively. Our mission is to make the obituary lively and engaging, ensuring that the memory of your loved one comes alive through the dedicated obituary page.

• Go to https://memoria.co/obituaries

• Click on "Create an Obituary"

• Simply follow the steps 1 – 6 entering as much information as you want along the way, the choice is always yours.

• Publish your Obituary and Share with your family and friends [Step 6]

• Let everyone contribute to the Obituary by adding photos and memories!

Our obituaries include personal information, the Obituary, an area to enter information related to the Service and other funeral events, an area to enter Donation information and finally an opportunity to publish it on our website or keep it private to share only amongst family and friends.

For any help with Obituary creation, email support@memoria.co