Obituary (2024)

FAQs

Obituary? ›

obit·​u·​ary ə-ˈbi-chə-ˌwer-ē ō- -ˈbi-chə-rē plural obituaries. Synonyms of obituary. : a notice of a person's death usually with a short biographical account.

[Full Name], aged [age of the deceased], passed away peacefully on [date of death], at [location of death]. He/she was born on [date of birth], in [birthplace], to [names of parents]. He/she was a proud resident of [city of residence] and was a 1975 graduate of Holy Cross High School.

Many funeral homes publish obituaries on their websites. These can usually be located with a Google search on the person's name. Local genealogical and historical societies, public libraries, and some newspaper publishers maintain clipping files of obituaries.

An obituary is a written account of the deceased's life, while a eulogy is a speech given at a funeral in honor of the person who has died. A eulogy will be written before it's spoken, but it should be written as a speech, with more emphasis on how it sounds than on how it appears on a page.

In most cases, obituaries do not include the names or nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, or in-laws unless they were close to the deceased.

“It is with great sadness that the family of (deceased name) announce (his/her) passing….” “(Deceased name) will be sadly missed by ….” “Fondly remembered by….” “Forever remembered by….”

An obituary is written to tell the story of your loved one. These will often be in the funeral program. There will even be a part of the funeral where the obituary will be silently read by everyone in attendance at the funeral. It is something you and your family should be patient with when you are writing it.

Most people hire writers to tackle their obituary. While there's nothing wrong with this, there's something far more impactful about telling your story in your own voice. There are a few great reasons to take this on, and you'll be glad that you did.

If the deceased had a favorite quote that became their motto, you can use it to lighten their obituary. Jokes, song lyrics and poems are also great material for a unique obituary that aptly honors a friend or loved one.

Do you put last names in obituary? ›

When you are listing a relative, make sure to include their first name, their spouse's first name in parenthesis and then their last name. It should look something like this: “JoAnne leaves behind her children Doug (Susan) Smith, Joe (Dianne) Smith, and Sarah (Mark) Perry.”

It is not considered disrespectful to not have an obit, and many families choose to skip them. Though there is no legal obligation to publish an obituary, families should make the decision based on their preferences, the wishes of their loved one, and the needs of their extended family and friend network.

There are many reasons to include cause of death in the obituary: to inform the community, to acknowledge your loved one's battle with illness, to raise awareness about a disease, or simply to reduce the number of times you are asked “How did he die?” That said, some families are not comfortable sharing this ...

“We are sad to announce the death of [name], who passed away [date]. A memorial and funeral service will be held at [location] for friends and family to attend at [date, time]. Any donations to their favourite charity [charity name] would be appreciated instead of flowers. Thank you.”

It is customary to list family members who have survived the deceased, possibly including their current residence (city, state), including: Parents • Spouse/partner • Children (with their spouses'/partners' names also noted in brackets) • Grandchildren, great-grandchildren (often listed just as a number, ex.

Start with the basics: Begin by writing down the deceased person's name, age, and date of birth and death. Also, include information about where they lived, worked, and their family members. Write a brief biography: Write a short biography that highlights the person's accomplishments, passions, hobbies, and interests.