Write and publish an obituary
An obituary is an article that describes the life of a deceased person.
Publishing an obituary is something that many families choose to do in order to notify the community of the death. It can be sent for print only, digital only, or both digital and print.
Some news publications charge between $200 and $500 to publish an obituary. As a cost-saving measure, choose print publications with smaller distributions or publish the obituary online.
Most obituaries are between 200 and 250 words total. Check with the publication to determine if any word limits apply. Not all obituaries are formal or serious.
Use your best judgment about what the deceased and/or their family members would want to say. In some cases, the deceased might have written their own obituary as part of their advanced planning.
Most obituaries include some or all of the following information about the deceased:
- Birth and death dates
- Important familial roles played (father, mother, aunt, etc.)
- Survived by (immediate family)
- Career and career achievements
- Time and location of the funeral or memorial
You can further customize an obituary in the following ways:
- Use relevant scripture
- Include a quote from deceased's favorite author, book, poem, lyric, etc.
Important
An obituary shows that the deceased's home is vacant. Be sure to secure the deceased's home and any valuables before having an obituary published, especially if it includes the time of the funeral.
