| Before you start you need to know what to | | | | the obituary can be, it is time to start gathering |
| write in an obituary and what is allowed by the | | | | your information about the deceased. To help you |
| newspaper. Obituaries are restricted in length and | | | | with this task, you can find free downloadable |
| some newspapers don't publish them at all. | | | | forms online at ObituariesHelp.org. An obituary will |
| Knowing all of this before you start will make | | | | contain the following information about the |
| your newspaper obituary writing go much | | | | deceased: |
| smoother. | | | | - Full name of the deceased |
| What is an Obituary? | | | | - Date and place of birth |
| An obituary is a notice that announces the death | | | | - Date and place of death |
| of someone with a description of the person's life | | | | - Surviving Family |
| and list of family members. The obituary is often | | | | - Date, time and address of funeral |
| written by the funeral home or mortuary, but | | | | - Date, time and address of memorial service |
| many people choose to write an obituary for their | | | | - Date, time and address of burial service |
| loved one that is published in the newspaper and | | | | - Address of cemetery or mausoleum |
| included in the funeral program. | | | | - Officiating Clergy |
| Free Obituary Listings and Paid Obituary Listings | | | | - Memorial contributions to be made in lieu of |
| Some newspapers limited their space to only a | | | | flowers to: |
| few obituaries of notable or famous people. | | | | - Photo |
| Sometimes, there are fees involved depending on | | | | Surviving Family |
| the length of the obituary. Many newspapers have | | | | Depending on space allowed in the newspaper |
| an online edition in which they publish all the | | | | obituaries section, Surviving Family may include: |
| obituaries for free. Usually people can access | | | | - Spouse's name |
| these obituaries online for free, but in some cases | | | | - Children's names and the cities where they |
| a membership or subscription fee applies. | | | | reside |
| As a general rule, major national newspapers | | | | - Grandchildren and the cities where they reside |
| have their own staff write and publish | | | | - Parents and the cities where they reside |
| newsworthy obituaries for free. They charge a | | | | - Siblings and the cities where they reside |
| hefty fee to publish non-newsworthy obituaries | | | | - Significant friends, relatives and partners and the |
| and they are only online for a short time. Smaller, | | | | cities where they reside |
| local papers will often publish obituaries for free or | | | | Additional Information |
| for a small fee. The obituaries remain online or in | | | | You might wish to include the following information |
| the archives so people can access them and read | | | | if you have space and the details are appropriate, |
| them for years to come. A feature that is helpful | | | | but is not necessary: |
| for people doing genealogy research. | | | | - Cause of Death |
| Publishing an Obituary | | | | - Education |
| There are several newspapers that will publish a | | | | - Religious Affiliations |
| lengthy obituary for free, but it is best to contact | | | | - Professional Memberships |
| them before you start to write. Be sure you will | | | | - Participation in local or national organizations |
| be able to publish the entire obituary before you | | | | - Military Service |
| write; it will save you time and money in the end. | | | | - Occupation and employment history |
| The average length of an obituary is about 200 | | | | - Accomplishments, achievements, awards |
| words but it can be as long as 450 words or as | | | | - Publications either written about or by the |
| few as 50 words. | | | | deceased |
| Contact the classified advertising department of | | | | - Hobbies or Activities |
| your local newspaper to publish an obituary and | | | | - Acts of humanitarianism |
| ask them these questions: | | | | Before you sit down to write the obituary, collect |
| - Will they will publish your loved one's obituary in | | | | all the information about the deceased and |
| the newspaper and/or online? | | | | contact your local newspaper to find out how |
| - How long can the obituary be? | | | | much they charge and if they have a free |
| - What is the cost? | | | | obituary listing online. You will find helpful Obituary |
| What do I write in an Obituary? | | | | Writing Tools that you can download for free at |
| Once you've determined who will write the | | | | ObituariesHelp.org. |
| obituary, you or the funeral home and how long | | | | |