Writing Your Own Obituary

It may seem a little strange to write your own- Read other obituaries for inspiration
obituary, but actually, it is the best way to write- Find a recent photo that you’d like to use
what you want others to know about you after- Live every day to its fullest so you have lots to
you have passed on. It is a great way to helpwrite about
your loved ones cope at a difficult time and youInformation to Include While Writing Your Own
can rest assured that you have had a finalObituary
farewell.Obituaries contain a certain set of facts and
Preparing for Your Funeral: Obituaries, Wills andstories from your life. Before you write out your
Donationsown obituary get all the facts together. Below is a
More and more people are preparing their ownlist of facts most commonly included in an
funerals long before they expect to pass on.obituary:
Some people are even paying for them upfront- Full name of the deceased
so there is no burden to family and so that they- Date and place of birth
can make arrangements that they want for their- Date and place of death
final farewell. Many people are choosing their- Surviving Family
casket, flowers, music, and even deciding on the- Date, time and address of funeral, memorial and
menu for their funerals with the help of theirburial services
funeral director. Preplanning like this benefits- Officiating Clergy
everyone. You get to choose things that you- Memorial contributions to be made in lieu of
want for your funeral arrangements, and howflowers to:
you’d like people to donate money in lieu of- Photo
flowers. But most importantly, preplanning reduces- Cause of Death
the responsibilities of your loved ones during a- Education
time of grief and sadness. Find out more at- Religious Affiliations
ObituariesHelp.org- Professional Memberships
Before the Funeral: Obituary Writing- Participation in local or national organizations
Writing your own obituary is not morbid, nor does- Military Service
it hasten death, it’s simply a way to make- Occupation and employment history
peace with your passing and to make things- Accomplishments, achievements, awards
easier on your loved ones. When you sit down to- Publications either written about or by the
write your own obituary, you want to keep onedeceased
thing in mind.- Hobbies or Activities
Answer the question:- Acts of humanitarianism
What do I want people to remember about me?Writing Your Own Obituary: A work in Progress
What to Write in Your Own ObituaryThe wonderful thing about writing your own
There are several ways to go about writing anobituary is that you don’t actually have to
obituary, but the best way starts with youfinish it! If you gather all your information and
recollecting events from your life that wererecollections but don’t actually finish writing
meaningful or important to making you the personyour own obituary, you’ll still be helping your
that you are today. Here are some tips forloved ones. By compiling this and telling your loved
writing your own obituary.ones where the file is, will go a long way to
- Think through and list out your accomplishmentsgetting an obituary that you would be happy with.
- Write out anecdotes of events and happeningsAll the information will be close at hand and your
in your lifeloved ones can simply start writing or give it to
- Create a timeline of your life in chronologicalthe funeral director to start writing the obituary.
order so you don’t miss anything outJust get started today and update it regularly.
- Ask others for their input, it’s hard to seeWho knows, it could become part of an
all your accomplishments objectivelyautobiography or genealogy project!