How to Create an Obituary

Describing an Obituary

An obituary, or an obit, is a piece that is written after someone dies to provide a description of the deceased. An obituary also includes the following characteristics:

• Written in paragraph form
• Written in third person
• Charts the life of the deceased in chronological order
• Lists the milestones and accomplishments of the deceased
• States the impact the person had on his or her family, friends, place of worship, and community

Steps on How to Create an Obituary

Think of an obituary as not only a death announcement for the public to read, but as a way to share with society the attributes of a person who lived and loved here on earth. What better way to get the news across to the public than your local paper. Keep in mind that some newspapers have a word limit on the length of the announcement. Usually this is done in increments of inches. There are papers that will give you the first three inches for free and then charge you a fee for anything that goes over that length.

As you sit down to write the piece, take your time. Ask family members for help with dates or names, should you be unclear about any of them. You do not want to insert incorrect or error-filled information.

What to Put in the Obituary

When creating an obituary, you will want to start with the person's full name and date of death. From there, state his birth date and age. Then list in order the education and work the deceased accomplished. Towards the end of the obituary, the names of who the deceased is survived by are recorded. If there is a memorial fund or charity where contributions can be made, this is added here. The last line can give the date, time and place the funeral or memorial service will be held. Since the obituary is where people can learn about the funeral arrangements, be sure that the piece is printed in the newspaper days before the service takes place.

What to Leave Out of the Listing

You do not have to list the cause of death. Many want to avoid the cause if it was painful such as cancer. In the case of cancer, often this is what is written. After a long illness, Robert J. Mitchell passed way in his home on Lamont Avenue in Kinston, North Carolina. If the loved one died by suicide, this does not have to be revealed. Close friends and family will know, but the general public does not have to be privy to this knowledge.

Keep the obituary positive. Do not fill it with opinions of the deceased that are not favorable. Some like to include a poem or a verse or two to show sentiment. While there are standard obituaries that are more factual than sentiment, you can choose to share some emotion within the piece.

Remember that an obituary, like a funeral, is for the living. You want to portray the deceased in a good light for those who continue to live with his memory. De mortuis nihil nisi bonum is Latin for speak kindly of the dead. This is always a good practice to follow as you ponder on how to create an obituary.

Other Newspapers

If the deceased spent a large amount of time in a town different from where the obit is printed, consider sending the piece to the newspaper where he used to live. Friends, past co-workers, and family there can then learn of his death.

Samples to View

Obituaries.com has notices of deaths in the United States and Canada. This website makes for a good place to view a template for free so that you can get an idea how an obituary is formatted once printed in a paper.