In more rural areas, the newspapers may not even charge for running obituaries, leading to more flowery phrases and the inclusion of more biographic information.

The larger the population served by a newspaper, the more likely it is that a very abbreviated notice, giving only the barest of information, will be the norm. In different areas of the country there are different conventions and standard formats for obituaries. We hope that this step-by-step guide to preparing an obituary will help you craft an obituary that conveys the personality of your loved one, and clearly communicates service times and other vital information.Ĭonventionality in formatting allows for readers to find the service times, and quickly determine whether the deceased is someone they know. Instead of a meaningful tribute, they often become a string of hackneyed phrases punctuated by fill-in-the-blanks of personal information. They are prepared in haste, in fog of grief, and the stress of meeting a newspaper deadline. Unfortunately, many of the obituaries we see in the newspaper and on the web fail to convey the personality or contributions of the deceased in a meaningful way. In the obituary we also want to present the significant events and attributes of the deceased, to note that person’s impact on their family and the world around them, and acknowledge the family members they held dear. Most immediately, the obituary serves to identify and communicate to the community the passing of our loved one, and to announce visitation, service, burial and memorial information.

It enlists the aid of our community, whose support we will need in the coming days weeks and months.

Sample obituary pages with pictures