Writing an obituary is an intimidating task to endure especially soon after the loss of a loved one. Thinking and writing about a lost loved one is very emotional, making writing an obituary very difficult. So considering this, we thought giving you a guide to writing an obituary would be helpful for you at a very difficult time so you can be confident about what you have included.

How to Write an Obituary Step-by-Step

When writing an obituary, it is best to give yourself plenty of time so you are not rushed and have time to make it thoughtful and considerate. Obituaries tend to have the same standard information plus additional info unique to the deceased. 

Standard Obituary Information 

Announcement of Death

The most basic and probably most important function of an obituary is to announce the death to those who don’t know. This usually includes the name, age, place of death, time of death and place of residence. Place of death is commonly accompanied with ‘surrounded by his/her family’ or other similar term. It is also common, but not compulsory, to refer to the cause of death such as ‘after a long struggle with…’. This might be easier to include with untimely deaths as it avoids the need to discuss it repeatedly but ultimately, it is the business of the family so keep it private if you want. 

Deceased’s Mini-Biography

As the name suggests, the biography should include just a brief description of some important milestones or events in the deceased’s life. These could include date and place of birth, parent’s names, education, work, military service, marriage, locations lived, substantial jobs, awards, honours etc. The items to include will depend on how important/significant you think each event was to the deceased or to the deceased’s life. Details should be organised in chronological order and bring the reader up-to-date. Feel free to highlight a commonly known or quirky trait of the deceased as these are often a fond memory for many involved. 

Family Members

Obituaries list the immediate surviving members of the family typically using phrases like ‘survived by’, ‘loving father of’, ‘loving husband’, etc. Sometimes these can be listed in order of the family tree from the deceased to the grandchildren naming them in succession or referring to numbers of each if the names list becomes too long. 

Service Time

Although traditions vary, whether a memorial service, ash interment or a funeral service, it is important to announce the time, date and place that it will occur. If the service will be private and you don’t want uninvited attendees, you could announce it to be just ‘close family’ or a private event. 

Additional Messages

Sometimes an additional message can be made for specific announcements like ‘special thanks to…’ or ‘in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to…’. This message can also be a prayer, quote, message from loved ones to the deceased or something loved by the deceased. This is one of the most flexible parts of the Obituary. 

Obituary Photo

Finally but importantly, include a photo of the deceased. It may cost an additional fee to include an image but an image at the top of an obituary makes it stand out. Also, when published, the image is the part most paid attention to when people are scanning through the page. If it is a recent picture, the person can be recognised by people unaware of their death. 

Summary

Overall, an obituary is an announcement of the loss of a friend/family member and most often, an invitation to the service. In preparing an obituary, it is helpful to have some help from another friend or family member.  Just remember, it is a short memorial of their life and a celebration of their contribution to the lives of others.