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How to Write and Submit an Obituary

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When someone dies, his or her loved ones typically write an obituary to inform others of the death, celebrate the life of the deceased and provide information about the memorial service. Most of the time, you'll submit the obituary to a local newspaper where the person lived or grew up, and it'll be posted on the website of the funeral home handling the arrangements. The funeral home may also help you write the obituary. However, if you're doing it on your own, here are the steps to take to write a traditional obituary:

Announce the Death

An obituary is essentially a death notice, so when you begin writing, the first thing you want to do is announce the person's death. You'll want to include the full name, age, place of death and date of death in the first sentence or two. Some people choose to include the cause of death, but that's not necessary if it makes you uncomfortable or the person wanted to keep those details private.

Create a Biography

This information is usually followed up by a brief biography about the person. You may include information about where they grew up, where they went to school, where they worked, what their hobbies were, what their biggest accomplishments were and any other information that you feel is important to share. This part can be as long or as short as you want, but remember that most newspapers have space limits when they print obituaries, and they may charge by the word or line.

Add Some Personal Touches.

Don't be afraid to add some personal touches to the biography, death announcement or any other part of the obituary. Over the years, people have included jokes or special requests in obituaries. Loved ones sometimes describe the deceased's personality or passions. This is your chance to remember your loved one on paper in a way that will tell the world what they were like during life.

List Living and Deceased Family Members

Next, you'll want to list the deceased person's family members. You can list as many or as few as you like, but again, keep in mind that the newspaper may charge extra for long obituaries. You may start with close family members who died before your loved one, such as their parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandparents, a spouse or children. Follow that up with a list of the surviving family members. You can list them by name or simply mention them by relation. Many people opt to name immediate family members, such as children, spouses and parents, while simply listing the number of other family members, like nieces and nephews. You can also add special friends to this part of the obituary.

Provide Details About the Memorial Service

Wrap the obituary up with the details about the visitation, memorial service and funeral. List the times, dates and locations so that fellow mourners can come pay their respects. This is also the place where you tell people where to send donations or flowers.

Contact Your Local Newspaper

Once you have the obituary written, contact the newspapers in which you want it to appear. For many people, they'll choose the one in the community where the deceased lived and, sometimes, the one in the community where they grew up or spent a lot of time. Ask the paper what the requirements are for submitting an obituary. Is there a limit to how long it can be or what it can say? Many papers, particularly those in larger cities, require a funeral home or coroner to verify the death before they'll accept the obituary to prevent people from providing misleading information. You'll also want to know the price, any deadlines you need to make to have the obituary printed on a certain date, if you can add pictures and whether it will appear online as well.

Proofread and Make Any Necessary Changes

Now that you know what the newspaper's guidelines are, go over the obituary and make sure it fits them. You'll also want to read over the obituary for typos or errors to ensure there are no mistakes when you present your loved one's death to the community.

Submit and Pay for the Obituary

Once you've completed the actual obituary, it's time to submit it. Some newspapers may ask for an email submission and online payment. Smaller papers may accept the obituary and payment in person at their offices. Be sure you have any necessary documents and that you've verified the death through the funeral home or coroner. You may also present the obituary to the funeral home. That staff may provide it to the local newspaper as part of their funeral package. Try to have the obituary ready at least two days before the funeral to ensure everyone who wants to come sees it.