Q&A for How to Write an Obituary

An obituary is a public call to say that someone has died. It's a big event when someone in your life dies, and it helps to have people acknowledge that.

The simpler said the better, "Twice widowed, she is preceded in death by (name) and (name)."

Use her maiden name, and mention former spouses through any surviving children from those marriages if desired.

An obituary for someone who died by suicide typically doesn't specify the cause of death. Instead, it may refer to the person's struggles with mental health or addiction, or suggest donations to a relevant charity.

In the latter part of her life, she was fortunate to be surrounded by two generations of nieces and nephews.

Find an image shrinking or compression website and specify a size (in pixels) that you want it to be reduced to. Pixlr or similar should work, or you could use a proper program such as Photoshop. More detailed help can be found at: How to Shrink a Picture and/or How to Resize Digital Photos and/or How to Resize a JPEG .

No, a finalized obituary cannot be revised. However, if there is a mistake, a correction or amendment can be added to the original obituary.

Include the widow in the "survived by" section of the obituary.

No, it is not necessary, but obituaries typically list the names and locations of immediate family members who survive the deceased.

Generally, obituary photos feature only the deceased. If the spouse is also deceased, including both can be appropriate. If the spouse is living, it's best to include them only if they and close family members prefer it. Be sure to indicate in the obituary text that the spouse has survived the deceased.

Include her in the "Survived by" sentence. For example, "He is survived by his ex-wife, [Name]."

Common causes include car accidents, suicide, homicide, drug overdoses, eating disorders, heart conditions, or cancer. If not mentioned, it might be a sensitive topic, or the family may choose not to disclose it. A charity mentioned in the obituary can sometimes offer a clue.

You can explicitly mention the cause of death, keep it vague (e.g., "passed away after a long illness"), or omit it entirely. It's essential to consider what the loved ones are comfortable sharing. If you choose to disclose the cause, you might say, "On the morning of [Day], [Name] passed away after a long battle with [eating disorder]." You could also suggest donations to a charity dedicated to combating eating disorders instead of flowers.

An obituary might not include a photo if a suitable one is unavailable or if privacy is a concern. Additionally, when published in newspapers, constraints like cost or space may prevent the inclusion of a photo.

If the deceased was controversial, allowing comments could lead to negative remarks or speculation. This is especially likely if other obituaries on the same site allow comments.

Obituaries are usually published in local newspapers and on their websites. They can also be found on funeral home websites and dedicated obituary sites like Legacy.com and FindAGrave.

Yes. After the announcement of their death, you could say, "[Name] was born on [date] to [father's name] and [mother's name].

Assuming you're still alive, you don't have an obituary yet. When you do die, your obituary will be published online and in local newspapers.

When an obituary says someone died "unexpectedly," it means their death came without prior warning, such as from a sudden medical event or accident. The absence of a cause of death might indicate the family prefers to keep it private, or they deem it unimportant. In some cases, the cause might be sensitive, or it might simply be unknown.

When writing your own obituary, you can choose a fictional date of death, perhaps years into the future, and craft it like a typical obituary that highlights your life. Include your favorite activities, what you loved doing, and how you'd like to be remembered. For the funeral service section, specify any wishes you have for your loved ones. This document can serve as a guide for your loved ones in the future.

Write an obituary like a standard one, but omit specific personal details. Focus on their hobbies, interests, personality, and the impact they had on others. Avoid mentioning a funeral service unless it's online, and consider omitting or anonymizing the "survived by" and "predeceased by" sections.

It is recommended not to mention the cause of death directly. Instead, you can write, "[Name] passed away suddenly."

You could spend more time writing about their achievements and significant events in their life, and you can throw in some stories or anecdotes that you think are meaningful. If you're having this obituary printed in the newspaper, keep in mind that this could be pricey if it takes up a whole page, since many newspapers charge by how many inches your writing takes up on the physical paper.

This is completely up to you. If you think your relationships and the other people were a significant part of your life, you may feel like it's best to mention them.

List them as "son-in-law" or "daughter-in-law," or use "spouse of [name]." For example, you could write, "John is survived by his son Joe and daughter-in-law Jane" or "John is survived by his son Joe and his wife Jane."

Try to ask someone who knew the person or who was there when they died, such as a family member. If you cannot do that, you could ask to see the recorded date of death on a public register.

Maybe write: At the celebration of [Name's] life, black clothing is not required. [Name] wanted everyone to wear colors.

Example: "They are preceded in death by their [relationship to person] [names including last names]."