How to Write an Obituary
One of the tasks that you may have to do after the death of a loved one is write their obituary. Here are some important tips that can help you do this without added any stress.
There will be many things that you may need to do after the death of a loved one and one of these is to write their obituary. If this is something that you have to do and you have never written one before, it can be a daunting thing to think about. There are some things that you can keep in mind to ensure that you do not have a tough time writing the obituary. Here are the tips that providers of cremation services in Dover, DE want you to think about.
When you lose a loved one, it can be difficult to know what to do next. One of the first tasks you may have to do is write their obituary. This can be a daunting task, but it’s important to take your time and get it right. Here are some tips on how to write an obituary that captures your loved one’s life and personality:
Step 1. Write the Obituary.
You will decide who will write the obituary. This is usually the responsibility of a close family member or friend.
Step 2. Gather information.
Get more information about your loved one’s life. This includes dates and places of birth and death, education, work history, military service, awards and accomplishments, hobbies and interests, etc. You can also include quotes from family and friends about what your loved one meant to them.
Step 3. Obituary Overview.
Write a brief overview of the deceased’s life, highlighting their accomplishments and memorable moments. Begin with the full name of the deceased followed by a brief introductory sentence summarizing their life.
Step 4. Family Members.
List the surviving family members and their contact information. Include quotes from family and friends about the deceased. These can be used to capture the essence of the person’s character and the impact they had on those around them.
Step 5. End with a Brief Summary.
This should include the date, time, and location of the service as well as any information about donations or memorials in lieu of flowers.
It is very important to read examples of obituaries. Many times, people think that because every obituary is unique, there is no need to see examples. That is not the case. You can see the length and the tone that the obituary should have and you can get a sense of the usual structure. There are lots of sites online where you can read examples, so do take some time to do this.
You also want to think about what you include in the biographical section. Lots of times, people include many details and this can be confusing. Think about the most important events in the person’s life and include those. If you add too much to the biographical section, you can end up confusing people and they may not notice the most important parts. Look at examples to see how long this section should be.
Another thing that you want to do is have someone read through the obituary. You always need another pair of eyes to look through it for errors or for anything that you may have forgotten to include. Choose someone you trust to help you with this. This is especially important if you are including a list of those who survived the person, because you do not want to forget anyone.
How to End the Obituary?
At the end of the obituary, you want to include the information for the service. People sometimes choose to have it in larger font or in bold print so that no one misses it. If you do not have all of the details in place, yet, you will want to add information on where people can find out where the service is later.
When getting ready to write an obituary for a loved one, you definitely want to take some time to think about all of these things. You do not want to begin writing it without reading some examples to get a sense of the structure and of the tone it should have. You will want to reach out to a loved one to help you by reading through it to check for errors, too. If you have questions about the process of writing an obituary, you can turn to a Dover, DE cremation service provider like us at Bennie Smith Funeral Home. We are here to answer any questions you may have and to help you with all of the arrangements. Give us a call right now.
