Keep to the facts and you’ll be on the right path. If you’re writing about a loved one, the task can feel insurmountable it’s easy to slip into sentimental prose.Ī eulogy is the time to share personal observations but an obituary is a public record. Trap: An obituary is not a eulogyĪ few sentences to set the scene of a life’s record are perfectly acceptable, but you don’t want to get confused between writing an obituary and writing a eulogy. It shouldn’t be long, but a few sentences set the tone and are enough to make for a memorable obituary. When writing an obituary – or a sympathy card or a eulogy – the easiest way to begin is to think of a story that typifies the essence of the person. All he could manage were platitudes and he burned through three cards before he gave up entirely.Įven though I’d never met the wonderful soul, I wrote the sympathy card and hit the exact note my husband wanted. Surprisingly, when it came time to write a sympathy card before the funeral, my husband was at a complete loss for words. I’d never met him and regretted it because of everything I learned about him after he passed away. My husband was devastated and recounted stories about how this man had supported him so he could achieve professional and personal goals.

It was a tragic death, not least because he had a young family. One of my husband’s colleagues recently passed away after a brief illness. Information about in memoriam donations.ĭownload our 7 Steps to Writing a Thoughtful Obituary toolkit – complete with examples and a worksheet – to help you with this difficult project.Be prepared to spend time digging through old files and even contacting local government offices or schools to confirm dates. Having a formal structure helps, especially if you’re grieving or don’t know where to start. There’s a specific style to writing an obituary for news and it’s handy to adopt this style when you write one.Ĭheck out the obituaries in your local newspaper or in a place like The New York Times for examples of professionally written obituaries. Newspaper editors would gather all the information needed and write the obituary. Or, you can checkout with PayPal, right now.Īn obituary is a public record historically printed in a newspaper.

We’ve recently lowered our price to $4.99 (from $9.99) to ensure everyone who needs help can get it. Use these guidelines and you’ll be able to create a long-lasting tribute to make anyone proud.Īlternatively, you can download our Obituary Toolkit and get everything you need to write the perfect obituary. It’s important writing because it’s part of a permanent record and it lives on the internet forever.Ĭhances are when you’re faced with the task, you won’t know how to write an obituary because you haven’t done it often.

Obituary outline sample