How To Write An Obituary
Customs and traditions for placing and writing an obituary notice may vary depending on your religious affiliation, ethnic background or even regionally.
You may find it beneficial to look at an obituary notice in your local newspaper to get a better idea of how an obituary notice from your area is written and presented.
Check with the newspaper to see if there are any restrictions on length before you write the obituary.
Obituary Tips
Remember that the obituary needs to appear in print a few days prior to the memorial service.
The obituary appearing in a newspaper will be more formal than an announcement to family or friends.
It contains specific biographical data about the deceased and information that those wishing to pay respects will need.
Here is a general guideline to help you write an obituary.
Paragraph I - give full name, age, date-of-death and place-of-death.
Paragraph II - list family and any predeceased relatives.
Paragraph III - recount the main events in the person's life, beginning with his or her birth and birthplace. Write about their former employer(s), military service, memberships, etc. You may also want to tell of some of their accomplishments or great passions.
Paragraph IV– include a list of schools attended, degrees received, vocation and hobbies.
Paragraph V - give accurate information regarding visitation times, funeral services, memorials, mass services etc.
In the final paragraph, mention any charities or memorial funds for which you wish people to make donations.
You might also want to mention any people or groups that you wish to thank publicly for care given to the deceased. You could also include special poems or prayers.
If you are also placing the obituary in a newspaper, many families have found it beneficial to include an invitation to the public to view the notice on-line.
Consider sending the obituary to newspapers in other cities where the deceased formerly lived or worked.
Any and all information to be included in the obituary should be verified with another family member.
A newspaper will have to verify with the funeral home being utilized that the deceased is in fact being taken care of by that funeral home.
US Obituaries
United States Obituary Collection This database is a compilation of obituaries published in US newspapers, collected from various online sources. Many of these obituaries include information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
Blog of DeathObituaries of famous Americans - artists, anti-war protesters, politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, cartoonists, pilots, etc.
Death Indexes, Records & ObituariesDirectory of online death indexes listed by state and county. Included are death records, death certificate indexes, death notices & registers, obituaries, probate indexes, and cemetery & burial records. Also included is information about searching the Social Security Death Index online.
Death RecordsOnline searchable death indexes for the USA. Includes obituaries, cemeteries & the Social Security Death Index.
Newspaper AbstractsContains over 19752 abstracts and extracts from historical newspapers. These articles range in size from a single entry to an entire newspaper issue, all provided by site visitors and made available to you free of charge.
Obituaries 101Supplies links to recent obituary notices and stories in newspapers in the US. Newspapers are listed by state. Also provides links to current obituaries of prominent people, deaths from accidents, and Associated Press obituaries.
Obituary Registry90% of current US records. Includes complete obituaries, permanently archived.
TheOldenTimes.comObituaries, death notices, funeral notices, burials, murders, accident & disaster victims' names and the original images as published in 18th-20th century newspapers from the US, UK, and Australia. View original newspaper images online. Completely free.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund - The Virtual WallCommemorative website created to extend the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It allows families, friends and veterans to post photo, text and audio remembrances to those who lost their lives in the war or remain missing in action.
Blog of DeathObituaries of famous Americans - artists, anti-war protesters, politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, cartoonists, pilots, etc.
Death Indexes, Records & ObituariesDirectory of online death indexes listed by state and county. Included are death records, death certificate indexes, death notices & registers, obituaries, probate indexes, and cemetery & burial records. Also included is information about searching the Social Security Death Index online.
Death RecordsOnline searchable death indexes for the USA. Includes obituaries, cemeteries & the Social Security Death Index.
Newspaper AbstractsContains over 19752 abstracts and extracts from historical newspapers. These articles range in size from a single entry to an entire newspaper issue, all provided by site visitors and made available to you free of charge.
Obituaries 101Supplies links to recent obituary notices and stories in newspapers in the US. Newspapers are listed by state. Also provides links to current obituaries of prominent people, deaths from accidents, and Associated Press obituaries.
Obituary Registry90% of current US records. Includes complete obituaries, permanently archived.
TheOldenTimes.comObituaries, death notices, funeral notices, burials, murders, accident & disaster victims' names and the original images as published in 18th-20th century newspapers from the US, UK, and Australia. View original newspaper images online. Completely free.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund - The Virtual WallCommemorative website created to extend the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It allows families, friends and veterans to post photo, text and audio remembrances to those who lost their lives in the war or remain missing in action.
Canadian Obituaries
Canada Obituary Collection This database is a compilation of obituaries published in Canadian newspapers, collected from various online sources. Many of these obituaries include information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
Canadian Genealogy InformationAccess a resource encompassing obituaries useful for family heritage research. Search by province, city, or family name.
Canadian GenLookupsDirectory of genealogy lookup volunteers for Canada.
Canadian Health ObituariesIndex to obituaries of doctors based on a large number of Canadian medical journals. This information can be searched by name or browsed by year.
Cemeteries of CanadaPublishes records of burial from thousands of cemeteries across Canada for genealogy and historical research.
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionSearch by surname database detailing the place of burial or commemoration for those Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars.
Directory of Canadian Obituaries at Obituary DepotSearchable database of thousands Canada obituaries indexed by province and territory.
FuneralNet - CanadaPresents material covering memorial obituaries incorporating Canadian, American and international resources.
Obituaries 101Supplies links to recent obituary notices and stories in Canadian newspapers. Newspapers are listed by province and territory. Also provides links to current obituaries of prominent people, deaths from accidents, and Associated Press obituaries.
Obituaries TodayPeruse obituaries and memorials and access details to funeral homes throughout the country. Search a specific name or scroll through listings.
Old ObitsSearch US and Canadian obituaries from 1890 to 1920.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: CANADA-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Canada.
TheStar.com - News/ObitsObituaries from the Toronto Star newspaper.
Canadian Genealogy InformationAccess a resource encompassing obituaries useful for family heritage research. Search by province, city, or family name.
Canadian GenLookupsDirectory of genealogy lookup volunteers for Canada.
Canadian Health ObituariesIndex to obituaries of doctors based on a large number of Canadian medical journals. This information can be searched by name or browsed by year.
Cemeteries of CanadaPublishes records of burial from thousands of cemeteries across Canada for genealogy and historical research.
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionSearch by surname database detailing the place of burial or commemoration for those Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars.
Directory of Canadian Obituaries at Obituary DepotSearchable database of thousands Canada obituaries indexed by province and territory.
FuneralNet - CanadaPresents material covering memorial obituaries incorporating Canadian, American and international resources.
Obituaries 101Supplies links to recent obituary notices and stories in Canadian newspapers. Newspapers are listed by province and territory. Also provides links to current obituaries of prominent people, deaths from accidents, and Associated Press obituaries.
Obituaries TodayPeruse obituaries and memorials and access details to funeral homes throughout the country. Search a specific name or scroll through listings.
Old ObitsSearch US and Canadian obituaries from 1890 to 1920.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: CANADA-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Canada.
TheStar.com - News/ObitsObituaries from the Toronto Star newspaper.
Australia Obituaries
Australian and New Zealand RecordsSearchable database contains records of births, marriages, deaths plus a whole lot more.
Australian CemeteriesSupport and resource for the members of the Australia-Cemeteries Mailing List.
Birth Death and Marriage RecordsLists the names and addresses of the Registrars of Birth, Deaths and Marriages in each state and territory of Australia and indicates the current cost of certificates.
Colonial Tasmanian Family Links DatabaseLinks individuals with other members of their families living in Tasmania in the 19th Century. The information about individuals is based primarily on records of births, deaths, and marriages and similar events, held in the Archives Office. The database contains approximately five hundred thousand entries.
Directory of Australian Obituaries at Obituary DepotSearchable database of thousands Australia obituaries indexed by state and territory.
Lorraine's Burial Record PageSearchable database of cemetery records and transcriptions across Australia.
National Archives of AustraliaContact addresses for Australian births, deaths and marriages.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: AUSTRALIA-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Australia.
Ryerson IndexIndex to death notices appearing in current Australian newspapers. It also includes some funeral notices, probate notices and obituaries. Now 114 newspapers and over 1,000,000 entries. The website is updated every two or three weeks.
South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry SocietyFeatures searchable Cemetery Index, Newspaper Deaths and Government Gazette databases.
Sydney Morning Herald: Obituaries
TheOldenTimes.comObituaries, death notices, funeral notices, burials, murders, accident & disaster victims' names and the original images as published in 18th-20th century newspapers from the US, UK, and Australia. View original newspaper images online. Completely free.
Australian CemeteriesSupport and resource for the members of the Australia-Cemeteries Mailing List.
Birth Death and Marriage RecordsLists the names and addresses of the Registrars of Birth, Deaths and Marriages in each state and territory of Australia and indicates the current cost of certificates.
Colonial Tasmanian Family Links DatabaseLinks individuals with other members of their families living in Tasmania in the 19th Century. The information about individuals is based primarily on records of births, deaths, and marriages and similar events, held in the Archives Office. The database contains approximately five hundred thousand entries.
Directory of Australian Obituaries at Obituary DepotSearchable database of thousands Australia obituaries indexed by state and territory.
Lorraine's Burial Record PageSearchable database of cemetery records and transcriptions across Australia.
National Archives of AustraliaContact addresses for Australian births, deaths and marriages.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: AUSTRALIA-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Australia.
Ryerson IndexIndex to death notices appearing in current Australian newspapers. It also includes some funeral notices, probate notices and obituaries. Now 114 newspapers and over 1,000,000 entries. The website is updated every two or three weeks.
South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry SocietyFeatures searchable Cemetery Index, Newspaper Deaths and Government Gazette databases.
Sydney Morning Herald: Obituaries
TheOldenTimes.comObituaries, death notices, funeral notices, burials, murders, accident & disaster victims' names and the original images as published in 18th-20th century newspapers from the US, UK, and Australia. View original newspaper images online. Completely free.
Ireland Obituaries
United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection
Ancestors at Rest - IrelandSearch free databases such as coffin plates, death cards, funeral cards, wills, church records, family bibles, cenotaphs and tombstone inscriptions. Find links to death records like cemeteries, vital stats, and obituaries. Learn where to find death records off the net.
Anglo Celt Newspaper - ObituariesNewspaper covers Cavan, Fermanagh, and Monaghan.
Fermanagh Herald - Obituaries
Gorey Echo Newspaper - ObituariesNewspaper covers County Wexford.
Ireland GenWeb ProjectLocal resource index page for Ireland research. Devoted to providing free access to genealogical materials through the internet.
ireland.com - Births, Marriages, and Deaths NoticesObituaries from the Irish Times newspaper.
Loadza - Announcements - DeathsObituaries from the Irish Independent newspaper.
Obituaries for Bunclody AreaObituaries for Bunclody (County Wexford, Ireland) and neighbouring parishes.
Origins Network Source for online British and Irish genealogy research, featuring subscription access to a wealth of unique record, as well as free access to NameXtm powered basic Origin Search, a specialized online genealogy search tool.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: IRELAND-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information on anyone born in Ireland who may or may not reside elsewhere, as well as anyone who has a biography of a person's life which may tell of their, work, education, what they became in life, and when and where they died.
Ulster Herald Obituary Page
United Kingdom and Ireland RecordsSearchable database contains records of births, marriages, deaths and census plus a whole lot more.
Ancestors at Rest - IrelandSearch free databases such as coffin plates, death cards, funeral cards, wills, church records, family bibles, cenotaphs and tombstone inscriptions. Find links to death records like cemeteries, vital stats, and obituaries. Learn where to find death records off the net.
Anglo Celt Newspaper - ObituariesNewspaper covers Cavan, Fermanagh, and Monaghan.
Fermanagh Herald - Obituaries
Gorey Echo Newspaper - ObituariesNewspaper covers County Wexford.
Ireland GenWeb ProjectLocal resource index page for Ireland research. Devoted to providing free access to genealogical materials through the internet.
ireland.com - Births, Marriages, and Deaths NoticesObituaries from the Irish Times newspaper.
Loadza - Announcements - DeathsObituaries from the Irish Independent newspaper.
Obituaries for Bunclody AreaObituaries for Bunclody (County Wexford, Ireland) and neighbouring parishes.
Origins Network Source for online British and Irish genealogy research, featuring subscription access to a wealth of unique record, as well as free access to NameXtm powered basic Origin Search, a specialized online genealogy search tool.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: IRELAND-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information on anyone born in Ireland who may or may not reside elsewhere, as well as anyone who has a biography of a person's life which may tell of their, work, education, what they became in life, and when and where they died.
Ulster Herald Obituary Page
United Kingdom and Ireland RecordsSearchable database contains records of births, marriages, deaths and census plus a whole lot more.
UK Obituaries
United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection
BMD Certificate ExchangeThis free site is for listing birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as listing transcriptions of Wills and other genealogical documents.
British Isles GenWeb ProjectMaintained by volunteers in an effort to help researchers find local resources and reference information.
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionSearch by surname database detailing the place of burial or commemoration for those Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars.
CuriousFox UKThe village by village contact site for anybody researching family history, genealogy and local history in the UK and Ireland. Every UK county, town and village has a page for family history, local history, surname and genealogy enquiries. Use the search box to find your village or town.
Directory of Royal Genealogical DataDatabase containing the genealogy of the British Royal family and those linked to it via blood or marriage relationships.
Family History in IndiaWebsite for people tracing their British, European and Anglo-Indian family history in India, Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The total number of names on this site is now over 234,000.
FamilyRecords.gov.ukPortal provided by the UK government to give easy access to web resources for family history, including obituaries.
FreeBMDOngoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales, and to provide free Internet access to the transcribed records.
Genealogy Helplist United KingdomList of volunteers who will do free searches.
GENUKI: UK & Ireland GenealogyThe largest collection of research information on the net for UK.
Guardian Unlimited - Obituaries
The Independent - Obituaries
National ArchivesNational Archives of England, Wales and the UK has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.
Origins Network Source for online British and Irish genealogy research, featuring subscription access to a wealth of unique record, as well as free access to NameXtm powered basic Origin Search, a specialized online genealogy search tool.
Roll of HonourWar memorials and rolls of honour for most UK counties.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: SCOTLAND-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Scotland.
United Kingdom and Ireland RecordsSearchable database contains UK records of births, marriages, deaths and census plus a whole lot more.
Virtual Memorial GardenSite in which any cyber-reader can enter their own obituaries or eulogies, of a friend, relative, or even a pet.
BMD Certificate ExchangeThis free site is for listing birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as listing transcriptions of Wills and other genealogical documents.
British Isles GenWeb ProjectMaintained by volunteers in an effort to help researchers find local resources and reference information.
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionSearch by surname database detailing the place of burial or commemoration for those Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars.
CuriousFox UKThe village by village contact site for anybody researching family history, genealogy and local history in the UK and Ireland. Every UK county, town and village has a page for family history, local history, surname and genealogy enquiries. Use the search box to find your village or town.
Directory of Royal Genealogical DataDatabase containing the genealogy of the British Royal family and those linked to it via blood or marriage relationships.
Family History in IndiaWebsite for people tracing their British, European and Anglo-Indian family history in India, Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The total number of names on this site is now over 234,000.
FamilyRecords.gov.ukPortal provided by the UK government to give easy access to web resources for family history, including obituaries.
FreeBMDOngoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales, and to provide free Internet access to the transcribed records.
Genealogy Helplist United KingdomList of volunteers who will do free searches.
GENUKI: UK & Ireland GenealogyThe largest collection of research information on the net for UK.
Guardian Unlimited - Obituaries
The Independent - Obituaries
National ArchivesNational Archives of England, Wales and the UK has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.
Origins Network Source for online British and Irish genealogy research, featuring subscription access to a wealth of unique record, as well as free access to NameXtm powered basic Origin Search, a specialized online genealogy search tool.
Roll of HonourWar memorials and rolls of honour for most UK counties.
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: SCOTLAND-OBITSMailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Scotland.
United Kingdom and Ireland RecordsSearchable database contains UK records of births, marriages, deaths and census plus a whole lot more.
Virtual Memorial GardenSite in which any cyber-reader can enter their own obituaries or eulogies, of a friend, relative, or even a pet.
Celebrity Obituaries
About.com - Celebrity ObituariesSite devoted to remembering the stars who have passed away - their lives, passions, careers, and legacies.
Blog of DeathObituaries of famous Americans - artists, anti-war protesters, politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, cartoonists, pilots, etc.
Celebrity NewsRecent celebrity obituaries from The Hollywood Reporter.
Dead or Alive?This site tracks whether famous people are still alive or whether they have passed away.
Dead People ServerDatabase of interesting celebrities who are long dead or newly dead. They may be "retired" or spaced. DPS tells you who has really Rung Down the Curtain and Joined the Choir Invisible, and who's Just Resting.
Fuller UpSearch the dead musician directory by artist name, cause of death, or visit the grim reaper page to browse a running list of late musicians. Includes obituaries, biographies, photos, and links to other tribute sites.
GoodBye!Magazine featuring obituaries of the famous, infamous, and nonfamous.
Internet Obituary NetworkSearch for obituaries of notable personalities.
Life In LegacyOngoing review of recent celebrity deaths. Includes photos, tributes, and links to obituaries.
Obituary PageCelebrities who died between 1994 and 1998, including exact days of birth and death. No longer being added to.
Tigerx.com - Obituaries & Fond FarewellsDatabase of celebrity obituaries and profiles. On many bios you will see a link to their official webiste and/or fan club.
Who's Alive and Who's DeadSite that helps you keep track of which famous people have died and which are still alive.
Wikipedia: Recent DeathsProfiles and links for celebrities who have recently died.
Blog of DeathObituaries of famous Americans - artists, anti-war protesters, politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, cartoonists, pilots, etc.
Celebrity NewsRecent celebrity obituaries from The Hollywood Reporter.
Dead or Alive?This site tracks whether famous people are still alive or whether they have passed away.
Dead People ServerDatabase of interesting celebrities who are long dead or newly dead. They may be "retired" or spaced. DPS tells you who has really Rung Down the Curtain and Joined the Choir Invisible, and who's Just Resting.
Fuller UpSearch the dead musician directory by artist name, cause of death, or visit the grim reaper page to browse a running list of late musicians. Includes obituaries, biographies, photos, and links to other tribute sites.
GoodBye!Magazine featuring obituaries of the famous, infamous, and nonfamous.
Internet Obituary NetworkSearch for obituaries of notable personalities.
Life In LegacyOngoing review of recent celebrity deaths. Includes photos, tributes, and links to obituaries.
Obituary PageCelebrities who died between 1994 and 1998, including exact days of birth and death. No longer being added to.
Tigerx.com - Obituaries & Fond FarewellsDatabase of celebrity obituaries and profiles. On many bios you will see a link to their official webiste and/or fan club.
Who's Alive and Who's DeadSite that helps you keep track of which famous people have died and which are still alive.
Wikipedia: Recent DeathsProfiles and links for celebrities who have recently died.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
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