While writing an obituary is a difficult task at any point, it can be especially difficult to do when dealing with the frenzy of funeral planning.
Reading through obituaries in the local paper or online you may discover that many are little more than a list of names and dates. Often, they have no personality or character. Perhaps you are wanting to write an obituary that truly captures your loved one. While this is a difficult task at any point, it can be especially difficult to do when dealing with the frenzy of funeral planning. However, that shouldn’t stop you from writing a more memorable obituary if that is what you wish to do.
Here are some tips to write a memorable obituary.
1. Ask yourself (or family members) some of these open-ended questions.
What were
your loved one’s greatest accomplishments?
What were
your loved one’s favorite hobbies?
How would you describe your loved one’s personality?
What things mattered most to your loved one? What got them excited?
2. Write down key facts. If you’re having trouble getting started, start with the basic information. Key facts include things like birth date, birthplace, family members including parents and siblings, age and date of death. You can also add things like marriage details, children (names and spouses), employment and retirement information. These details on their own will make for a pretty basic obituary, but they are a good place to start. From there you can add more personal touches.
3. Start with a story. Is there a moment or event that really defined who your loved one was? You can start your obituary with a brief recount of this story.
4. Reach out to friends and family for memorable stories. Talk to other family members. They may be able to jog your memory or share a story you haven’t heard before.
5. Don’t be afraid to inject a little humor and personality into your obituary. Don’t be afraid to let the person’s personality shine through. If your loved one was a jokester, you may want to add some funny and memorable stories into your obituary. However, in some instances humor may be inappropriate. Use your judgement.
6. Tell what you’ll remember most about your loved one.
7. Don’t forget to include the service details. When and where will the funeral and/or memorial service be held? Make sure to let people reading know the details.
