Preparing An Obituary - Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Homes (2024)

FAQs

What not to put in an obituary? ›

When writing an obituary, leave out details that could be used for identity theft, such as the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name. And don't include the deceased's home address.

When you list the survivors, make sure that you list them in order of closest relation to the deceased: spouse, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, parents, and siblings. When you are listing a relative, make sure to include their first name, their spouse's first name in brackets and then their last name.

[Full Name], aged [age of the deceased], passed away peacefully on [date of death], at [location of death]. He/she was born on [date of birth], in [birthplace], to [names of parents]. He/she was a proud resident of [city of residence] and was a 1975 graduate of Holy Cross High School.

Even the most sensational obituaries should include key details about the person's life and death. First, you'll want to include the person's name, birth place, age, date of death, location and cause of death (optional).

Obituary Example 1:

“Our beloved [full name] tragically left us on [date of death]. Loved and missed by [list of family members]. [First name]'s passion for [hobbies/interests] touched all who knew them. Contributions to [charity], a cause close to their heart, are appreciated.”

Concluding Message

In the conclusion of the obituary, special requests may be made such as, “in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to…” or “Our heartfelt thanks to the staff at General Hospital for…” Some families make the final line a dedication honoring their loved one.

This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual.

Are pallbearers listed in an obituary? ›

The obituary's traditional purpose is to list survivors either related through the bloodline or marriage. Additional information such as where the body will be laid to rest and any pallbearer's names or names of honorary pallbearers may be mentioned.

There is no one-size-fits-all obituary format, and there are a few different types of obituary templates. Some of the many examples you might find online are: Newspaper obituary template. Fill-in-the-blank obituary template.

Survivors and Preceded in death by

Usually people include names of a spouse, parents, children (with any spouse's names listed in parenthesis), grandchildren and great grandchildren. You may choose to list grandchildren and great grandchildren individually by name, or simply include the number of each.

If you like to be technical, names should be listed as follows: first name, spouse's first name in parenthesis, then surname (ex: Tom (Sarah) Johnson). If the spouse or partner's surname is different, include their surname in the parenthesis along with their first name (ex: Tom (Sarah Williams) Johnson).