If you’ve read many obituaries, you’ll see that they often follow a certain formula. A good way to get started is to follow a template or examples you find online. Your funeral director can also help. Like a good funeral, a good obituary feels personal. It uses language that sounds right to the family. It tells the story of the person’s life, and it expresses how family and friends felt about the person. Longer and more detailed is generally better, though newspapers charge for the space, so costs also have to be considered.
If you’re writing an obituary, ask other friends and family members for help. Gather many people’s ideas and insights, if possible. Then show your draft around, soliciting feedback and making sure you didn’t leave out something important. Finally, try to choose a photo of the person that captures their personality. A candid shot often has the most impact, though the photo must also be crisp and high resolution.
