Obituaries
News Obituaries- Obituaries of people who are well known
Standard obits- handled by the advertising department, paid notices- require a large amount of space. Usually these are written by the family, sometimes written by reporters at the request of the family. Either way they cost money, varying from paper to paper.
The lead-
Time and Place of Funeral Services
Time of Burial
Visitation Time
Survivors
Date and Place of Birth
Achievements
Occupation
Memberships
Confirm spellings
Check addresses
Check birth date against age
Verify obituaries with mortuary or family
Check newspaper library for other stories about the person-be sure that you have the right person
The story is one of life, not just death- celebrate the deceased’s life- examples of dry and characterless obits- give them character and grace
Do not: “loved ones” “passed away” “the departed” “remains”- euphemisms and clichés
“as a result of an operation”
“suddenly”
“an apparent heart attack” or
injuries “received”
Religious terms- Catholics “celebrate
Reform Jews worship in “temples”
Orthodox worship in “synagogues
Episcopal priest- rector not pastor
Men are survived by their wife, not widow
Does- “following an operation”
“died unexpectedly”
apparently of a heart attack
injuries “suffered”
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