The Town Talk Obituary (2024)

FAQs

What should you not include in an obituary? ›

In most cases, obituaries do not include the names or nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, or in-laws unless they were close to the deceased. Grandchildren are sometimes listed but often numbered instead (…he leaves behind 5 grandchildren).

Most of the time, if an obituary is available online, you will be able to find it with a Google search. However, if you still fail to see the results you want, consider looking through the websites of local funeral homes or newspapers. Unfortunately, you may have to pay to access content in a local online paper.

The family might not have a service, so they felt no need for an obituary, as obituaries are often used to provide information on the funeral. The family may have disagreements about what to include in the obituary.

Posting an obituary is not a legal requirement and is a sentimental action. Families don't have to publish one if they don't want it or do not have the funds to do so. While you do not have to share a death note or obituary, you must file a death certificate with your state's office.

In general, it's best to avoid leaving out essential family members‚ even if they're estranged. This could cause hurt feelings.

There could be several reasons why you're having difficulty finding an obituary. The person you're looking for may not have had an obituary, the newspaper that published it could have gone out of business, or it could have never been saved or digitized.

On social media, you can create a Facebook or Instagram page dedicated to them, and invite others to contribute or share their memories as well. Do an art or music project that you'll be able to share with loved ones when you're together. Plan a memorial service for later.

Who writes the obituary? While there are no rules when it comes to who writes the obituary, they're typically written by family members or close friends. When a loved one passes, the family usually decides who will write it based on their relationship to the deceased or writing ability.

How do you say no funeral in an obituary? ›

Obituary Example: No Funeral or Memorial

[Full name] sadly passed away on [date of death] at their home in [place of passing].

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

[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.

Personal Reflection

Writing your own obituary is not a harbinger of bad things to come. You still have places to go and people to see! In fact, this exercise also offers you the opportunity to take stock of where you are in life, how you got there, and if you are on a path you always envisioned.

Notify at least one of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax^®, Experian^™ and TransUnion^®) and put a credit freeze on the deceased's account. This should prevent anyone from opening new accounts or credit cards in their name. Unfortunately, identity theft is not uncommon after a loved one passes away.

An obituary tends to have three distinct parts: the beginning (name, age, date of death, cause of death [if possible to include], work, education); the middle (anecdotes that celebrate the person's life); and the end (so-and-so is survived by, which Chang calls “a very efficient way of saying who's grieving.”)

Typically siblings and their spouses names are also included.