An obituary can be short or long depending on where it is published (in a local paper vs. Internet) and should include information about the deceased life and where a funeral service will take place (and sometimes includes a request for memorial donations).

It is important when writing an obituary to be very careful about the accuracy of the information. Dates, names of relatives and details of the service should all be checked and double checked. If you are at all unsure, get help from other friends or relatives.

Here are a few tips to help get you started:

• Understand the format. You may need to make a call to your local newspaper and find out about the particular format they request. Some offer free listings and some have a fee with a price range depending on the amount of space needed.

• Be aware of identity theft. When you publish obituary information, you are informing people who may wish to take advantage of the situation. Making sure bank accounts and credit card accounts are closed ahead of the notice being published will protect against identity theft. (You will also want to be sure someone stays in the home during the service since you essentially are advertising when and for how long the house will be empty otherwise).

• Strike a balance between life and death.  Make your work not only a basic notice of the death, but also a compelling story of a life lived. Include a brief bio that does justice to your loved one.

• Speak in the third person.  Describe the deceased as an individual, in the third person, and do not start with “the family announces . . .” The obituary is not about the family, but rather the person who has passed.

• Who to include.  Think about how many generations you want to go back, and be careful about not just naming the ones that the deceased personally knew and forgetting the others. This can get especially tricky if there were step-families or half-siblings, but it is important to include information that is balanced and thorough.
   
• Give examples.  Show characteristics rather than just listing facts. This is an opportunity to tell a great story about how you loved on lived.
   
• Consider writing a long version. You may want to write a longer version for a family history record that includes the details that won’t fit in the newspaper.