writing the obituary

Most people only have a couple of days to write the obituary. In these crazy emotional times, and when your head isn’t on straight you may need a little help. This is some information to get you started and things you may need to know when writing the obituary.

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Personal History For Obituary:

Name

Date of birth

Place of birth

Mother’s name (Maiden too)

Mother’s birthplace

Father’s name

Father’s birthplace

Marital status __ Single __ Married __ Widowed __ Divorced

Spouse’s name

Date of marriage

Place of marriage

Children’s names

Siblings names

Occupation and employment

Education

Military service

Organizations and memberships

Awards, honors, special achievements

Hobbies

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I was asked by our mortician to write the obituary by midnight the first day that we found my husband’s body so it could get in the newspaper. Wow- how do you consolidate everything about your loved one’s life in a short paragraph? This was pretty hard for me. Even though I LOVE to write, my thoughts were very scattered. I have found something out about myself- when I am in a trauma state, my brain leaves! I asked his brother and my oldest kids to help me at about 11 pm. We laughed remembering the good times and it felt so good. I’m sure the obituary would be very different if I were to write it today. It was just what came out on paper that very night and I had to say it was done and good enough. I hope the things above will help you gather your thoughts.

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writing the obituary

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