An obituary covers the life and death of a person who has deceased. The lead should cover who, what, where, when, why and how – just like any other news story. These facts should be checked with the family as well as the police and medical examiner.
More importantly, a good obituary celebrates the life that person led rather than simply reporting the death. Mentioning characteristics of the person’s life, quotes from loved ones, and the impact the deceased had is important to bringing that person to life on paper.
Readers are interested in the cause of death and the age of that person. Some newspapers may leave this information out if the family asks them too. Towards the end of the obituary the time and place of the funeral, and the time and place of the burial should be listed.
Giving readers what they want takes careful preparation. All information should be checked by contacting the family and the funeral home. The spelling of names, addresses and birthdays is important. Checking the stylebook for correct terminology and tips for writing can be extremely helpful with such sensitive topics.
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