Find Obituaries in Newspapers
Obituaries are a great way to find information about an ancestor. They provide details about a person’s life, including hobbies, education, religion, and employment history. Aside from these, obituaries may also contain little-known facts about the deceased.
If you are searching for obituaries, you can find them in various formats. These include online and print sources. In addition, some funeral homes publish recent obituaries & deaths on their websites.
One of the first things you can do is check with a local library. Many have old newspapers on microfilm. It is possible to access these newspapers through an interlibrary loan.
Another great source for finding obituaries is a newspaper website. Many of these offer a free search service. You can look for obituaries by state, province, or city.
If you have a particular piece of information in mind, you can start by performing a name search. For example, if you know the last name of an ancestor, you could perform a keyword search on that name. You will likely end up with a page of obituaries.
Using obituaries as a research tool can be a big help if you are researching someone who died before statewide vital records were available. For a fee, you can even get copies of obituaries. Depending on your needs, you may need to narrow your scope or go back several years.
Although newspapers can be an excellent resource, it is time-consuming to research an obituary. This is especially true if you are not lucky enough to have a close relative responsible for writing the obituary.
Write an Obituary
Writing an obituary for a loved one who has just died may be difficult. However, it can be a very rewarding experience. Using a template makes the process easier. You can get ideas about what to include, how to use your space, and more.
One of the most important things to include in an obituary is the person’s life story. This can be very simple and short, or it can be very detailed. Either way, it should be as accurate as possible.
Some information that should be included in an obituary is the deceased’s full name, date of birth and death, parents, siblings, spouse, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The obituary can also include details of their funeral services.
You can also include details about their hobbies and interests. These should reflect the personality of the person. For example, if your loved one is a music lover, include their favorite songs and tunes.
A good obituary includes details about the person’s charities and clubs. Especially if the person was a sports fan, you could mention their favorite teams and players.
The obituary should also include a photograph. If your loved one had a family picture, this should be included.
An obituary should include details about the person’s hometown. This will help people know where to go to pay their respects.
The obituary can be published in the local paper, or it can be shared via social media. Regardless of where you publish the obituary, you should ensure that the photo is clear.
Remember to be kind to yourself during this process. Delegate the writing if you are not comfortable with it. You can take notes and even ask someone to help you. Make sure you proofread the obituary carefully to ensure all the details are correct.
Survivors Should Be Listed
If you are writing an obituary for a recently deceased loved one, it’s important to remember to include all of the family members. The goal of obituary etiquette is to demonstrate your relationship with the deceased. While it’s not required to list all family members, it’s always best to do so.
List all survivors, including parents, siblings, spouses, and children, and their names, including dates of birth and places of residence.
Be sure to include any special friends and companions close to the deceased. These people are typically not mentioned in an obituary but may be listed if they were with the deceased for a long period.
It’s also important to include the date and location of the funeral services. If the family or friends of the deceased are arranging for flowers, be sure to provide their names.
When writing an obituary, it’s also important to include the names of the pallbearers. Sometimes, these names are family members, but other times they are friends or relatives.
An obituary can be difficult to write. You may feel pressured to include every accomplishment and honor, but keep in mind that obituaries are meant to summarize the life and achievements of the deceased. Instead of highlighting every accomplishment or honor, focus on your most important family members.
