Read recent and archived obituaries and memorial notices from The Eagle Tribune. (2024)

FAQs

What are the differences between death notices and obituaries? ›

A death notice is a brief, factual statement that announces someone's death to the public. An obituary also includes facts surrounding a person's death, but also includes biographical information, stories, and anecdotes to help honor that person's memory.

Obituaries and death notices can be published by alumni organizations, religious or community institutions, and professional organizations, or online.

The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths. Legacy.com hosts obituaries for more than three-quarters of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S., by circulation.

Obituary Example: No Funeral or Memorial. [Full name] sadly passed away on [date of death] at their home in [place of passing]. They always spread joy and happiness wherever they went. As per [first name]'s request, no funeral or memorial service will be held.

It serves as a way to inform the community about the individual's passing and to honor their memory. During a funeral or memorial service, it is common for someone to stand up and read the obituary to the attendees. This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual.

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.

Generally at the direction of the probate court and with the assistance of the estate's attorney, the executor is required to publish notice of the death in appropriate newspapers to run for a specified length of time. This notice is typically filed in the local newspaper.

While there are many benefits to writing an obituary, there are also reasons why a family might not want to. Some may feel that it is too personal or private to share with the public, while others may not have the financial means to pay for its publication.

North Dakota newspaper The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead ran what is certainly one of the shortest obituaries ever published. Accompanying a photograph and name of local resident Douglas Legler, the obit, which ran Wednesday, had just two simple words: “Doug died.”

An obituary should contain at least basic information about the person's life milestones - birth name, date, and place, parents' names including the mother's maiden name, other names used by the deceased, spouses or partners names, date and place of death, memorial service details, and burial place.

What should you not include in an obituary? ›

When writing an obituary, leave out details that could be used for identity theft, such as the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name. And don't include the deceased's home address.

You can present this information in a straightforward, factual way, or more uniquely. And there are many ways to say that someone has “died” (“departed,” “passed away,” “went to be with her Lord,” and “entered eternal rest” are some of the most common), so choose the expression you prefer.

Concluding Message

Phrases like “We will always carry your memory in our hearts,” or perhaps a favorite quote of your loved one are heartfelt and personal.

The obituary is typically written by the family (edited, then submitted, by the Funeral Director), so the cause of death is or isn't included by the direction of the family and not the newspaper.

There are two types of obituary advertisements: Death notices and memorial advertisements. The cost is commonly included in funeral packages but can also be paid for personally. Additionally, some funeral providers, like Eirene, offer complimentary online memorials on their website.

An obituary, or obit for short, is a news article that announces a person's death, offering an account of their life and details about the forthcoming funeral.