Write and place a death notice or obituary.

How to write and place a death notice or obituary

Death notices
Most local newspapers will charge a small fee for inserting a brief notice announcing that a death has occurred and whether, where, and when a funeral or memorial service will be held. Consider that the purpose of such a notice is generally to get the word out quickly and inform friends and neighbors who would want to learn of the death, so be mindful of placing it in a publication they are most likely to read.

The wording is generally bare bones, so look at notices in the publication you choose to get examples and guidance.

Obituaries
An obituary is generally a longer, newsier story about the person who died -- often including personal details and the names of surviving family members. In larger locales, publications will usually charge to publish obituaries, generally by the length. Publications in smaller towns often ask family members to contribute their memories or biographic information.

Getting help
While obituaries range from the florid and descriptive to the terse, if you are stumped about writing an obituary, most newspapers and many funeral homes will supply a form or template to help organize and present the information.