Honoring a Life: A Guide to Writing an Obituary.

When someone in the family passes away, it’s important that their family history is properly memorialized through an obituary. An obituary is an opportunity to share important information about the deceased that will help people learn more about them and learn about the funeral or reception arrangements that will follow their passing.

An obituary should at least include basic biographical information, a little bit about their life and personality, and funeral service information. Depending on where the obituary will be published, you may also have room to include more detailed family stories or family memories.

The following is a step by step guide that will help you write an obituary after the death of a loved one.

Step One: Write down essential biographical information

An obituary should start with some essential biographical information about the deceased. This should include their full name, the date they were born, where they were born, along with the date and location of their death. Their age at their time of death may also be included. Some obituaries may include cause of death, but this is up to the discretion of the family.

Step Two: Write a brief summary about their life

The next section of the obituary should include a brief summary regarding their life; this can include some essential family history information, such what they did for a living, their hobbies, and anything else that may help flesh out their family history.

Step Three: List living and deceased relatives

Next, you should list the living and deceased family members related to the deceased. This should include, at minimum, the deceased's parents, siblings (if any); children (if any); and the name of their living or deceased spouse. Some obituaries include only the number of grandchildren or great-grandchildren, while others list their names; this will be up to your discretion. If the deceased had children with spouses, their names are typically included in parenthesis. For instance, "Survived by son John (Jane) Doe."

Step Four: Detail funeral arrangements

You will then want to list the funeral arrangements for the deceased. This should include the location time of the public funeral and memorial service, along with a burial service if it will be available to visitors. It’s important to include the name of the funeral home and the address so that people can easily find the location. At the end of the funeral arrangements, if applicable, you may list a charity or other organization or instructions for people to follow in lieu of sending flowers. For example, “Please donate to deceased’s favorite charity (charity website) in lieu of flowers.”

Step Five: Have someone proof-read

It’s likely that the funeral home or other organization that will publish your obituary will give it a once-over, but make sure that you have a family member read through your obituary to catch mistakes that are related to people’s names, ages, or other information that can’t be caught by someone checking for grammar errors.

The above guide will help you write a concise obituary that respects the family history of the deceased.

At Silver Screen Family, our mission is to help families create beautiful films that capture the stories and experiences of their elders, ensuring that they are remembered and cherished for generations to come.

First and foremost, creating a film about your elders is a wonderful opportunity to preserve their legacy. Our parents and grandparents have lived through times and events that we may not have experienced ourselves. By documenting their stories and experiences, we can ensure that their legacy is passed down accurately and authentically. Moreover, these stories can help us to understand the world from their perspective, which can be incredibly enlightening and valuable.

Secondly, creating an heirloom-quality film is a perfect way to honor and show gratitude to your elders. Our elders are often the ones who have laid the foundation for our lives and our society. By creating a beautiful and heartwarming film about their life, you are showing them that their hard work and dedication have not gone unappreciated.

At Silver Screen Family, we work with you to create a unique and personalized film that captures every aspect of your elders' lives. Our experienced team combines visual elements with insightful interviews to create a beautiful and compelling film that you and your family will want to return to for years to come.

In conclusion, a well-made film about your elders is an invaluable investment for your family. It allows you to preserve their legacy and honor their contributions, offer them therapeutic benefits, and create a treasured heirloom that can be passed down through future generations. We at Silver Screen Family are committed to providing you with a personalized and high-quality service, and we would be honored to help you create a beautiful film about your elders.

Thank you for considering our services.

To learn how to write a poem about your family history click here.

To make art out of Granny’s words of wisdom click here

To learn how to write a family recipe click here

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

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