Who writes the obituary?

An obituary is written to share the news to the public once a loved one has passed. Usually posted online, in the local newspaper or in a pamphlet during the funeral service, it signifies the celebration of their life. There are general guidelines one must follow such as the deceased name, day of death and place of death to name a few. There is also flexibility as far as how much detail should be exposed. This includes things like the individual’s life achievements, short humorous stories or favorite quotes. Depending on who writes it, the personal disclosed details that are shared are up to the individual themselves or up to close family or friends. 

Self-written 

To avoid the hardships of others writing the obituary for the deceased during the grieving process, the individual can choose to write the obituary with the help of pre-need planning. This allows the option for a self-written obituary long before someone’s unexpected death. The benefit of self-writing allows for the person to have full discrepancy of what they do and do not wish to be shared upon to others. It also allows for advanced preparation and leaves room for only a few missing elements that your family can easily fill out.  

A family member 

A family member, or in some cases a friend or colleague, are the closest to the deceased. They have had a long history, have had unique experiences and memories that are worth sharing in the obituary. There is nothing like someone’s special kind words about a loved one’s passing that others would enjoy hearing. The obituary allows families for generations to come to refer back to the person they wish to know more about. As always, our friendly staff is here to go over with you about obituary details you should avoid that may be of fraud such as personal home addresses or maiden names. 

By a funeral director 

In case of an unexpected death or if the deceased individual does not have someone who can participate to write the obituary on their behalf, a funeral director or newspaper journalist can take charge. Foreigners from another country, for example, migrate to the states and never get the chance to meet people who are close to them besides their former employer. Out of respect for the deceased, no personal details are disclosed. Oftentimes, it becomes rather difficult for a loved one’s relatives to be consciously ready to write about it. A funeral director can help the family come up with an obituary that is best tailored to the family’s liking. 

Start your obituary process today with our pre-need planning program. Visit us online at www.mobilememorialgardens.org to see existing obituaries as examples or to find your loved one’s obituary. We are conveniently located in the Mobile, AL area. If you have suffered a loss and would like to speak to us, please call us at 251-661-1333.