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                               Suggestions for
 

                  Writing an Obituar
y
                                                 


Obituaries are very important genealogical resources for current and future generations and will remain in the History of Hartford Obituary section on the website at no cost to the family.  Obituaries will be posted ONLY for people who lived in Hartford or Keeler during any period of their life. If the deceased lived out of the Hartford-Keeler area at the time of death, please indicate when they resided in Hartford-Keeler.  If the family has a better or different photo than appeared in the newspaper, click here to
email unedited photo and/or questions to the webmaster.  The photo will be cropped to size and edited as needed for the website.


What Is An Obituary?

More than merely a ‘good-bye’ to the deceased, this is a farewell which can, in chronological order, detail the life of the deceased. An obituary also serves as notification that an individual has passed away and details of the services that are to take place. An obituary’s length may be somewhat dictated by the space available in the newspaper it is to appear in. Therefore, it is best to check how much room you have before  beginning your composition. Remember that the obituary needs to appear in print a few days prior to the memorial service. There are some cases where this may not be possible, therefore give some consideration to the guidelines below when composing the obituary.

What To Include?

In a concise manner, write about the significant events in the life of the deceased.

  • Full name – include maiden name where applicable
  • The location and date of passing so that there is no confusion over whom has died.
  • Place and date of birth
  • Consider placing a photograph (which can appear as black & white or in color depending on the newspaper’s layout) with the text. For the newspaper, there is usually an extra charge applied for adding photos. Photographs help the readers to know for sure who the deceased person is and will be included on the History of Hartford website obituary at no cost to family.
  • Indicate where the deceased resided – normally only include the city and state. Obituaries will be posted on the History of Hartford website ONLY for people who lived in Hartford or Keeler during any period of their life. If the deceased lived out of the Hartford-Keeler area at the time of death, please indicate when they resided in Hartford-Keeler.
  • Indicate connection to Hartford or Keeler (ex: resident, former resident, grad, etc.)
  • Indicate if deceased was a Hartford High School graduate – include class year
  • Colleges graduated from with degree classification
  • Military service timeframe (ex:  WW11, Vietnam, etc.)
  • Military branch of service, classification and ending rank, if known (ex:  US Army – Medic Specialist 4th Class)
  • Life occupation
  • Special interests.

Survivors and Preceded in Death:

It is common to include a list of those who have survived or preceded the deceased. The list should include (where applicable):

  • Parents
  • Spouse and children
  • Adopted children
  • Half & step children
  • Siblings
  • Half & step siblings
  • Grandparents
  • Spouse of children

The surviving relatives listed above may be listed by name. Other relatives will not be mentioned by name but may be included in terms of their relationship to the deceased. In other words, the obituary may mention that the deceased had 5 grandchildren; 7 nieces etc. However, exceptions to the above rule can be made if, for example, the deceased only had one grandchild or a nephew who was the only person living in the newspaper’s distribution area. These exceptions are obviously made based on each individual case.

Anyone listed as a special friend or companion is not normally included among the list of survivors unless the deceased’s blood relatives request that it be so. The obituary’s traditional purpose is to list survivors either related through the bloodline or marriage.

List the details of the time and location of any services for the deceased: these may include the funeral, burial, wake and memorial service where appropriate.  Include information as to location of cemetery where the body will be laid to rest.  

Some Do’s & Don’ts

If you don’t know where to start, read other obituaries to gain an idea of how personal and touching an obituary may be.

Do use such terms as “visitation will be from” or “friends may call from”. Do not utilize the phrase “lie in state” as that only applies to a head of state such as the president.

Don’t use the phrase “in lieu of flowers…” when memorial donations are to be requested. Instead merely start the final paragraph of the obituary with the words “Memorial donations may be made to…”

Do consider if you wish to send the obituary to newspapers in other cities e.g. to a town where the deceased may have resided previously. Obtain copies of the obituary to send to distant relatives and friends.

Final Considerations

Any and all information to be included in the obituary should be verified with another family member. A newspaper will have to verify with the funeral home being utilized that the deceased is in fact being taken care of by that funeral home.

Since most newspapers charge by the word when placing an obituary, it may not always be feasible to mention everything stated in these guidelines. Use your own discretion and do not put yourself under any financial hardship. Your loved one would understand.

Obituaries are very important genealogical resources for current and future generations and will remain in the History of Hartford Obituary section on the website at no cost to the family.  Obituaries will be posted ONLY for people who lived in Hartford or Keeler during any period of their life. If the deceased lived out of the Hartford-Keeler area at the time of death, please indicate when they resided in Hartford-Keeler.  If the family has a better or different photo than appeared in the newspaper, click here to email unedited photo and/or questions to the webmaster.  The photo will be cropped to size and edited as needed for the website.


Information for this web site was gathered from personal interviews, newspaper articles, scrapbooks, personal photo albums, and other documented materials - many available to the public at the Hartford Public Library or Van Buren County Historical Museum.  Please report any typographical errors, updated information, or incorrectly stated information to the webmaster for correction.  Reprinting for personal and instructional purposes is permitted, however, unauthorized commercial reprinting of this information or unauthorized linking to photos-pictures on this site is strictly prohibited without written permission from the webmaster. 



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HartfordHistory Icon - Hartford MI

Pearls In Our Past - Hartford Michigan
© 
A Pictorial History of Hartford Michigan
Emma Thornburg Sefcik
Webmaster
Competent Secretarial Service
History of Hartford Michigan
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Revised: March 23, 2009