An obituary serves two important purposes—it announces a person's death and provides a brief but meaningful tribute to their life and accomplishments. However, when you're grieving a recent loss, writing an obit might seem like a daunting task. To help you organize your thoughts and streamline the process, here are a few basic steps of writing this important announcement.

4 Steps to Writing an Obituary

1. Open With the Key Details

Most obits begin with an announcement of the death. Provide the full name and age of the deceased, the city or town in which they lived, and where and when they passed away. If it feels appropriate, you can mention the cause of death, but this is by no means a requirement.

2. Offer a Brief Biography

A short bio gives background into the deceased and lets readers learn more about them. Most biographies include the date and place of birth; education details, like schools they attended and degrees they obtained; spouse's name and date of marriage; place of employment; and names of children. You can customize this section in any way you see fit. Many obits mention the deceased's hobbies, organizations or charity work they took part in, and life or career accomplishments. You can also share important life milestones or special family stories. These details don't need to be serious or somber, either. Consider your loved one's personality and what they would want.

3. List Surviving Relatives

Follow the bio with a list of the nearest surviving relatives, starting with the spouse and children and working outward from there. There's no hard and fast rule as to how detailed you need to be with this. Most people like to include the names of the spouse, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and siblings, but it's also not uncommon to see nieces and nephews, in-laws, cousins, or special friends mentioned, especially in smaller families.

4. Close With Service Details

Inform your readers about the deceased's funeral or memorial service. Tell them where and when the service will occur and where burial will take place, if applicable. This is also the spot for any special instructions readers should be aware of, such as donations to a particular charity in lieu of flowers.

The caring professionals at Eackles-Spencer & Norton Funeral Home will guide you throughout the funeral planning process, including the writing of an obituary. Since 1918, they have been serving the Harpers Ferry and Charles Town, WV, region. They offer comprehensive funeral, burial, and cremation services. Call (304) 724-6500 to discuss your planning needs or visit them online to explore their services in more detail.