An obituary is a formal announcement of death that contains a brief biography of the deceased. Obituaries date back to the 16th century when the first notices of death were printed in North American newspapers. Today, much has changed regarding the sentiment and circulation of obituaries—but their purpose and healing power remain the same.
Informing the Community of a Loved One’s Passing
When someone passes, family and close friends are often contacted immediately. However, over the course of a lifetime, people build many meaningful connections. The deceased may have old friends, classmates and former colleagues who might not be as easy to find. The rise of online obituaries has far extended the reach of print publications; sharing an obituary link via social media allows you to touch friends of friends to ensure everyone gets the message.
Sharing the Story of the Deceased
Obituaries are no longer short, fact-based death notices. Because online obituaries are not confined to the strict word counts imposed by newspapers, they provide more space to paint a complete picture of the deceased. Online obituaries continue to list key details such as the date of birth, date and cause of death and names of family members. However, they also tell the story of someone’s life, including their education, job history, places they’ve lived, as well as personal attributes, hobbies, accomplishments and contributions.
Delivering Opportunities to Connect
Modern obituaries not only inform of a death and share the details of a life, they also provide opportunities for friends and family to take action. The obituary includes the date and location of funeral rituals along with family requests regarding flowers and donations to causes the deceased cared about. Additionally, online obituaries offer digital guestbooks where visitors can share their memories of the deceased or leave condolences for the family.
At Vay-Schleich & Meeson, we understand the power of online obituaries. A section of our website is fully dedicated to house these important updates, and we include a free online obituary for every family who selects our services. Browse our online obituaries now to learn more.