Obituary (Death Notice)

At Jenkins Funeral Chapel we will help you in the placement of the obituary in the newspaper (The Plain Dealer, Elyria Chronicle, etc.) or online death notice/obituary. We provide this worksheet to those we serve to help make the process of writing the funeral notice easier. Usually, the announcement would include:

• The name of the deceased
• The surviving family members, usually in chronological order. Some families keep the notice very brief, listing only immediate family members; others choose to include a more extensive listing, with spouses of children, etc. Whether or not to use traditional adjectives, such as “beloved”, “cherished”, “devoted”, etc. is up to the family.
• A brief summary of biographical information is often included. Significant life events, education, work, clubs, lodges, or church memberships, etc. are sometimes included. It’s important to think of how people might have known the deceased.
• Information about the visitation and/or funeral ceremonies is included if the public is invited to attend. If services are private, the notice will usually simply say, “private services were held.”
• Preferences, if any, for memorial contributions or donations to a charity of your choice.
• A picture of the deceased. It can be current or any other picture of your choosing.

Primarily, it is an efficient and far-reaching way to announce the death of a family member. The newspaper, online notice, obituary will sometimes reach people who knew your loved one years ago, and who have fallen out of touch. Other symbols (such as the a flag for a veteran, Masonic Lodge, etc.) are optional.