How to Write Your Mother's Obituary

Writing an obituary for a loved one is always a painful experience, but perhaps even more so when the subject is your mother. When you sit down to write your mother's obituary, it helps to organize your thoughts and to read other obituaries in the paper for inspiration.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper
• Pen
• Family history
• Funeral information

1. Write the first paragraph, which should detail your mother's name, age, date of birth, place of birth, date of death and place of death. This paragraph doesn't need to be very long and should simply give the basic details of your mother's life.

2. Think of the most significant qualities your mother possessed to start the second paragraph of your mother's obituary. For example, if your mother was deeply devoted to family, you might start by saying that she was a kind and committed mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and wife.

3. Continue the second paragraph with details of your mother's life from birth until death. You might mention her education, her relationship to your father, her career or her commitment to charity work. You knew your mother better than anyone, so give the details you believe are most important.

4. Review your family tree for the third paragraph, which should list your mother's survivors, usually going through two or three generations. This section of your mother's obituary may come across as dry, but it doesn't need to be embellished or detail-rich. Names are sufficient.

5. Rewind through your family tree to write the fourth paragraph of your mother's obituary. This section will give the names of those who preceded her in death, such as her parents, siblings, spouse or aunts and uncles.

6. Give the name and address where mourners can send sympathy gifts in the fifth paragraph of your mother's obituary. For example, she might have wanted donations to be made in her name to a favorite charity.

7. List the details of the funeral, wake, viewing and any other ceremonies that will be held in your mother's name. Even if you live in a small town, give addresses for the church or funeral home and tell mourners whether or not they will be invited to a gathering after the service.

Tips & Warnings

• Find out in advance whether or not you will be charged for putting your mother's obituary in the local paper. Some newspapers charge, while others don't.
• Ask about space limits for obituaries. You might be limited to a certain number of words or lines.
• Ask family members if they have any requests for the information included in your mother's obituary. Even if you are charged with writing it, they may have something they want to add.