How to Write a Memorial Announcement
You may need to write a memorial announcement after the death of a loved one. A memorial service is a time to reflect on the life of the person who died and to commemorate his death. It differs from a funeral in that that the body of the deceased person is usually not present or disposed of during a memorial service. A memorial announcement informs readers about the person who died and about the memorial service.
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Instructions
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Write a sentence identifying the name of the person who died, his age and date of death. Indicate where the individual died. If he was a resident of a different city than the place of his death, mention the city of his residency as well. Do not include the street address of the deceased person or of any relatives for privacy and safety reasons.
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Write a brief biography of the person who died. Include his date of birth, parents' names and where he was born. If the individual was married, indicate when and where he was married and the name of his spouse. You might mention any children in this portion of the announcement or reserve this information for the listing of survivors later in the notice.
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Write about the decedent's education, work experience and hobbies if space permits. You might mention different places the person lived durig his lifetime. If the person's faith was a significant part of his life, this can be meaningful to include. You might also list accomplishments, awards and membership in organizations. The amount of detail you include will vary according to where you are publishing the memorial announcement, the amount of text allowed and the cost of publication.
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Identify the surviving spouse and children. It is common in some areas to also identify in parentheses the spouse of a surviving child. You might identify surviving grandchildren and great-grandchildren by their names or simply by indicating how many there were. Also identify surviving parents and siblings. Listing other surviving relatives or special friends is at your discretion. Identify family members who predeceased the individual. These would be people who died during the lifetime of the individual.
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Identify the date, time and place of the memorial service and any reception to follow. If a memorial service or a funeral already occurred, indicate when and where it took place. If the remains have been buried in a cemetery or a memorial building, you can state this in the announcement. You may also indicate a preferred charity for any memorial donations.
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References
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