Who is typically listed in an obituary?

Obituaries typically list survivors of the deceased and those who preceded your loved one in death. Full names, as well as location, are included in listing the family. Choosing which family members to name in an obituary can cause some controversy.

Who should be included in an obituary?

Use the full names of parents, siblings, children, as well as spouse/partner. Also mention grandparents, aunts, uncles, and any step-family members. If the deceased has grandchildren or great-grandchildren, you can list them in number — most obituaries don't list each name of the surviving grandchildren.

Does everyone go into an obituary?

Learn more in our affiliate disclosure. An obituary or death notice is a way to share the news of someone's death with the local community or extended family. While this is an important way to inform others of the family's loss, there is no legal requirement to have an obituary or death notice.

Should siblings be included in obituary?

The appropriate immediate family members like wives, husbands, brothers, sisters and parents are customarily listed, but you can add as many names as you wish. Sometimes these lists are extremely long, and sometimes they do contain the names of people who were not relatives, but close friends.

Does obituary include girlfriend?

Traditionally, the obituary listed only blood relatives and family by marriage. However, this tradition has become altered over time. If the deceased has a significant other who played an important role in his life, the partner may be mentioned in the listing with surviving relatives.

Is the place of passing listed in the obituary?

How do you separate names in an obituary?

Semi-colon - A semi-colon should be used to separate a list that also contains commas in the same sentence. A semi-colon most often will be used in lists of survivors.

What do you call unmarried couples in an obituary?

She was referred to in the obituary as his “domestic partner.” “Domestic Partner” is, in some state and local governments, a legal designation that clarifies benefits to unmarried couples. In general usage, though, “partner” might imply either that they were gay or in business together, neither of which was true.

Should you list step grandchildren in an obituary?

There are no rules for how to handle this kind of obituary writing challenge, but it's important to include all step-siblings and half-siblings in the obituary notice, if you are making a list of family members. [Name] is survived by siblings [Name], [Name], [Name], and step-siblings [Name] and [Name].

What should you not include in an obituary?

Do you put ex wife in obituary?

Should an ex wife be mentioned in an obituary? Most obituaries include the deceased's current spouse in the list of survivors, but don't mention any ex-spouses, as they are not typically considered current family.

Why would a family not do an obituary?

The deceased has few family members or friends

In some situations, the deceased's family may not see the need to write an obituary. In other cases, there may be no one who has the interest or ability to take care of this unnecessary task.

Who usually reads the obituary at a funeral?

In some cases, the officiant, who may be a priest, minister, or professional celebrant, will give the eulogy. Many families choose to have more than one speaker to cover different aspects of their loved ones' life.

How do you list nieces and nephews in an obituary?

List the spouse first, include the town or city where the spouse lives, children in the order of when they were born and their spouses, if any, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, in-laws, nephews or nieces, all listed in birth order.

How are spouses listed in obituaries?

When you are listing a relative, make sure to include their first name, their spouse's first name in brackets and then their last name. It should look something like this: “Tony leaves behind his children Stuart (Dianne) Smith, Jody (Mark) Powell, and Katherine (Nick) Harroway.”

Who writes the obituary when someone dies?

Who should write the obituary? An obituary often includes personal details, so will usually be written by family or friends. However, your Funeral Director will be happy to make suggestions.

How do I put my ex daughter in law in an obituary?

Generally, an ex in-law would not be considered a survivor for obituary purposes unless the relationship remained good or the rest of the family felt it was appropriate to include the individual. If there are children of the ex sister-in-law that need to be included, you could list survivors this way: “Surviving are……

What is an obituary example?

A standard obituary template is formatted as follows: [Full name], [age], of [place of residence], passed away on [date of death] after a [cause of death]. [First name] was born on [date of birth] to [parents] in [birthplace].

Do you mention a divorce in an obituary?

Today's etiquette dictates pretty firmly that it is the decision of the surviving family members whether or not to include the former spouse of the deceased in the obituary. Short of any obvious dissention among the family, many families choose to err on the side of caution and include the ex as a survivor.

What do names in parentheses mean in obituaries?

A name in parentheses that does not appear to be a nickname or the name of a spouse, for example, “Lydia (Bixby) Christiansen.” The woman's middle name matches the surname of her parents, for example, “Sarah Muncie Thompson was born to Joseph and Esther Muncie.”

Do you list pallbearers in obituary?

The obituary's traditional purpose is to list survivors either related through the bloodline or marriage. Additional information such as where the body will be laid to rest and any pallbearer's names or names of honorary pallbearers may be mentioned.

How do you include stepchildren in an obituary?

Children and/or stepchildren in order of date of birth, and their spouses. List spouse's first name in parenthesis, then surname. If the spouse's surname is different, or the couple is not married, include the partner's surname in the parenthesis along with their first name.

How do you list a blended family in an obituary?

It is very common to have a blended family and there are several ways to list them in an obituary. Just remember, it's important to include everyone. For stepparents, write the obituary to say: [Name] was raised by mother [name] and stepfather [name], along with father [name] and stepmother [name].

Are you a widow if your boyfriend dies?

A widow is a woman whose spouse has died; a widower is a man whose spouse has died.

What happens if my partner dies and we are not married?

“It would become part of the probate estate.” One option is to make sure both of you are named as joint owners on the deed, “with rights of survivorship.” In that case, generally speaking, you each equally own the house and are entitled to assume full ownership upon the death of the other.

What do you call your husband after he dies?

The technically-correct way to refer to a spouse who passed away is as your “late husband” or “late wife." The term “late” is euphemistic, and it comes from an Old English phrase, “of late." In the original Old English, “of late” refers to a person who was recently, but is not presently, alive.