Obituary Notices - Making Death Announcements in Newspapers

If you would like to place an obituary notice in a newspaper, you can place one in a printed version of the publication or its respective online presence.

An obituary contains a small amount of information about the departed, including a short account of the person’s life and the upcoming funeral.

As social media has continued to become a bigger part of everyday life, many people use the likes of Facebook to communicate the passing of a loved friend or family to a wide audience, however, there are still thousands of obituary notices posted all over the UK through news outlets as it remains a respectful way to communicate a loss.

In large cities, obituaries will only be written for people who are considered significant, such as celebrities, sports stars, politicians, prominent scientists etc.

You can view the Guardian online obituary here.

However, local newspapers obituaries list the passing of people whose relatives get in touch with the publication.

How to place an obituary notice

If you would like to post a notice in your local paper, simply call the phone number listed online.

You will usually be given the option to press a number by an automated response system, directing you to the correct person.

A small fee will be required as well as the content of the notice itself.

You will be asked to send an email to an address with the message you would like to include.

Newspaper obituary examples

Writing an obituary can be difficult as condensing your thoughts and feelings about your lost loved one can be a challenge.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you simply can’t sum up an entire person in a small obituary, so don’t try to.

Remember that the purpose of an obituary is to notify people of a passing as well as the details of the funeral.

Here’s an example of a short obituary.

Steve Smith, 82. Our beloved father and friend passed away on December 5th. Memorial donations may be made in Steve’s name to Children in Need. The funeral will take place on the 10th of December at St. Annes Church in Southport at 10AM.

And a longer example of a notice;

Carl White, 67, died after a long struggle with cancer on the 5th of June in Manchester. He was born on the 1st of August in Newcastle to John and Anna White. In 1978, he married Jane Frances; Carl is survived by his son Jack. Funeral services will be privately held. Memorial donations may be made in Carl’s name to Save the Children.

Online newspaper obituaries

Now that people spend a lot more of their time online, obituary notices can also be posted to the internet.

This can be a better way of sharing a message, as some newspapers allow friends and family to leave comments and donations to charity below the notice.

The page of obituaries for The Lancashire Evening Post can be viewed by clicking here.

Remember to ask for help if you are struggling to find the right words and take your time when writing longer notices, though, the local paper will provide help if you need it.