After losing a loved one, getting everything in order for a funeral can be exhausting. For many people, one of the most stressful parts of this is writing an obituary to present to guests at a funeral or memorial service. If you are hesitating about the obituary or are finding it a daunting task, there are a few simple tips that can make the process easier. We have the most important things to keep in mind below.

Simplicity is Key

A lot of people think that they have to write an elaborate obituary, but this is not the case. In fact, a complicated obituary can hinder you goal of letting people know what kind of person your loved one was. If, for example, you start listing the names of relatives alphabetically, continue doing this throughout the entire obituary. Be consistent. People are already stressed in a situation like this, so do not make it worse by writing an elaborate obituary.

Third Person

Obituaries are written in third person for clarity. This is about the person who died, not about the writer, so do not include personal mentions. Write it as if you were a bystander and are just letting people know what happened. This is already an emotional time and writing it in first person can make it very painful for other people to read or hear.

Important Facts

It can be tempting to write up a loved one’s entire life, but an obituary should only contain the most important facts and events in their life. This can mean the birth of children, career awards and advancements, and anything else that your loved one was proud of accomplishing. Include the names of all of the people who are left behind and their relationship to the deceased, and do not forget to provide information about services. It is actually very common for people to forget to include addresses for the funeral or memorial, so be sure to double check to make sure you included it. You can speak with a Helmetta, NJ funeral home to help you with this.

First Paragraph is Vital

The first paragraph should be the death notice. You want to immediately tell people about when the person died and where it happened. It can be tempting to write an elaborate first paragraph, but it is best to keep it simple with the information that a friend or relative want to know immediately.

These tips can make it much easier to write an obituary. You do not have to write a fancy one and it is important to think of it more like a news report than an eulogy. Take the time to consider who to include in the obituary and what life milestones your loved one would have wanted printed. If you are not sure how to begin, contacting a funeral home like Brunswick Memorial Home. Reach them by visiting 454 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 or by calling 732-254-9393.