1. Obituaries Adapted by Dr. Mike Downing from News Reporting and Writing, Eighth Edition

2. General Tips zInclude name, place of birth, education, working life, survivors, and hobbies/interests. zBe sure to include funeral home information for visitation. zDo not identify a date of death for your own obit. Use “died yesterday” instead. zOtherwise, follow existing models.

3. Sources of Information zMortuary forms (see website) zThe newspaper library zThe funeral director zThe deceased’s family

4. Cause of Death zThis is a privacy issue. zTypically, the cause of death is omitted from an obituary. zYou should follow the wishes of the family. zExceptions normally involve public persons.

5. Obituary Form zInformation on Deceased zName __________________________________________________________________ z(Title) (First) (Middle) (Last) zDate of Death __________ Place of Death __________________________________ zAge _______ Residence at the time of death ________________________________ zPeriod of Residency ___________ zIf a former Montgomery County resident, where and when ___________________________ zCause of death____________________________________________________________ zDate of Birth __________________ Place of Birth ______________________________ zFather’s Name _______________________________________________ Deceased zMother’s Name _______________________________________________ Deceased zSpouse’s Name ______________________________________________ Deceased zResidence of Spouse _____________________________ Years Married _____________ zChildren (and children’s spouses, if desired). Use additional sheet if needed. zFirst and Last Name City, State of Residence Deceased Sex (M/F) z__________________________________ _____________________ ______ zNumber of Grandchildren _______ Great-grandchildren _______

6. Obituary Form (continued) zSiblings. Use additional sheet if necessary. zFirst and Last Name City, State of Residence Deceased Sex (M/F) z__________________________________ _____________________ ______ zMilitary service, if any ____________________________________________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zEducation/Work ________________________________________________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zMemberships/Organizations/Awards/Other____________________________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zFuneral/Memorial Service information (include address) _________________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zBurial information ______________________________________________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zMemorial contributions may be made to (include address) _______________________________ z_____________________________________________________________________________ zFuneral home (include phone number) ______________________________________________ zContact for family (include phone number) ____________________________________________ zObituaries in The Gazette are free and appear on a space-available basis. zThe Gazette reserves the right to edit obituaries for length and content. Photographs cannot be printed.

7. Writing the Obit Information to include: 1.Date and place of birth 2.Occupation 3.Achievements 4.Memberships 5.Hobbies/Interests 6.Survivors 7.Visitation time (if any) 8.Time and place of funeral services 9.Time and burial place

8. Crafting a Lead zBegin by answering the same questions you would answer in a news story. zWho, what, when, where, why, how zConfirm spellings of names zWatch out for Jr vs. Sr. zDo the math: Does DOB and DOD add up? zFact check: be sure you have the right person.

9. Choosing Your Words zAvoid euphemisms; such terms are out of place in an obit: Not “passed away,” or “no longer with us.” Instead, use “died.” zFollow the models. There are hundreds of obits posted online each day. You have plenty of models to work with.

10. Conclusion zObituaries are one of the most formulaic writing styles that you will encounter. zThis is why “cub” journalists typically cut their teeth with obits. zDespite the fact that young journalists have traditionally written most of the obits, this is a very important part of a newspaper. There are people who only check the obits from day to day. zTherefore, obits must be correct 100% of the time.

11. Questions?