Press-Citizen Obituaries (2024)

FAQs

Why do obituaries not list cause of death? ›

It is preferable, when applicable, to include the age at death and a personal comment such as “surrounded by family” or “comforted by his wife.” NB: Sometimes it is desirable to omit the cause of death – such as when death came as a result of extreme violence, or the carrying out of a court sentence.

Publishing an obituary can be expensive , and the funds may be unavailable. The deceased has few family members or friends , so there might have, unfortunately, been no need for an obituary. Obituaries are also written for the living so that they may learn of an individual's passing.

Paying Tribute to the Deceased

The foremost objective of publishing an obituary is to honor the deceased. Everyone has a story that should be told and preserved to make sure the world remembers them.

However, in communities where access to media is limited, or in cases where the deceased or their family prefer privacy, an obituary may not be published. Additionally, socio-economic factors can influence whether an obituary is created, as families with fewer resources might not have the means to publish one.

A Fitting—and Safe—Tribute

Protect your loved one's identity even after they pass by avoiding using too many specific details in their obituary. Consider only using the first names of relatives, for instance. Or mention their military service but not their regiment number or other details.

It is not considered disrespectful to not have an obit, and many families choose to skip them. Though there is no legal obligation to publish an obituary, families should make the decision based on their preferences, the wishes of their loved one, and the needs of their extended family and friend network.

In some cases, the deceased person may have explicitly requested not to have an obituary written, or the family may feel they would not have wanted one. Additionally, some families may be concerned about privacy or wish to keep the details of their loved one's passing private.

The Deceased Did Not Want One

Before your loved one passes on, they may leave a special request not to have an obituary published, and this could be for many reasons. For example, if they had a complicated past or suffered from mental issues or addictions, they may wish to keep that private.

If you are considering posting the obituary to social media, it is important to ensure that all important, close family members have been informed before you move forward with the idea. Certain people in your life deserve to hear the news firsthand and not through a post online.

The cost of a newspaper obituary depends on the size of the newspaper's circulation, whether there's a photo, the number of days it will run, and the size of the obituary. Small towns may charge $50, but on average expect to pay at least $250 for the typical short obituary.

Do people get paid to write obituaries? ›

The estimated total pay for a Obituary Writer is $129,646 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $99,333 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths. Legacy.com hosts obituaries for more than three-quarters of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S., by circulation.

Provided you have given it some thought and haven't overlooked any important factor about skipping a funeral, then most people will be respectful of your wishes to not attend. But you can expect some pushback from friends and family who don't agree with your decision.

Some may feel that it is too personal or private to share with the public, while others may not have the financial means to pay for its publication. Additionally, some families may prefer to grieve privately and not draw attention to the death.

Obituary Example: No Funeral or Memorial

[Full name] sadly passed away on [date of death] at their home in [place of passing]. They always spread joy and happiness wherever they went. As per [first name]'s request, no funeral or memorial service will be held.

If the certifier cannot determine a descriptive sequence of causes of death despite carefully considering all information available and circ*mstances of death did not warrant investigation by the medical examiner or coroner, death may be reported as “unspecified natural causes.” If any potentially lethal medical ...

Many families just don't think the cause of death is something they want to tell the world bad enough to pay to do so. If the death was sudden, or gruesome, why would mentioning how the person died be necessary at a funeral or in an obit.

This may be because the body is autolysed, or the pathologist only has part of the body to autopsy. It may also be because the death is caused by probable natural causes that cannot be proven (e.g. cardiac arrhythmias or epilepsy with no pathological findings).

The last and most remote condition leading to death is listed as the “underlying” cause of death. All conditions that fall between the immediate and underlying cause of death are known as intermediate or intermediary.