How to Write a Meaningful Obituary I have taught workshops in obituary writing (“Crafting a Meaningful Obituary”) at senior centers and lifelong learning centers. I created most of these handouts as references for those who want to learn the genre....
Crafting Meaningful Obituaries - General Guidance Obituaries have multiple purposes. Reporting the news is only one of them, and it’s probably not the most important one. Engaging, thoughtful, and moving obituaries tell a story. Details flesh out...
Crafting Meaningful Obituaries- Literary Devices There are dozens of literary devices. Here are the ones most likely to be useful in an obituary. Alliteration (repetition of initial consonants in nearby words) “Known as a math maven, she could...
Crafting a Meaningful Obituary - Common Pitfalls Failing to have a planSet draft and final deadlines. Plan your research.Write an outline or do whatever you do to organize facts and thoughts.Start writing even before all the data is in. Leave a...
Primary Contact Name Email Phone Message Product type and desired length[1] Date needed Decedent Full name Nickname[2] Title (e.g., Ms., Mrs., Dr.) Dates and places born and died Parents'...
Ask Questions Before History is Lost Only by discovering an extensive history in his grandfather’s basement did Jordan Salama learn of his family’s extraordinary journey. Jordan read of his great grandfather’s family leaving the Syrian...
Navigating Grief – Part 3, Blessed Are Those Who Comfort Takeaway: Be real and help with real things In Part 2 of this series, we learned some listening techniques, some questions to ask, and some inoffensive responses to others’ grief. But...
End-of-life poetry Foreword: I wrote this as my wife was steeling herself for a visit to her sister in Oregon. First, Josie was to fly to Portland and take a bus to Corvallis. Then she was to rent a car and drive to Kim’s remote property on a dirt...
Navigating Grief – Part 2, What to Say Takeaway: Listen, ask, connect In Part 1 of this “navigating grief” series, we saw the insensitive things people often say to the grief stricken. We learned why they say them from psychotherapist Megan...
Navigating Grief – Part 1, What Not to Say Takeaway: First, do no harm. Awkward encounters We have all been in that situation, desperately seeking appropriate words for a friend who has lost a loved one. We might have said something we thought...