Obituary Writing Guide

Here are examples of some things you may wish to include in an obituary - the few that are in bold text with an * are the only things that are required:

• Full name of deceased*
• Age*
• Date of death*
• Place of death (hospital, home, etc.)
• City and state of death*
• Cause of death
• Time, date and place of service
• Officiant
• Additional services
• Pallbearers
• Date of birth*
• Place of birth (city or country, state or country)
• Education
• Military Service
• Resident of Alaska beginning when?
• City of residence in Alaska
• Places in Alaska he/she lived and when
• If former resident, when did he/she leave the state?
• Employment (include places and dates if possible)
• Retired (year of retirement and where from)
• Church/Organization affiliations
• Community Service or special awards
• Hobbies or special interests
• Family statement (special qualities and memories of the person) - This will be published in quotation marks and attributed to the family
• Survivors (relationship and name); please group by relationship, i.e. all children together, then all grandchildren, etc. Place of residency optional
• Memorial donations (including mailing address if possible)
• Does the family want flowers at the service?
• Name of the cemetery or location will ashes will be scattered

• Contact name and phone number (not for publication) in case we have questions
• Name and phone number of funeral home where we can obtain routine verification of death.