Elmira Star Gazette Obituaries (2025)

FAQs

What should an obituary look like? ›

Announce the death and include their full name, age, hometown, and date of death. Include a brief summary of their life. Mention family members who have already passed away, as well as surviving family members. Share funeral or memorial service details, including whether they are public or private events.

For one, obituaries are stories with a closure unlike the daily news items that are generally interim reports. They are often good stories. One reads about remarkable accomplishments, odd achievements, quirky lives, wild adventures, strange vicissitudes, and forgotten personalities.

Concluding Message

In the conclusion of the obituary, special requests may be made such as, “in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to…” or “Our heartfelt thanks to the staff at General Hospital for…” Some families make the final line a dedication honoring their loved one.

When writing an obituary, leave out details that could be used for identity theft, such as the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name. And don't include the deceased's home address.

Even the most sensational obituaries should include key details about the person's life and death. First, you'll want to include the person's name, birth place, age, date of death, location and cause of death (optional).

When you list the survivors, make sure that you list them in order of closest relation to the deceased: spouse, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, parents, and siblings.

[Full name], [age], of [where they lived], sadly left us on [date of death] due to [cause of death]. They leave behind [list of surviving family members]. A service will be held in their honor at [time] on [date] at [location].

At the end of an obituary a special message is sometimes found, such as 'in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to..' or 'Special Thanks to the staff at General Hospital for..' or 'We will always carry your memory in our hearts'. Sometimes a short prayer or a line from a poem is placed at the end.

What are the last wishes before death? ›

Your last wishes can include anything you want, including funeral or cremation preferences and plans, body disposition preferences, obituary information, messages to your loved ones, requests for your final days, and personal information like where your will is.

Writing an obituary when there is no funeral isn't much different from writing a standard obituary. Simply omit funeral information from any obituary template and you've got what you need.

Obituary Example: Announcing the Funeral. [Full name], [age], of [where they lived], sadly left us on [date of death] due to [cause of death]. They leave behind [list of surviving family members]. A service will be held in their honor at [time] on [date] at [location].

Instructions on How to Write an Obituary. Paragraph: The deceased's entire name. This includes nicknames, middle names and extensions such a Jr., Sr. and III.

In most cases, people aim to publish an obituary 1-2 weeks following the passing of a loved one. However, publishing it months or even a year after a loved one's death is completely okay. In fact, there are many reasons why you might want to wait.