One of the many aspects of our assistance to families includes composing and placing death notices and obituaries in newspapers. Obituaries or death notices are a public way we share our final farewell celebration. It is part of the way we say goodbye - the public posting of final words. In our community newspapers, both death notices and obituaries may be arranged. 

A death notice announces the death and provides a basic amount of information such as a list of the family members, the funeral details and place of final interment and the family's suggestion as to charities for memorial donations. There is a cost for a death notice and most papers charge by the line.

In addition to arranging a death notice in our local daily newspaper, we often also forward these announcements to smaller community papers or out of town newspapers at the family's request. We can confirm important details such as press times and costs and many newspapers will only accept the death notice directly from the funeral director.

An obituary is usually a more detailed account of a person's life and is often prepared for the newspaper from a form that the family fills out. Obituaries in our local newspaper, The Recorder and Times, are published free of charge so long as they are submitted within one month of the date of death. The newspaper reserves the right to edit. A photograph may be included in either a death notice or obituary.

Some families wish to publicly acknowledge those who have assisted them during the deceased's last illness or during the funeral process.  Rather than including these acknowledgements in a death notice, it is more appropriate to arrange a "Card of Thanks" in the classified section of the newspaper.

When community members leave, whether we know them personally or not, we mark their time with us by publicly commemorating their passing. The final words are one way we say goodbye and the way we will remember. These final words are often the way survivors pay tribute, perhaps make amends, and express hope for immortality.