What You Must Know When Writing Funeral Service Announcements
Drafting funeral announcements can be a stressful affair for an individual who is grieving. Hard as it may be, it is necessary so as to inform the community about the passing away of the individual. There are some etiquette rules to be followed when writing these notices.
Provide personal information about the person. Clearly state their full name and any titles they held. If they were popularly known by their nickname, include this also. If the deceased was a married woman, state their maiden name too. Though optional, you can provide details on where the person worked or where they lived. Include a photo of the person.
List the deceased's close family members. This includes the name of their spouse, children or great grandchildren, if any. If they were married before and later divorced, you can include names of their former spouses. Include the names of the parents if the deceased had no spouse or children.
State when the deceased was born and the date they died. You can briefly mention the cause of death, without going into too much detail. If the details of the memorial service have been finalized, clearly state them. If the details are yet to be finalized, let the people know that you will post another notice at a later date providing the required details.
Let people know if they can give contributions or make donations. The donations can be directed at family members or a specified charity. Always try and issue a written notice rather than try to dictate the details to someone else over the phone to compile the notice. Keep the notice succinct and to the point.
Decide what tone to use. You can provide an official or unofficial notice. If the notice will be placed in the newspaper, try and be official. If you are planning to email the notice to close family and friends, then an unofficial tone is permissible. Funeral announcements can also be made over electronic media such as TV and radio stations.
