Obituary

Obituary

An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant. In local newspapers, an obituary may be published for any local resident upon death. A necrology is a register or list of records of the deaths of people related to a particular organization, group or field, which may only contain the sparsest details, or small obituaries. Historical necrologies can be important sources of information.

Two types of paid advertisements are related to obituaries. One, known as a death notice, omits most biographical details and may be a legally required public notice under some circumstances. The other type, a paid memorial advertisement, is usually written by family members or friends, perhaps with assistance from a funeral home. Both types of paid advertisements are usually run as classified advertisements.

History

The British journalist William Thackeray is credited with first using the word 'obituary' in the English language, in 1704. The concept of summarizing a person's life in a few short paragraphs is thought to have originated in ancient Rome, where the practice was known as 'funus imaginarium'.

Modern obituaries

In the 21st century, newspaper obituaries have taken on several different forms. The most common type of obituary today is the concise form, which is a brief description of the deceased's life and achievements. The second type is the narrative obituary, which gives a detailed account of the deceased's life and achievements. The third type is the tribute obituary, which is written by a close friend or family member and focuses on the deceased's character and contributions to their community.

See also

• Death announcement
• Funeral
• Eulogy
• In memoriam

References

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  Composite obituary of Louis Julius Freudenberg I in the Hudson Observer, November 22, 1918
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  Obituaries on the wall
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  Obituary of Loriot with the phrase "Lieber Gott, viel Spaß"