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Obituary Help

Simple, Straightforward Cremation Services with no added on fees or costs.

Writing the Obituary

After collecting the information you will need for an obituary, use a pen and paper, or your computer—whichever is easiest for you—to list and organize the important facts and information you want to include.

Follow these steps:

  1. Start with the full name of the deceased, his or her date and place of birth, the date, and place of death, and his or her age at the time of death. Also, note where the deceased lived at the time of his or her death. If you wish, you can include the cause of death.
  2. Provide a brief summary of the deceased's life, starting from birth and working forward. You don't need to include every detail; just the key facts/information that helps the obituary reader learn more about the deceased and/or helps the reader determine if he or she has a personal connection to the person who died. Don't worry right now about listing too much information because you can always edit it later.
  3. List relatives, both living and deceased. Don't forget to include grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and step-family members. Decide which ones you will include by name and those whom you will include by relation only. In general, obituaries usually include the full names of the deceased's parents, siblings, and children, as well as his or her spouse/partner, but only the total number of grandchildren or great-grandchildren. In addition, the spouses/partners of children usually include only their first name in parenthesis after the child's name, e.g., "Survived by daughter Jane (John) Doe.
  4. List the details of the funeral or memorial service and reception, if applicable. Include the name and address (and the website address and/or phone number, if available) of the funeral provider handling the details and where the burial/interment will take place, if applicable.
  5. List the charities or memorial fund to which you want donations sent in honor or memory of the deceased in lieu of flowers.



Checking the Facts

Get the names right. Make sure you spell the deceased's name correctly and the name of any other family member or loved one you include. Make sure you also include the middle name or initial, a maiden name and/or any suffixes or titles (Jr., III, M.D., etc.). Have at least one other person proofread your obituary for mistakes or omissions.

Here's an old proofreading trick: read the obituary by starting at the end/the last word and reading right to left as you work your way back to the beginning. Reading backward forces your eye/brain to see each individual word as it appears rather than a part of groups of words.



Publishing the Obituary

Before you write your obituary, check with your local newspaper(s) for any print/online publication requirements concerning the obituary length and the cost involved, which might impact the length of your obituary.

Please contact us for any assistance, any obituary will be published on our website at no cost to you.

 



Obituary Information Form

Please fill out the information below and click “Submit” when you are finished.



Obituary Information

Children (Please put spouse's name in brackets)


Town Residing In:


Grandchildren (Please put spouse's name in brackets - or just quantity of grandchildren)


Town Residing In:


Great Grandchildren (Please use quantity or just list names)


Town Residing In:


Siblings (Please put spouse's name in brackets)


Town Residing In:


 
 
Other Information


 
 

Cardinal Funeral & Cremation Services, LTD
Phone: (773) 558-7175
2090 Larkin Avenue, Elgin, IL 60123

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