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Obituaries provide pertinent information about a forthcoming funeral and pay homage to a life well-lived. However, at this highly sensitive time, crafting a tasteful and meaningful obituary is often easier said than done. To provide inspiration and help you avoid some common writing pitfalls, here’s some valuable insight into writing an effective obituary.

Writing an Obituary? Consider Skipping These 3 Items

1. Predictable Clichés  

To keep from writing a stale or banal obituary, avoid using common clichés. Steer clear from discussing your loved one’s “courageous struggle,” how their “smile would light up the room,” or how they had a “zest for life,” for example. These clichés can quickly make the obituary sound like a carbon copy of so many others. To avoid this common faux pas, focus instead on including specific details that are truly unique to your loved one and try getting more creative with your language.

2. The Phrase “In Lieu of Flowers”

obituariesIt’s typically best to avoid the phrase “in lieu of flowers” in obituaries, even when donations to a specific cause are preferred. The reason for this is that it can limit or diminish how friends and family members may wish to express their sympathy. To avoid offending anyone and making them feel as though a thoughtful gift of flowers is inadequate or unwanted, instead simply request donations and let people give what they see fit.

3. Specifics About the Death

Although obituaries are written in the event of one’s passing, it’s best to avoid specifics of the death. The final stages of a loved one’s life can often bring about painful memories, and there is so much more to life than the final period. Instead, focus your writing on the happier points of a life well-lived by recalling joyful times, acknowledging major life achievements, and emphasizing how your loved one has touched the lives of others.

 

Writing meaningful obituaries while dealing with the loss of a loved one is no easy feat. Fortunately, we at Abriola Parkview Funeral Home in Trumbull, CT have offered a supportive and compassionate environment for grieving families since our 1906 inception. Recently recognized for our century of service by the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, our family-owned and-operated funeral home takes great pride in offering supportive and professional funeral services in a healing environment. To experience the Abriola difference for yourself, give us a call at (203) 373-1013 or visit us online.

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