Newspaper and online notices
Notices for Funerals and Memorials – Some notes to help you decide on whether to write an advert and/or place in newspapers, etc.
- Funeral notices are optional – but check costs
- Carefully consider the wording – edit and double-check, especially spellings and dates
- You can place notices direct with newspapers or through your Funeral Director
- Notices can become part of family history
If you are arranging a funeral yourself, you need to think about how much is available to spend on newspaper notices and it may need a bit more work on your part with providing proof of death before placing the notice. This can be quite daunting given the grief, and other matters needed to organise.
It is important, however, that immediate family and friends are advised in person or by a quick phone call, rather than reading of the death in the newspaper or on-line.
If the arrangements are with a Funeral Director, they will be able to advise on various forms of wording and these costs should also be indicated in their statement of fees. Newspaper advertising can be very expensive, especially when photos or logos are included in the notice.
For many years families have placed funeral or memorial notices in their local or city newspaper to inform everyone of the death of their loved one which includes information of venue, date and time of the funeral or memorial service.
In more recent years, a lot of changes have taken place with Email, Texts or Facebook often being used to convey the information, especially when the ceremony is being streamed.
Some newspapers, and also Funeral companies, now also offer an on-line memorial which continues forever (or for a set time). These costs (or not) will differ from newspaper to newspaper and the various funeral companies, i.e., country, regional or city.
If you choose to place an advert, you are not restricted in the wording you might like to include, but do check on the costs of long and wordy notices. For a private funeral, sometimes the family wait until a day or two after the ceremony to place a notice. Again, these can be very short such as:
It is with sadness that we advise
Whatever Name died on 1 January 0000
It was his/her/their wish to have a private funeral.
For a more extensive notice it might include venue, date and time along with a long description giving the person's age with date of birth and death. As well as lengthy description of love of family, friends, likes and dislikes, etc. Below are some variations of wording for these notices:
- At rest after a long illness
- NAME died suddenly on .... and you are invited to attend his/her/their funeral/memorial ceremony on
- NAME touched the lives of many people and everyone is welcome to attend
- NAME'S family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life at Chapel/venue at time.
- Following the chapel service, a burial will follow at the cemetery.
- No flowers please. Donations appreciated to CHARITY in NAME’S memory
- Please wear tropical or bright colours as you know NAME loved them