Funeral announcements are used to inform the public of a person’s death, and give details of the funeral or memorial services. Releasing an announcement allows others to make arrangements to attend these services, and to express sympathy and condolences. Here are a few tips to help you create an announcement.

1. A funeral or memorial announcement gives brief details of the deceased life. It usually contains the following:

• Full Name, death date and maybe age
• Immediate family relationships
• A one sentence statement of who they were (for example, “Mr. Jones served for 37 years in the United States Navy.”)
• The time, date and location for the funeral or memorial service
• It is optional to include the cause of death in the announcement.

2. Funeral announcements are usually published in the deceased hometown newspaper. However, if the person who has died spent most of their life in another location, you may wish to publish their in that town’s newspaper. Check with your funeral director, or directly with the newspaper publication for specific information regarding publishing format and pricing.

3. Special information can be given in funeral or memorial announcements. Also, any other information that would be helpful to those planning to attend can be shared in the announcement such as if services are private, or if donations are requested in lieu of flowers.

4. Announcements can be made even if services are not public, or if you are not planning to have any services.

5. You may also chose to send printed funeral announcements directly to family members and friends. These announcements may be personalized with a photo of the deceased and a may include bible scriptures or poetry, as well as details of any funeral or memorial services.

Taking the time to write a funeral announcement is a considerate thing to do. It allows others to reflect and offer condolences, and prepare to attend services to honor the life of the deceased.