David Hillsberg Obituary (2024)

FAQs

What are the final words on an obituary? ›

Concluding Message

In the conclusion of the obituary, special requests may be made such as, “in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to…” or “Our heartfelt thanks to the staff at General Hospital for…” Some families make the final line a dedication honoring their loved one.

The late Douglas Legler, from Fargo, North Dakota, may have the funniest and most concise obituary ever. The whole obituary reads "Doug Died." And that's exactly the way he wanted it.

Announce the death

Provide the name and a very brief description, the age of the deceased, and the day of passing. You can probably squeeze all of this information into one sentence. For example: On Monday, September 4, 2017, John Doe, loving husband and father of four children, passed away at the age of 74.

There are some very simple ways to say that you understand:

“This must be a difficult time for you” “I'm sure your heart is aching.” “My heart goes out to you and your family during this time.” “I know that words are inadequate at a time like this, but I wanted you to know how very sorry my family is for your loss!”

These are their four most common preoccupations: "I want to tell you that I love you." "I want to tell you that I forgive you." "Would you tell me that you love me?"

When writing an obituary, leave out details that could be used for identity theft, such as the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name. And don't include the deceased's home address.

Some families make the final line a dedication honoring their loved one. Phrases like “We will always carry your memory in our hearts,” or perhaps a favorite quote of your loved one are heartfelt and personal. Other families select a short prayer, a religious quotation, or a line from a poem to place at the end.

Deciding not to publish an obituary is #perfectlynormal in grief. If publishing an obituary in the paper or online feels (or felt) wrong to you - perhaps drawing unwanted attention or sharing on a level beyond what's comfortable - that's OK. There is no one right way to honor someone you love.

It serves as a way to inform the community about the individual's passing and to honor their memory. During a funeral or memorial service, it is common for someone to stand up and read the obituary to the attendees. This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual.

There is no specific rule that requires you to publish an obituary right away. In most cases, people aim to publish an obituary 1-2 weeks following the passing of a loved one. However, publishing it months or even a year after a loved one's death is completely okay.

How to end an eulogy? ›

If you're unsure how to end your eulogy, finish with a simple goodbye, or a thank you for the memories you shared. You might choose to use traditional phrases like 'rest in peace' or 'sleep well'. Or you can use something less formal, like a greeting or joke you used to share with the person who has died.

While there are no rules when it comes to who writes the obituary, they're typically written by family members or close friends. When a loved one passes, the family usually decides who will write it based on their relationship to the deceased or writing ability.

[Full Name], aged [age of the deceased], passed away peacefully on [date of death], at [location of death]. He/she was born on [date of birth], in [birthplace], to [names of parents]. He/she was a proud resident of [city of residence] and was a 1975 graduate of Holy Cross High School.

The obituary should end by naming your loved one's surviving family members, then giving information about the funeral or memorial service, if the family is making those details public, as well as information about any memorial funds or charitable organizations that people should send donations to.

– Your last wishes can include anything you want, including funeral or cremation preferences and plans, body disposition preferences, obituary information, messages to your loved ones, requests for your final days, and personal information like where your will is.

If you're unsure how to end your eulogy, finish with a simple goodbye, or a thank you for the memories you shared. You might choose to use traditional phrases like 'rest in peace' or 'sleep well'. Or you can use something less formal, like a greeting or joke you used to share with the person who has died.

Don't Over Describe the Funeral.

Give a date, time, place, and officiating person (if desired), but don't go into too much more detail than that because it runs the risk of distracting from the life of the deceased themselves.