Writing Obituaries
Due:
Tuesday, January 27th
15 points – Obituary
25 points – Eulogy
Format options:
Realistic
Narrative
Satirical
Etc! – use creative license to create your own interpretation
Requirements: Chose an individual to focus on. If you wish to choose a historical or famous figure then
be sure to include a brief works cited for where you acquired your information. If you wish to choose
someone from your own life then obviously this step is not required. You may choose someone still alive
if you wish and invent a manner of death for them (you could even write your own obituary if you desire);
however, the manner of death you choose should be logical (for example: no one who live on the modern
planet should die of alien invasion). That being said, you may choose a character from a beloved work,
and just be true to the constraints of that world. Some clever satirical obituaries have also been written for
objects or events. While you are free to consider this option just run these ideas by me before beginning.
Realistic obituary, from The Philadelphia Inquirer – Sunday, February 8th
BERTRAM THOMAS, III, suddenly on February 5, 2004, of Blackwood. Age 32. Loving
husband of five months of Denise. Devoted son of Verna and the late Bertram. Dear brother of Andrea
Lomas and her husband Joseph and Jamie Manos and her husband Robert, all of Sicklerville. Trooper
Zimmerman was a 1990 graduate of Highland High School and also graduated from Gloucester County
College. He was also a 1995 graduate of Rutgers Camden and a member of the Alumni Association. He
played baseball for his high school and colleges and with the Tri-County Petes. Trooper Zimmerman was
also a Special Police Officer for Gloucester Township and then an officer for the Evesham Township
Police Department. He has been a NJ State Trooper for three years, the last year being selected to the
Tactical Patrol Unit. There will be a viewing from 3 to 6 pm Monday afternoon, 7 to 9 pm Monday
evening and 9 to 11 am Tuesday morning at St. Agnes RC Church. Funeral Mass at 11am Tuesday in
church. Interment St. Joseph’s cemetery, Chews Landing. Family requests in lieu of flowers donations
be made in Trooper Zimmerman’s memory to Habitat for Humanity. Expressions of sympathy my be
emailed to: condolences @ gardnerfuneralhome.com.
Narrative obituary, from Time – February 9th
You won’t hear much talk on the network talk shows these days-not much real conversation to
broaden the mind or upset the rigid format. In TV’s robust youth it was different, in large part because of
Jack Paar, who died last week in Greenwich, CT at age 85.
Though his tenure as host of The Tonight Show lasted only five years, from 1957 to ’62, the
former disc jockey and B-movie actor made late night TV both a habit and an event. He was a hot wire in
a cool medium. Many a coffee-break chat would begin with “Did you see what Paar did last night?” He
visited Cuba to talk to Castro, and Berlin when the wall went up; he drew fresh notions from politicians
and film idols when such figures were not ubiquitous TV presences. More often, Paar made news by
being himself-a softy quick to anger, quick to cry-and by keeping his audience guessing what mood Jack
would be in tonight. One night, annoyed by the NBS censor’s cutting of a mildly ribald anecdote, he
walked off the show. And a month later, he walked back.
After quitting the show for good in 1962, he was host of a weekly hour in prime time that had
some inspired guest pairings (Cassius Clay and Liberace) and was the first US network program to feature
a Beatles performance. But in May 1965, at age 47, he said a last NBC farewell, picking up his trademark
stool and walking into the mists of legend. Jack Paar a legend? We kid you not. He was so good that
few talk shows since have been up to Paar.
–Richard Corliss
Satirical obituary
Died. Mary-Ellis Bunim, 57, co-creator of The Real World, which helped launch the current
generation of couch potato twenty-somethings. If it were not for Mary’s tireless efforts and constant
urging for new programming at MTV, there would be no Road Rules or The Simple Life. Her devotion to
quality programming has led to television addiction and the resulting obesity in much of America’s
children. As for the slightly older generation, it now has a skewed understanding of which parts of life
should be kept private and which ones belong on TV. Thankfully, Mary’s professional contributions have
also blurred the understanding that betrayal, lust, and all types of cheating are not healthy parts of
relationships with partners and friends. Kudos to you, Mary-Ellis, for your generous contribution to pop
culture and mainstream reality television.
Writing Eulogies
A eulogy is a speech given at a memorial service in memory of the deceased. You don't have to be a great
writer or orator to deliver a heartfelt and meaningful eulogy that captures the essence of the deceased. The
best eulogies are brief while being specific, as well as thoughtful and not without the occasional touch of
humor.
Where obituaries are short written works typically of a journalistic style, eulogies cover a much broader
spectrum. Like odes they typically praise and immortalize the subject of their choice and then can be
prose or poetry. However, unlike odes eulogies are nearly always delivered to an audience at the
memorial service of the individual discussed. Thus, there are a few things to keep in mind when writing a
eulogy.
1. Tone: How serious or lighthearted do you want the eulogy to be? A good eulogy need not be
uniformly somber, just appropriate. Some eulogy-writers take a serious approach, others are bold
enough to add humor. Used cautiously, humor can help convey the personality of the deceased and
illustrate some of his or her endearing qualities.
2. Consider the audience. Write the eulogy with the deceased's family and loved ones in mind.
Dwell on the positive, but be honest. If the person was difficult or inordinately negative, avoid
talking about that or allude to it gently, as in "He had his demons, which were a constant battle."
Make sure you don't say anything that would offend, shock, or confuse the audience. For example,
don't make any jokes or comments about the deceased that would be a mystery to the majority of
the crowd.
3. Briefly introduce yourself. Even if most people in the audience know you, just state your name
and give a few words that describe your relationship to the deceased. If it's a really small crowd,
you can start with, "For anybody who doesn't know me..." or something that shows that while
most people do know you, it's still important to introduce yourself. If you're related to the
deceased, describe how; if not, say a few words about how and when you met.
4. State the basic information about the deceased. Though your eulogy doesn't have to read like
an obituary or give all of the basic information about the life of the deceased, you should touch on
a few key points, such as what his family life was like, what his career achievements were, and
what hobbies and interests mattered the most to him. You can find a way of mentioning this
information while praising or remembering the deceased.
5. Use specific examples to describe the deceased. Avoid reciting a list of qualities that the person
possesses. Instead, mention a quality and then illustrate it with a story. It is the stories that bring
the person--and that quality--to life. Talk to as many people as you can to get their impressions,
memories, and thoughts about the deceased, and then write down as many memories of your own
as you can. Look for a common theme that unites your ideas, and try to illustrate this theme
through specific examples. If the deceased is remembered for being kind, talk about the time he
helped a homeless man get back on his feet. If the deceased is known for being a prankster,
mention his famous April Fool's prank. Pretend that a stranger is listening to your eulogy. Would
he get a good sense of the person you're describing without ever meeting him just from your
words?
6. Be concise and well-organized. Outline the eulogy before you start writing. Brainstorm all the
possible areas (personality traits, interests, biographical info) to talk about and write them down.
When you're ready to write, cover each area in a logical order. Give the eulogy a beginning,
middle, and end. Avoid rambling or, conversely, speaking down to people. You may have a
sterling vocabulary, but dumb it down for the masses just this once. The average eulogy is about
3-5 minutes long (double spaced 2- 5 pages). That should be enough for you to give a meaningful
speech about the deceased. Remember that less is more; you don't want to try the patience of the
audience during such a sad occasion.
Remember, the most important thing is for your eulogy to feel genuine and evoke emotion in your
audience.