Times Colonist Obituaries Today (2024)

FAQs

How long have obituaries been around? ›

The History of Obituaries

At about 59 BCE, in newspapers of ancient Rome, the very first obituaries were published. Death notices and obituaries did not become more prevalent, however, until much later. In the 1600s, some obituaries were written, but they finally became commonplace in the 1800s.

There could be several reasons why you're having difficulty finding an obituary. The person you're looking for may not have had an obituary, the newspaper that published it could have gone out of business, or it could have never been saved or digitized.

Obituaries are not required by law , so the deceased's family might have chosen to forego publishing one. Publishing an obituary can be expensive , and the funds may be unavailable. The deceased has few family members or friends , so there might have, unfortunately, been no need for an obituary.

When we hear them, researchers say, our brains synthesize the hormone oxytocin, triggering an empathetic response. Reading obits can make you feel the fear and pride of an immigrant who started over in a new country, the awe of a mountain climber, the pain of an addict, the patience of a schoolteacher.

North Dakota newspaper The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead ran what is certainly one of the shortest obituaries ever published. Accompanying a photograph and name of local resident Douglas Legler, the obit, which ran Wednesday, had just two simple words: “Doug died.”

Obituary Example: No Funeral or Memorial. [Full name] sadly passed away on [date of death] at their home in [place of passing]. They always spread joy and happiness wherever they went. As per [first name]'s request, no funeral or memorial service will be held.

Some of these ways include online research, checking government records, searching genealogy databases, and scouring newspapers in the person's hometown. In some cases, a combination of these methods may be used to find out if someone died.

Obituaries and death notices can be published by alumni organizations, religious or community institutions, and professional organizations, or online.

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.

Generally at the direction of the probate court and with the assistance of the estate's attorney, the executor is required to publish notice of the death in appropriate newspapers to run for a specified length of time. This notice is typically filed in the local newspaper.

Why do obituaries cost so much? ›

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual. The purpose of the obituary reading is to share important details about the deceased person's life, allowing everyone present to reflect on their accomplishments, relationships, and contributions.

It's important to remember that an obituary is supposed to be an announcement and brief biography of the deceased. Don't feel the need to recount every detail of their life. Also try to avoid bragging about every accomplishment or award the deceased received.

The registration of births, marriages, and deaths has a long history in the United States, beginning with a registration law enacted by Virginia in 1632 and a modification of this law enacted by Massachusetts in 1639. 1902- U.S. Census Bureau permanent agency of the federal government-authorized to obtain death data.

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.

An obituary serves as notification that an individual has passed away and details of the services that are to take place. But it can, and should be be far more meaningful than that. A well-crafted obituary can detail the life of the deceased, with style and grace.

The noun obituary, which appears in English in the early 18th century, comes from the Latin obīre, where ob- means "toward," and īre, "to go," suggesting a "going toward" one's death.