Making an announcement of death

The purpose of the announcement of death is to provide a public record to inform family, friends and interested people of a person’s death. The announcement will usually appear in the local newspaper. The length of the announcement will usually depend on the cost involved in printing it.

With the advent of the internet, families now have the opportunity to publish longer and more detailed announcements of death for their loved ones than previously was possible. These online announcements may be accompanied by an obituary of the deceased person.

Content for announcement

The announcement should contain the essential details regarding the death, some information about the deceased person’s family and the arrangements for the funeral and internment.

The opening paragraph of the announcement should give the deceased person’s name and the date of death. Details can be given as to where death occurred and at what age.

Sometimes, people may want to include the cause of death. This is usually best described in a phrase such as “died of natural causes” or “died after a brief illness.

Information about the family

This paragraph should give some details about the deceased person’s family and provides an opportunity for them to express their sadness and love for the deceased person.

Details of the funeral

This paragraph should give the time, date and location of the funeral as well as the reception after the funeral.

Additional details can also be given; for example, whether the funeral is private, whether flowers will be welcomed or whether charitable donations would be preferred.

Details of the memorial service (if applicable)

If a decision has been made to hold a memorial service at a later date it can be helpful to include some details of this in the announcement.

Example of an announcement

Smith – John Smith of Chiswick, London W4 died on 1st August, 2013 at home following a short illness. He was 89 years old. He was the dearly beloved husband of Debbie and loving father of Jane and Chris.

He was also the much loved grandfather of Philip, Sally and Edward. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.

A funeral service will take place on 7th August at St Michael’s parish Church at 11.00am to be followed by the committal.

A reception will be held afterwards at the Memorial Club in Church Road. Floral tributes will be appreciated and should arrive before 10.00am. A charitable donation, if desired, should be made to the Millennium Fund.

Please note

The information which we provide through Lasting Post is in outline for information or educational purposes only. The information is not a substitute for the professional judgment of a solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser. We cannot guarantee that information provided by Lasting Post will meet your individual needs, as this will very much depend on your individual circumstances. You should therefore use the information only as a starting point for your enquiries.