Obituaries in West Lafayette, IN | Journal and Courier (2024)

FAQs

Why do newspapers charge so much for obituaries? ›

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.

Many funeral homes publish obituaries on their websites. These can usually be located with a Google search on the person's name. Local genealogical and historical societies, public libraries, and some newspaper publishers maintain clipping files of obituaries.

An obituary is a brief written summary of a deceased person's life. It includes a list of surviving family members and is typically found in local newspapers or online news sites. The deceased's family often crafts the obituary, but a publication's staff can also complete the task.

Costs vary by publication. Newspapers charge by the line and can average $450 for a complete obituary. The average obituary cost begins at $200.00 and increases due to the amount of content, including a photograph and the length of the obituary.

There are other places than newspapers and their online websites to publish obituaries, and many are free. Funeral homes often place full obituaries on their own websites for free or a nominal charge. Ask your funeral director about this policy.

Legacy.com is a United States-based website founded in 1998, the world's largest commercial provider of online memorials. The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths.

Read The Paper or Watch The Local News

If you receive a physical newspaper, review the obituaries section to see who recently passed. Searching for someone who died more than 30 days ago? Turn to sites like Google News Archives, US News Archives, or International News Archives.

While there are many benefits to writing an obituary, there are also reasons why a family might not want to. Some may feel that it is too personal or private to share with the public, while others may not have the financial means to pay for its publication.

How do you say no funeral in an obituary? ›

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.

Obituaries and death notices are not required—but notices to creditors may be. You are under no legal obligation to take out a death notice or obituary.

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.

This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual.

How do you refer to an unmarried partner in an obituary? Typically, an unmarried partner is referred to as a spouse or simply as a partner. You can also list them as a surviving relative if you feel it's appropriate. The goal is to list them in a way that best reflects the relationship they had with the deceased.

But, chances are, if you're considered the scribe in your tribe of family members and friends, at some juncture, you'll be asked to pen an obituary for someone you know. And, though it doesn't offer the same glitz, glamour, or excitement of other forms of creative work, well, it helps to pay the bills.

It remains online on the newspaper's website for a longer time than it runs in print. In some cases, it's online permanently. Many newspapers charge by the line or inch for obituaries, not by the word. This means how much physical space the text will take up in the printed newspaper.

Placing an obituary in The New York Times starts at $263.00.

Despite increasing access to the news online, people resort to obituary pages as a trusted source of information about the deceased. They can show up and pour in condolences and empathies with you and other family members. Writing an obituary is a perfect way of memorializing the deceased.