How to Get an Obituary Published. An obituary announces a person's death and gives a brief description of his or her life. Obituaries also list when and where a funeral or service will take place.

Call the newspaper and ask for obituary prices. Most publications charge by the line or by the word.

Write the obituary.

Submit the obituary to the newspaper.

Prepay for the obituary if required.

If you prefer, ask your funeral home to make arrangements with the newspaper to submit the obituary and receive the bill.

Items you will need

  • Flowers

  • Urns

  • Teaspoons

  • Caskets

Tip

Some newspapers have Web sites where you can submit obituaries. If the memorial service or funeral is listed, make sure you submit the obituary in time to be published before the service. Think about submitting the obituary to newspapers in cities where the deceased formerly lived or worked. Several Web sites post obituaries or have "virtual" memory gardens. (See Related Sites.)