My Goodbye - Obituary Writing Document

Obituary Writing Document

Prepared by:

First, Middle, (Maiden), Last Name

(Signature)

Date Initially Completed:

(dd/mm/yy)

Revision Dates:

(dd/mm/yy)

Original Content by Adria Ellerbrock

This document does not constitute legal advice,nor does any information in it create a lawyer-client relationship.
Use of any information in this document constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.

www.amomentthatliveson.com | www.mygoodbye.us

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Page 3

Section 1: Required Information Page 1

Section 2: Additional Information Page 5

Section 3: Service Information Page 9

Additional Resources (LegalZoom.com) Page 10

Conclusion Page 10

About the Author / Background Info. Page 11

Remember that this document is not legally-binding nor does it constitute legal advice. Please consult with a legal professional for execution of a Will or other documents that can be beneficial to those left behind after you die.

We recommend LegalZoom.com for your legal needs. Visit www.LegalZoom.com/moment for $10 off any order, compliments of A Moment That Lives On.

Introduction

Obituary writing comes easily to some, and not so easily to others… especially if they are dealing with the shock and grief of a loved one’s passing.

This exercise will allow you to provide information that can be used in your obituary, or in the writing process.

This document is a FREE downloadable Microsoft Word file (can be downloaded at www.amomentthatliveson.com/MyGoodbye/freedocuments.htm). You can complete it on your schedule, save it on your computer or file it in your house or office, and also make revisions/updates in the future. This allows your planning to remain personal and private, and lets you be in charge of the information and where it is kept.

This file was created so that it can be completed online or in your own handwriting. = a check box (click on it to select it if you are filling this out online, or just put an ”x” in it if you are filling this out by hand and the selection applies to the question). Any time you see a box like this —> , you can provide additional information by typing in the box (online) or filling it out by hand.

You do not need to fill out every section… any information you provide will be helpful. Once complete, please file this document with your will and other legal documents, and your Death Planning Document and Personal Information Worksheet (free at www.amomentthatliveson.com/MyGoodbye/freedocuments.htm).

Remember to also update this document every one to two years as some of its contents could change.

The following information is typically required in an obituary. Please fill out your information below:

Name:
(first, middle, last, and include your maiden name, if appropriate)
Age at time of death:

Occupation:

Current address:

Birth date:

Time, location, and cause of death:

Parent’s names:

Survivors, including spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters nieces, nephews, cousins, and best friends. Pets can also be included. Please include the survivor’s city and state of residence.

Deceased family members (people who have preceded you in death):

Information on memorial funds or donations (i.e., in lieu of flowers):

Funeral and burial arrangements will be completed by person handling your details.

The following additional information can be included in your obituary. Please fill out the sections you want included.

Schools attended / education:

Degrees / certifications / licenses held:

Places of residence:

Marriages:

Military service:

Interesting activities / hobbies:

Outstanding achievements:

Memberships in fraternal, religious, social, or civic organizations:

Favorite quotation, saying, or poem:

Three to five words that would sum up your life:

For more information or additional help on how to write an obituary, please visit http://www.obituaryguide.com/

The following information will be completed by the person in charge of your obituary after you have died and service arrangements have been made.

1. Day, date, time, and place of your service

2. Name of pastor / officient

3. Names of pallbearers

4. Visitation and reception information (if applicable)

5. Other memorial, vigil, or graveside services (if applicable)

6. Place of internment (burial)

7. Funeral home name and phone number

8. Who to call for more information

You can specify your desires for your service type, location, and more in the My Goodbye Death Planning Document which is available for FREE at www.amomentthatliveson.com/MyGoodbye/freedocuments.htm. While you’re there, be sure to download the Personal Information Worksheet, which will provide those left behind with critical information on your accounts, etc.

Additional Resources

In addition to filling out important personal documents like this Obituary Writing Document and the others made available to you at http://www.amomentthatliveson.com/MyGoodbye/freedocumentsform.htm, it’s also critical that you complete legal documents. Legal documents help you protect and provide for your family after your passing.

We endorse www.LegalZoom.com as an additional resource for legal death preparation documents such as a Last Will and Testament, Living Trust, Living Will, Power of Attorney, Pet Protection Agreement, and more. LegalZoom.com is the nation’s leading online legal document service. Their founding vision was for an easy-to-use, online service that would help people create their own legal documents. They brought together some of the best minds in the legal and technological fields to make this vision a reality.

At www.AMomentThatLivesOn.com, we support their vision and trust that you will get the legal services you need to complete each step of the death planning process. Visit www.LegalZoom.com to access and complete your online legal documents today.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read and fill out this document. Hopefully it was an exercise that gave you some peace of mind despite its purpose. Someday, your family and friends will be glad that they have this information to reference.

Please be sure to file this document with your other legal / death planning documents.

# # #

We all know the saying, “The only certain thing in life is death and taxes.” It’s unfortunate that Americans spend countless hours every year on tax returns but won’t spend one second preparing for the ultimate, inevitable life event — death.

Society seems to follow an “unspoken rule” regarding the preparation for death. Unless someone is old or terminally ill, the norm is for us to live our lives and let someone else deal with the details when our last breath is exhaled.

In addition, our culture teaches us death is not acceptable to think about, discuss, or — heaven forbid — plan for. Since it's not going to be our problem once we're gone, why worry about it while we’re alive?

The reality is that death is hard enough on those who are left behind without the additional stress of choosing a casket, determining a funeral program, or deciding what to feed people at the reception.

After losing a loved one, logic and emotion shouldn’t be forced to hold hands; yet standard practices command family and friends to do just that. The stress and confusion over how to handle important decisions while preparing a funeral to honor the deceased’s life is a nightmare... But someone dies in America every twelve seconds.

And that’s a lot of heartache.

The unanswered question is "Why?" Why do we allow ourselves to be in such fragile positions? Why don’t we care more about what happens to those who are left behind after we die?

Maybe we’re selfish. Maybe death is too overwhelming to plan for or prepare for on paper. Maybe we think it’s a crazy exercise to do while we're young(er). But we must remember, we all won’t live to the average age, and we all won’t die in our sleep at age 90.

The bottom line is that it's time to change the way things are done... not for ourselves, but for those people we love.

I created www.AMomentThatLivesOn.com and this planning document and hope that they are a reflection of how passionate I am about my vision to spare extra headache and heartache when someone loses a loved one. I trust that the information provided is both comprehensive and beneficial and serves its purpose in many, many lives across many, many miles.

Adria A. Ellerbrock, MBA

www.AMomentThatLivesOn.com