Writing Your Own Obituary

Your obituary may be the last time people will see your name in print. How do you want people to remember you? Don’t leave things to chance. Drafting your own obituary will assist your loved ones in this difficult task while framing your legacy. Writing your own obituary also affords a wonderful opportunity for self reflection. You probably have a resume that details your professional accomplishments and education, but what are you most proud of? For some it may be family, for others it could be a personal achievement such as volunteer work, changing someone's life, climbing a mountain, or sailing an ocean. You know best what is most important to you and how you want others to remember you. Some humor is good, and don’t forget to include a photo you like so you don’t look like the dated photos one often sees on an obit page.

You can easily draft your obituary on your own with just a plain sheet of paper. For additional guidance, a web search on "write your own obituary" will turn up many sites. Two sites you might consider include:

ObitKit.com: For $38.50, ObitKit offers a workbook to help you gather the details of your life and write your obituary. The ObitKit website also has other tools and links you may find useful.

ObituaryGuide.com: The ads on the site can be annoying but the site includes templates and many helpful tips and links to help you craft your obituary.