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By Burton Fletcher
Save a dollar, and you deny future generations of genealogists
information on a life well lived. I often read obituaries that
are short, almost terse, without information on the life of a
deceased loved one. A well-written obituary speaks volumes
about the meaning of life to a loved one.
I encourage everyone who cares about genealogy, and family, to
prepare their obituary in advance. It is important to answer
the questions: What was important to this person? What did
they give to the community? Who were their descendants?
Additionally, have your obituary edited by a competent editor
for missing information and clarity, and you will be more
likely to have a polished statement of your life.
Often I read that the deceased had ten children and twenty
grandchildren, without any mention as to the names,
occupations, or hometowns of those relatives. When provided,
this information is valuable to future generations as they
construct their family tree.
My mother has kept the obituaries of our family and friends
for years. Imagine the message your obituary would provide to
future generations if you included your self-written epitaph.
I see nothing wrong, and everything good about writing your
own obituary. Just as writing a will is preparation for the
inevitable, writing your obituary, epitaph, and designing and
building your own memorial are the actions of responsible
people.
A photograph speaks volumes about a person and may be the only
photograph of a person in the future. I see nothing wrong with
multiple photographs and a photograph from years before
illness; even a favorite photo as a young adult is fine to
portray your life as you would like it portrayed. Homes burn
all the time. Fortunately, newspaper companies are an archive
of historical data.
Write your obituary well in advance of your expected departure
data. Give a copy of your self-written obituary to the funeral
home and to the newspaper, with written instructions that you
would like the obituary published upon your death. Provide the
funeral home with sufficient funds to cover your funeral
expenses.
Burton Fletcher, with over 20 years business experience, owns
ValdostaMemorials.com. He is a licensed memorialist in Georgia and Florida. He enjoys genealogy and
visiting and studying Southern monuments. Reach Burton at
229.245.8858 or
Burton@ValdostaMemorials.com |
