Author Topic: Obituaries  (Read 3653 times)

Offline delalluvia

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Obituaries
« on: September 19, 2009, 04:16:33 pm »

I just had the wonderful experience of helping my mom write her obituary.  :-\

She wrote a first draft and now we're trying to pare it down because I know they cost a lot.  I don't recall from my father's funeral how much they cost (by word or by letter) and the most I can get out of the newspaper is a cost "per inch".  Anyone know how many words/sentences there are in a newscolumn "inch"?

Offline Kelda

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2009, 03:28:36 pm »
Oh honey..

((((Del))))
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2009, 06:37:12 pm »
I just had the wonderful experience of helping my mom write her obituary.  :-\

She wrote a first draft and now we're trying to pare it down because I know they cost a lot.  I don't recall from my father's funeral how much they cost (by word or by letter) and the most I can get out of the newspaper is a cost "per inch".  Anyone know how many words/sentences there are in a newscolumn "inch"?

I'm sorry to hear that, Del.  :(

I usually figure roughly 100 words per inch, maybe a little less. Newspapers have different column widths, so an inch at one is not the same at an inch at another.



Offline Lynne

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2009, 06:55:11 pm »
I just had the wonderful experience of helping my mom write her obituary.  :-\

She wrote a first draft and now we're trying to pare it down because I know they cost a lot.  I don't recall from my father's funeral how much they cost (by word or by letter) and the most I can get out of the newspaper is a cost "per inch".  Anyone know how many words/sentences there are in a newscolumn "inch"?

Geez, Del.  I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through this.  What an ordeal in every respect.  I gave a eulogy once, but it wasn't terribly traumatic because it was more for my cousin, who was burying his father - I didn't know his father very well.   :-\

I'm glad you're doing it though, personally and together.  Despite the pain, I think it will probably much nicer and more personal than what a funeral director will give the newspapers when you just fill out the blank form they give you (what happened when my grandmothers passed).

 :-\ :'( {{{{{del}}}}}
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2009, 09:23:22 pm »
I'm sorry to hear that, Del.  :(

I usually figure roughly 100 words per inch, maybe a little less. Newspapers have different column widths, so an inch at one is not the same at an inch at another.

Thanks.  That gives me a rough estimate.

Thank you everyone.  It's not fun, and really depressing, but I'm glad my mom is still well enough to make these decisions for herself and that I'm there to help her with them.

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2009, 11:40:35 am »
My parents have no asked me to help with obits, however, they have given me the details of what kind of services they would like us to do for them.

they are rather.........unique.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2009, 01:01:40 pm »
My parents have no asked me to help with obits, however, they have given me the details of what kind of services they would like us to do for them.

they are rather.........unique.

And...?

If you don't mind my asking?

My sister and I accompanied my mom to the funeral home to finalize her plans and while there, flipped through the book of service options, though the funeral directors assured us they were capable of handling anything we might want.

At my funeral, my sister planned on having everyone releasing a squadron of Have a Nice Day smiliey balloons.  :laugh:

I planned my own funeral wherein my urn of ashes would be in one of those cool horse-drawn glass hearses and I would make everyone walk after it, including my aged sister.  ;D


Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2009, 01:36:47 pm »
And...?

If you don't mind my asking?


My mom wants a one night viewing only.  If you want to come, you come then.  She also says she wants to be dressed up in the outfit she used to wear when she worked the carnivals for the church.


She was a clown.  ::)

I asked if perhaps people would find that .............morbid....she said she didn't care.

My father, who doesn't want to be "outdone" has decided that he'll be laid out naked.

:o

Each summer my parents take a train ride to the shore.  So when the first one dies, we have to hold the ashes until the second one dies, and then my three brothers have to take a train ride to the shore to scatter the ashes into the sea.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Obituaries
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2009, 01:44:03 pm »

My mom wants a one night viewing only.  If you want to come, you come then.  She also says she wants to be dressed up in the outfit she used to wear when she worked the carnivals for the church.


She was a clown.  ::)

I asked if perhaps people would find that .............morbid....she said she didn't care.

My father, who doesn't want to be "outdone" has decided that he'll be laid out naked.

:o

Each summer my parents take a train ride to the shore.  So when the first one dies, we have to hold the ashes until the second one dies, and then my three brothers have to take a train ride to the shore to scatter the ashes into the sea.

A clown...her funeral.  Truly.

Naked?  Is he going to have a "viewing", too?