The death of a loved one is the most traumatic experience most of us will ever go through. That loss can haunt us for many years, and the memory of that loved one will always remain. For many people, that lasting loss demands an equally long lasting tribute – a tribute much more meaningful than a simple obituary in the local newspaper or mention at the local church.

Before you begin creating the memorial, take a few moments and consider your goals and how mourners typically view obituaries. While an obituary is published in a newspaper for a day or two, many mourners clip the obituary, saving it for posterity. These clippings yellow with age, but are cherished nonetheless. Consider the longevity of the memorial that you are about to create. During the first few days, the memorial will receive many visits with visits tapering off as time goes by. Now remember those yellow clippings. Mourners will want to return many times over, perhaps each year on the anniversary of your loved one’s death. With this in mind, create a lasting memorial. by Celeste Stewart

The death of a loved one brings with it the responsibility of honoring your beloved and allowing others to do the same. While the grief and shock of losing a loved one have yet to subside, the “business of death” must be attended to; funeral arrangements must be made, an obituary written, and paperwork filed. The days immediately following a death are a blur with little room to truly honor the river of memories that are flowing just below the surface. However, creating a virtual memorial can soothe your soul and allow you – and others – to pay tribute to your cherished family member or friend.

Writing an obituary is not an easy task to do, especially when you’re also dealing with the emotional stress of a recent passing, funeral arrangements, and all the other things that must be dealt with during this time of grief. The last thing on a persons mind is writing something that properly tells of their loved ones life and accomplishments. The obituary becomes almost overwhelming to write and often ends up as a death notice, meaning that the opportunity to give proper significance to the loved one’s life can be lost. The writing of an obituary doesn’t have to be complicated and stress filled. With a little thought and some pre-planning, writing a good obituary can be as easy as following these ten steps.

Read and inform yourself about about how to celebrate a life of a lost loved one. How to cope with grief and how to organise a funeral.