Writing Obituaries That Actually Work
Most people have no idea what they're doing when they sit down to write an obituary. They start with clichés, pile on flowery language, and end up with something that sounds like it was generated by a greeting card company. I've been helping families draft these for years, and the difference between a forgettable notice and one that actually captures someone is usually just a few small choices. The process starts with the basics. You need the full name, age, date of death, and a brief timeline of key life events. Devargas Funeral Home has a straightforward submission process, but there are nuances most families miss. They accept obituaries through their website portal or via email to their obituary desk. Turnaround time is typically 24 to 48 hours for publication on their site and partner sites like Legacy.com, assuming everything checks out on the first pass. Second passes usually take another business day if edits are needed. Here's something nobody tells you: length doesn't matter. The obituaries I've seen that get the most meaningful engagement online are often the shortest ones. A tight 150-word piece with specific, human details lands better than a 600-word memoir full of generic praise. Readers skim. They want to know who the person was in about three sentences.
Let me give you a specific example from practice. A family once submitted an obituary for their father that listed every job he'd ever had, every organization he'd joined, and every award. It was technically accurate and completely unreadable. I suggested we cut it to focus on three things: his 30 years as a lineman, his habit of fixing neighbors' fences on weekends without being asked, and the fact that he taught his granddaughter to fish at the same pond where he'd learned. The revised version ran about 200 words. Comments on the memorial page reflected actual memories people wanted to share, not just polite condolences. One edge case that comes up constantly involves military honors and veteran status. Devargas Funeral Home can coordinate with the VA for burial flag presentation and honor guard participation, but the family has to provide the DD-214 or service documentation upfront. I've seen multiple families forget this until the service was already scheduled, which caused delays and stress they didn't need. If the deceased served, grab that paperwork early. Include the branch, rank, and years of service in the obituary itself. It matters to people who knew them, and it matters for the ceremony details. Another thing worth noting: the death certificate and the obituary don't have to match perfectly, but they shouldn't contradict each other either. If the obituary says the person died at home but the death certificate lists a hospital, mourners will notice. Funeral directors will catch it too, and they'll ask for clarification. Keep the core facts aligned across both documents to avoid that back-and-forth.
Photos matter more than most people expect. Devargas allows one featured image and up to ten additional photos in a gallery. The main photo gets the most visibility, so pick a recent, recognizable image rather than a grainy yearbook scan. Resolution should be at least 1200 pixels on the shortest side. Anything smaller looks pixelated on modern screens and makes the tribute feel less polished. There's a common assumption that obituaries need to be negative space-filling, as if the goal is just to fill a newspaper column or web page. That's backward. The purpose is informational and commemorative, not decorative. Every sentence should either tell someone who the deceased was or provide logistical information about services. If a sentence does neither, cut it. A practical tip most people skip: write the service details before you write the biography. Getting the time, location, and officiant right prevents last-minute corrections. Devargas Funeral Home will confirm service information before publication, but having it locked down first saves everyone time. Their staff is reasonable about making corrections, but each correction cycle adds hours to the process, and families are usually dealing with enough else.
Get the Full Details
Cost is another factor worth mentioning. Devargas Funeral Home includes basic obituary publication in their standard funeral package at no extra charge. Extended placements on partner networks or premium formatting options may carry additional fees, so ask about what's included before agreeing to anything. Some funeral homes bundle these costs into packages that look cheaper than they actually are. One limitation of the current system is that obituaries on Devargas's platform can't be edited after 24 hours without contacting their staff directly. There's no self-service edit button on their website. This isn't unusual, but it catches people off guard. If you think you might need to update service information later, confirm those details are final before submitting, or be prepared to call their office immediately if something changes. For tribute donations, include the charity name and website rather than a generic "donations to charity preferred." People want to know exactly where to go. Vague requests get ignored. Specific ones get acted on.
I've noticed a pattern where families rush the obituary because they feel pressured to get it done quickly. Don't. Take a day if you can. The first draft is rarely the best version. Come back to it with fresh eyes, and you'll usually find three or four sentences that can be tightened or removed entirely. Finally, consider who will read this. The primary audience isn't the funeral home or the newspaper. It's friends, distant relatives, former coworkers, and people who haven't thought about the deceased in a while. Those are the people who benefit most from a well-written obituary because it gives them permission to remember. That's the point, really. Everything else is logistics.
