Writing your own obituary might sound unusual, but it’s an empowering and meaningful way to take control of how your life story is remembered. By crafting your own obituary, you ensure that your values, achievements, and unique personality are accurately conveyed. Saving it in a secure platform like the Gentreo Digital Vault provides peace of mind, knowing your words will be safely stored and accessible when needed.
This guide will walk you through the process of writing your own obituary and provide examples of inspiring obituaries that have captured the hearts and minds of readers worldwide.
Why Write Your Own Obituary?
Writing your own obituary allows you to:
- Tell Your Story Your Way: Highlight the events, people, and values that mattered most to you.
- Remove Guesswork for Loved Ones: Relieve your family of the emotional burden of writing an obituary during a difficult time.
- Celebrate Your Life with Intention: Share your humor, wisdom, or reflections, creating a narrative that inspires and uplifts.
- Empower Yourself Through Reflection: Writing your obituary is also a chance to reflect on your life’s journey and accomplishments, helping you identify what matters most.
Steps to Writing Your Own Obituary
Start with the Basics. Include essential details such as your full name, date of birth, and place of birth. Mention your family members, including parents, siblings, spouse, children, and grandchildren.
Highlight Your Life’s Journey. Share your career achievements, educational milestones, travels, and personal passions. Reflect on hobbies, volunteer work, or memorable experiences that define your story. For example, if you spent years traveling the world or dedicated your life to a cause, this is the place to highlight it.
Express Gratitude. Thank the people, organizations, or communities that shaped your life or supported you along the way. This can also include expressing gratitude for the little joys in life, such as cherished memories with family or simple pleasures that brought you happiness.
Add Your Unique Voice. Infuse your personality into your obituary. Whether it’s humor, a favorite quote, or a life lesson, let your character shine. You can even include a quirky anecdote or memory that will make readers smile.
Include Funeral or Memorial Preferences (Optional). If desired, specify how you’d like to be celebrated, including memorial service details or charitable donation preferences. For example, you could request donations to a cause you’re passionate about instead of flowers.
Save It in the Gentreo Digital Vault. Once your obituary is written, save it securely in the Gentreo Digital Vault. This ensures your loved ones can access it easily when needed. The Vault allows you to share access with specific individuals, giving you complete control over who can view or update it.
Examples of Memorable Obituaries
Some obituaries have gone viral for their heartfelt, humorous, or poignant tone.
Harry Stamps (2013): Harry Stamps’ obituary went viral for his daughter’s humorous and loving portrayal of a man who loved bacon, butter, and his recliner. It included endearing details about his personality, such as his disdain for Martha Stewart and his devotion to his family.
“Harry was locally sourcing his food years before chefs in California starting using cilantro and arugula (both of which he hated). For his signature bacon and tomato sandwich, he procured 100% all white Bunny Bread from Georgia, Blue Plate mayonnaise from New Orleans, Sauer’s black pepper from Virginia, home grown tomatoes from outside Oxford, and Tennessee’s Benton bacon from his bacon-of-the-month subscription. As a point of pride, he purported to remember every meal he had eaten in his 80 years of life.”
Mary “Pink” Mullaney (2013): Mary Mullaney’s obituary celebrated her kindness and quirky habits. It listed life advice like feeding stray animals and not wasting time learning to make pie crusts.
“We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Pink during her 85 years, among them: Never throw away old pantyhose. Use the old ones to tie gutters, child-proof cabinets, tie toilet flappers, or hang Christmas ornaments. Also: If a possum takes up residence in your shed, grab a barbecue brush to coax him out. If he doesn’t leave, brush him for twenty minutes and let him stay. Let a dog (or two or three) share your bed. Say the rosary while you walk them. Go to church with a chicken sandwich in your purse. Cry at the consecration, every time. Give the chicken sandwich to your homeless friend after mass. Go to a nursing home and kiss everyone.”
Val Patterson (2012): Val Patterson’s self-written obituary was equal parts confession and love letter. He humorously admitted to not earning his Ph.D. and expressed deep gratitude to his wife.
“I was a true Scientist. Electronics, chemistry, physics, auto mechanic, wood worker, artist, inventor, business man, ribald comedian, husband, brother, son, cat lover, cynic. I had a lot of fun. It was an honor for me to be friends with some truly great people. I thank you. I’ve had great joy living and playing with my dog, my cats and my parrot. But, the one special thing that made my spirit whole, is my long love and friendship with my remarkable wife, my beloved Mary Jane. I loved her more than I have words to express. Every moment spent with my Mary Jane was time spent wisely. Over time, I became one with her, inseparable, happy, fulfilled. I enjoyed one good life. Traveled to every place on earth that I ever wanted to go. Had every job that I wanted to have. Learned all that I wanted to learn. Fixed everything I wanted to fix. Eaten everything I wanted to eat. My life motto was: “Anything for a Laugh”. Other mottos were “If you can break it, I can fix it”, “Don’t apply for a job, create one”. I had three requirements for seeking a great job; 1 – All glory, 2 – Top pay, 3 – No work.
Now that I have gone to my reward, I have confessions and things I should now say. As it turns out, I AM the guy who stole the safe from the Motor View Drive Inn back in June, 1971. I could have left that unsaid, but I wanted to get it off my chest. Also, I really am NOT a PhD. What happened was that the day I went to pay off my college student loan at the U of U, the girl working there put my receipt into the wrong stack, and two weeks later, a PhD diploma came in the mail. I didn’t even graduate, I only had about 3 years of college credit. In fact, I never did even learn what the letters “PhD” even stood for. For all of the Electronic Engineers I have worked with, I’m sorry, but you have to admit my designs always worked very well, and were well engineered, and I always made you laugh at work.”
Chris Connors (2016): Chris Connors’ obituary painted a vivid picture of a larger-than-life personality, describing his love of pranks, sports, and family.
“Chris Connors died, at age 67, after trying to box his bikini-clad hospice nurse just moments earlier. Ladies man, game slayer, and outlaw Connors told his last inappropriate joke on Friday, December 9, 2016, that which cannot be printed here. Anyone else fighting ALS and stage 4 pancreatic cancer would have gone quietly into the night, but Connors was stark naked drinking Veuve in a house full of friends and family as Al Green played from the speakers. The way he died is just like he lived: he wrote his own rules, he fought authority and he paved his own way. And if you said he couldn’t do it, he would make sure he could.”
Ideas to Make Your Obituary Stand Out
Your obituary can be as creative or simple as you like. Here are a few ways to make it truly unique:
- Incorporate Humor: Humor can lighten the mood and make your story unforgettable. Share a funny memory or describe a quirky trait that friends and family will instantly recognize.
- Share Life Lessons: Reflect on lessons you’ve learned that could inspire others. For example, you might encourage future generations to live boldly, travel often, or cherish family time.
- Highlight Achievements You’re Proud Of: Did you run a marathon at 60? Start a community garden? Don’t be shy about sharing accomplishments that brought you joy.
- Focus on Legacy: Include a message about the values or principles you hope to pass down. This could be a love for education, a passion for giving back, or an emphasis on kindness.
How the Gentreo Digital Vault Helps
The Gentreo Digital Vault provides a secure and user-friendly platform to store your obituary alongside other essential documents. Here’s why it’s the perfect solution:
- Accessibility: Your loved ones can access the obituary at any time, ensuring it’s available when needed.
- Privacy: The Vault allows you to control who can view or edit your obituary, keeping your information secure.
- Organization: Keep all your estate planning documents, from your will to your funeral preferences, in one place for seamless planning.
- Updates: Life changes happen, and your obituary can evolve with you. The Vault makes it easy to revise your obituary as needed.
Taking the time to write your own obituary and storing it in the Gentreo Digital Vault ensures your life story is preserved just the way you want it to be told.
Start writing your legacy today by visiting www.gentreo.com.
Writing your own obituary is more than an act of planning—it’s a celebration of your life. It allows you to reflect on your journey, preserve your story in your own words, and leave a meaningful gift for your loved ones. By storing your obituary in the Gentreo Digital Vault, you gain the assurance that your legacy will be honored exactly as you envision it. Take this thoughtful step today and let Gentreo help you secure your legacy for the future.
Don’t wait until it’s too late; start your estate planning journey with Gentreo today. By doing so, you’ll not only protect your loved ones but also gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing your legacy is secure. Click HERE to join now.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Consult with a qualified attorney or estate planning professional for personalized guidance.
