Published on
What is a death notice?
A death notice is a brief, factual announcement that someone has died. It typically includes:
The person’s full name
Age and date of death
Funeral, memorial or visitation details
The name of the funeral home or cremation provider
Death notices are often submitted by funeral homes or families to local newspapers and memorial websites. They are a practical choice for families who want to share essential information without publishing a detailed biography.
What is an obituary?
An obituary provides information about a person’s death while also describing their life. In addition to service details, an obituary may include:
Where the person was born, raised or educated
Career accomplishments and community involvement
Hobbies, interests and personal characteristics
Surviving family members
Important relationships, memories or sayings
Stories or anecdotes that help paint a picture of the person for the reader
An obituary gives readers a fuller picture of the person who died. Families may write it in a traditional or conversational style, depending on the person being remembered.
What is an obituary notice?
“Obituary notice” is a broad term that may refer to either a short death notice or a longer obituary. Newspapers, funeral homes and memorial websites do not always use the term in the same way.
In general, an obituary notice may include:
Death details, including the person’s name, age and date of death
A brief life story
Surviving relatives and family members who died earlier
Funeral, memorial or visitation arrangements
Information about flowers, donations or condolences
When submitting an obituary notice, it is helpful to ask the newspaper or funeral home whether the term refers to a basic death notice or a full obituary.
Death notice vs. obituary
Death notice | Obituary | |
|---|---|---|
Purpose | Announces a death | Describes and remembers a life |
Length | Brief | More detailed |
Tone | Factual and formal | Personal and reflective |
Content | Death and service information | Biography, family, memories and service details |
Which should your family choose?
A death notice may be the better choice if your family wants to share basic information quickly and privately. An obituary may be more appropriate if you want to describe the person’s life, recognize their accomplishments and provide more context for friends, relatives and the broader community.
Some families publish both: a death notice first, followed by a longer obituary with additional details.
The right choice depends on what your family wants to share, how much space is needed and whether the announcement is intended primarily to provide service information or to tell the person’s story.