Obituaries in West Lafayette, IN | Journal and Courier (2024)

FAQs

Why do newspapers charge so much for obituaries? ›

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

Marcus Garvey died after reading his own obituary.

An obituary is a brief written summary of a deceased person's life. It includes a list of surviving family members and is typically found in local newspapers or online news sites.

An average obituary can easily be $200.00-500.00. Costs vary by publication. Newspapers charge by the line and can average $450 for a complete obituary. The average obituary cost begins at $200.00 and increases due to the amount of content, including a photograph and the length of the obituary.

How much does an Obituary Writer make? The estimated total pay for a Obituary Writer is $128,425 per year, with an average salary of $98,353 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

Paying respects and support: By including obituary readings in a funeral or memorial service, attendees have an opportunity to pay their respects to the deceased and offer support to the grieving family. It demonstrates care, compassion, and solidarity during a difficult time.

If the divorce was acrimonious, remember that it's not necessary to list out the former spouse's name. This is simply a matter of personal preference and is up to the obituary writer or the family.

How do you refer to an unmarried partner in an obituary? Typically, an unmarried partner is referred to as a spouse or simply as a partner. You can also list them as a surviving relative if you feel it's appropriate. The goal is to list them in a way that best reflects the relationship they had with the deceased.

Some may feel that it is too personal or private to share with the public, while others may not have the financial means to pay for its publication. Additionally, some families may prefer to grieve privately and not draw attention to the death.

When someone dies, do you have to put a notice in the paper? ›

Obituaries and death notices are not required—but notices to creditors may be. You are under no legal obligation to take out a death notice or obituary.

What does it mean when you can't find an obituary? Well if you're looking in a newspaper for it & don't see it, that could mean the family didn't pay for it to appear in the paper. It's very expensive to put an obituary in newspapers. It could also mean the family chooses to keep it private.

If you like to be technical, names should be listed as follows: first name, spouse's first name in parenthesis, then surname (ex: Tom (Sarah) Johnson). If the spouse or partner's surname is different, include their surname in the parenthesis along with their first name (ex: Tom (Sarah Williams) Johnson).

In general, it's best to avoid leaving out essential family members‚ even if they're estranged. This could cause hurt feelings.

Many newspapers charge by the line or inch for obituaries, not by the word. This means how much physical space the text will take up in the printed newspaper.

Placing an obituary in The New York Times starts at $263.00.

You are under no legal obligation to take out a death notice or obituary. Think of the latter as a final gift to your loved one—a celebration of who they were and the legacy they created. The former is more of a courtesy to give people information so they too can honor and memorialize the dearly departed.

Placing an obituary in the Marietta Daily Journal starts at $50.00.