Funeral Announcement, Death Announcement, What is the Purpose?
Kevin Darné, Conation Enterprises and LoveAlert911.com, replied to us regarding the purpose of the Funeral Announcement.
Tradition
There was a time when people grew up and stayed in the town or local area they were born in. Generally speaking everyone read one newspaper or a couple of community newspapers.
A family would have a funeral announcement listed in the newspapers. Mainly for the purpose of informing people who may not have known of a loved one’s passing.
These would be people who may have known the deceased person. Possibly a former coworker, or someone who knew the family but possibly lost touch over the years.
Middle aged and elderly people often scanned the obituaries. If they came across someone they knew they would send their condolences or attend the services.
The announcement would contain details such as the dates, times regarding the viewing, funeral services, and interment location.
VIP Treatment
In other instances the main purpose of a funeral announcement was for the family to pay a final tribute to their deceased loved one. They would include a photo along with a list of their accomplishments. Also, interests, organizations they belonged to, and key family members they are survived by.
Essentially the family wanted to do something raising the status of their loved one in their community. In prior generations seeing someone’s photo and bio in a newspaper was really something special.
It wasn’t uncommon for parents to pay money to have their son or daughter’s wedding engagement announcements in local newspapers. Naturally the intent was not to invite the whole town to the wedding. But rather to give the couple the “VIP or celebrity treatment”.
A funeral announcement sometimes serves the same purpose.
Social Media, Website Links
In the modern era many people have turned to posting their own announcements via Facebook or Instagram.
Some funeral homes also include in their service packages a tribute website link whereby the family can have a slideshow of photos set to music.
These sites would not only contain a bio of the deceased but allow those who found out about their passing after the fact to post their comments and thoughts.
This may be comforting for those family members who on occasion visit the website and see that others have posted their thoughts and memories
Lastly all of us at one time or another has Googled a long lost friend, former classmate, someone we recall from the past, or maybe even an ex. If a person is deceased and their family made a public announcement or had a tribute weblink created there is a good chance you’ll find out about their passing .
Finally, ultimately a funeral announcement is about keeping people who may have been connected to us informed regarding our passing or our loved ones passing. Therefore, announcements and funerals are really for the people who remain alive to find some form of closure.
The Elephas Group is a family-owned business that has been providing Funeral Planning advice and helping families deal with their times of loss for years. We are the premier provider of personalized funeral plans in Canada, proudly offering a Final Needs Planning Program, a Travel Protection Plan, Final Documents Service, Monument Services and a Supplemental Health Benefit Pharmacard.
Contact The Elephas Group for a free consultation from a Final Needs Planning expert today. We’ll work with you and your family to build an insurance plan best for your needs. For more questions about Final Needs Planning Program™ visit our website or contact one of our consultants at 1-800-661-8908.
Jarrett Goldman, CPC
Vice President
