8. Publish and share
Decide where it lives, how long it stays, and how people find it.
Checklist
- Online version published and proofread
- Newspaper cost confirmed in writing
- Funeral home page updated or linked
- Link shared with family, employer, church, clubs
- Edit link stored somewhere safe
- Donation link tested
- Separate list started for banks and government notifications
Newspapers charge from around one hundred to several hundred dollars, more in metro dailies. Ask for the price per line in writing, and whether the online version is included.
Funeral home sites usually host free, but the page can vanish when they change providers. If permanence matters, publish somewhere you control.
Publish online first: you can correct errors and add services scheduled later. Print deadlines are final.
Share one link rather than retyping details everywhere. Each retyping risks a new error and inconsistent versions.
Keep the edit link private, with one or two trusted people. Anyone holding it can change the page.
An obituary is not a legal notice. Banks, pensions and government agencies are a separate process needing certified death certificates.
Tip Publish online before the print deadline. You can revise the web page afterwards; not the paper.
Avoid Never include a Social Security number, or a full birth date alongside mother's maiden name, or the address of a house now empty.