Publishing an obituary is an important way to honor the memory of a loved one and share their life story with friends, family, and the wider community. With Legacy.com, you can easily write or upload an obituary and choose from a range of publishing options, including local newspapers and online memorial pages.
Whether you’re ready to publish now or need help crafting the perfect tribute, Legacy.com offers tools and support to guide you through the process.
What You’ll Learn
Step 1: Visit Legacy.com and Click “Write an Obituary”
This is your starting point for creating or submitting an obituary.
Navigate to the Legacy homepage
Select “Write an Obituary”
Step 2: Choose How You’d Like to Start
You can either submit a pre-written obituary or get assistance writing one.
“I’m Ready to Submit” – if you already have the obituary text written.
“I Need Help Writing” – if you’d like to use the ObitWriter tool to guide you.
💡 Tip: If you’re unsure which option is best, you can start with ObitWriter and switch to manual entry at any time.
Step 3: Enter or Create the Obituary Text
This is where you share your loved one’s story in a meaningful and respectful way.
If you selected “I’m Ready to Submit”:
Copy and paste your obituary text into the provided field.
Fill in required details about your loved one, including:
Full name
Date of birth and death
Location and funeral details (if applicable)
If you selected “I Need Help Writing”:
Use the ObitWriter tool to enter key details:
Biographical information
Notable milestones
Personal qualities or accomplishments
ObitWriter will generate a draft obituary for your review
Checklist for Obituary Content:
Dates of birth and passing
Brief life summary
Family members (surviving and predeceased)
Service information (if applicable)
Personal message or closing remarks
Step 4: Preview the Obituary
Reviewing the obituary allows you to check for accuracy, tone, and formatting before publishing. Click “Preview” to see how the obituary will appear once published and make edits if needed to:
Correct typos
Add or remove information
Refine the tone or wording
Remember to double-check all names, dates, and details before proceeding to publish, especially if you are going to be publishing in print in a newspaper.
Step 5: Select Publishing Options
This step lets you choose where and how the obituary will be published.
Online and In Print: Legacy partners with 3,200 newspapers across the country to feature your loved one's obituary in the newspaper of your choice. All print options also include publishing online at legacy.com at no extra charge
Online Only: Publish online at Legacy.com, the world's largest source of obituaries, to make your loved one's obituary easy to find for friends and family
Our Legacy Support Team is Here to Help
By following these steps, you’ll be able to publish a heartfelt obituary that honors your loved one’s memory and reaches the people who cared about them.