how to write biography about someone who died

How to Write a Biography of a Deceased Person

Rebecca cioffi, 29 sep 2017.

Everyone dies. It’s a simple fact of life. And when they do, many times an obituary is needed, which is just another word for biography. If you are writing one for a local newspaper or something that requires brevity, use three paragraphs. For anything else, like a eulogy or even a school paper on a dead relative, you can make it as long as you like. Just remember you are writing about someone's life and give your biography the respect that this person deserves.

Explore this article

Begin with the background
Include personality traits
Was sad but so many rich things
Fact check your article

1 Begin with the background

Begin with the background. Described who the person was as evidenced by whom he left behind, including spouses and children. You can also include details like where he worked and what he did. Include that he was a wonderful teacher or everyone loved his Santa at Christmas; it doesn't have to be a full life story, just some interesting tidbits and highlights. It doesn't have to be the Nobel Prize to be included, unless he did win the Nobel Prize.

2 Include personality traits

Include personality traits and unusual or funny characteristics. If he was extremely philanthropic or donated to one cause, mention that. Give a sense of the man here -- a sense of his personality, what he found funny or cared deeply about and why people liked him.

3 Was sad but so many rich things

End with the idea that his passing was sad but so many rich things came from his life. You can then end with some accomplishments of the deceased’s family. Remember that research is important here. Make some phone calls to his family and friends and interview them. Just a few comments from relatives can really add to the biography.

4 Fact check your article

Fact check your article thoroughly as you don't want to get any facts wrong including dates of birth and death, a list of survivors and funeral dates and times. If you are including sensitive information such as cause of death, check with the family first before publishing.

About the Author

Rebecca Cioffi worked in the entertainment industry for almost 20 years and is currently living in Phoenix, Ariz., where she is working on a book. She is also a phlebotomist.

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Funeral Biography

how to write biography about someone who died

People always wonder what’s so good about goodbyes. There really is no acceptable answer for that. Saying our emotional farewells and letting go of the people we love is always tough. Goodbyes could mean we never get to be with our loved ones ever again. It also means we never get a second chance to say things we couldn’t vocalize. Hating the idea of never seeing someone ever again rides along with the fear of forgetting those that matter to us. That’s why, as we send them off to their final resting place, we must remember them, how they lived, and keep them in our hearts forever.

A biography is a written record of the life story and details of a person, whether alive or deceased. In a biography, the writer is either a family member, friend, or anyone who knows the person very well. This is different from an autobiography where a person writes about his own life story and experiences. So with this definition, a funeral biography is a record of the life of someone who has passed away. This is read or presented during the person’s funeral as a way of remembering him before the final goodbyes are said. This is also kept as memorabilia long after the deceased has been laid to rest.

Who was he?

Funeral biographies can come in two forms: obituaries and eulogies. Although both detail a person’s life, their weight differs greatly. Obituaries are written newspaper reports about a person’s passing. This shortly discusses the life of a person, how they died, and the location of his memorial. They serve as an announcement to reach all those who knew the departed. They aren’t always as personal as eulogies, but they still get the job done. Eulogies, on the other hand, are more extended, more personal, and written by someone who was close to the one pushing daisies. This is tearfully read in front of the person’s family and friends during the memorial service.

15+ Best Biography Examples

Shared below are steps on how to write a funeral biography. Tips that you need to remember in writing biographies are also included.

1. Basic Biography Outline Template

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Size: A4 & US Letter Sizes

2. Biography Report Template

3. Biography Worksheet Template

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4. Free Basic Biography Outline Template

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5. Free Personal Biography Outline Template

6. Free Sample Biography Outline Template

7. Professional Biography Outline Template

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8. Artist Biography Outline Template

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9. Character Biography Outline Template

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10. Short Biography Outline Template

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11. Biography Essay Outline Format Template

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12. Biography Outline Worksheet Template

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13. Biography Report Outline Template

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14. Biography Outline Template For Elementary Students

15. Biography Book Report Outline Template

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16. Albert Einstein Biography

Remembering You

Funeral biographies help readers and listeners remember the life of someone who has met the maker. This is a way for everyone, even for just a moment, to relive what it was like when the deceased was still around. This can be written in pamphlets or funeral service programs . But a string of recollected memories doth not a funeral biography makes. When writing a biography, you shouldn’t be too technical; you should bend your rules a little.

Written below are tips and tricks you can use when you need to write about a person who died.

1. Begin with the Basics

If you’re writing for an obituary, you shouldn’t forget about the basics. The birth date, residence, cause of death, and the deceased’s history are all vital parts in any obituary. These answer the questions the bereaved might feel too heavy to acknowledge. Since obituaries are usually written for newspapers, you should also include the location of the memorial service and burial date. This is to make sure all friends and family can come and commemorate the person’s life. God forbid they get haunted for not saying the final goodbyes.

2. A Little of You and Me

Writing eulogies requires a certain vulnerability, but you don’t have to be a professional content writer to makes something genuine. This is the part where you really recall the good times. You can detail what kind of person the deceased was, how he lived his life, and how much he mattered to people. This is where storytelling comes into play. By writing something heartfelt and relatable, you can make the whole church cry. You can use anecdotes, inside jokes, and even quote lines the guy famously said. It’s all about describing the person in a way that everyone can remember him by.

3. Light in the Darkness

As mentioned before, funerals and goodbyes are hard. They take an emotional toll on those who were close to the departed. Losing someone special always brings a negative feeling. So to combat that, you have to remember and recognize the good things. You could recall all the people whose lives were changed because of the deceased. You can write how he would finally be at peace. You can even mention all his awards, honors, and all his achievement certificates . This way, the coming of the angel of death would be easier to accept.

4. Art and Emotion

Funeral speeches can make anyone emotional. Why don’t you use these emotions to make something creative? Art created from the heart holds so much more than just physical value. Like how Walt Whitman wrote, “O Captain! My Captain” for Abe Lincoln, or how lead singer from FM Static wrote the song “Tonight” for his girlfriend, use your emotions to make something beautiful for your dearly beloved. This way, your creation would mean so much more than just an arrangement of words for the one who passed away.

5. Words Only for You

Your funeral eulogy should also contain a special message for the departed. You can use cliched stuff like “you’re forever in our hearts” and whatever. Or you could be more in-depth. You can express how much the deceased impacted the people around him and how he changed the world in his little way. This part is where you can go all out. Pour your heart out on this one and let the departed know how you feel. You never know, there might be someone in the crowd who share your sentiments.

6. Picture Perfect Memories

A picture paints a thousand words. The encapsulated moments we never want to forget. That’s why you should include it in your biography and obituary cards . Seeing pictures of the lost one gives people a chance to see him in his happier days. They get to bring back the memories they shared with the departed. Everyone gets the opportunity to see his smile one last time before his burial. It could be a collection of photos from his childhood to his final moments, or photos of him with the people he loves most.

Losing loved ones and coping with grief takes a lot of getting used to. But that doesn’t mean you also get used to not remembering them. That’s what writing obituaries are for; to remember our dearly departed. Besides, you don’t have to reread their biographies; you’ll always have them in your heart.

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How to write an obituary: what to say about the life of a loved one.

A bouquet of flowers in a metallic vase in a moodily lit environment.

Summarizing a loved one’s life can feel like an impossible task, especially when you’re grieving. It’s even more challenging when you’re not used to writing meaningful stories every day. And that’s what an obituary really is—a true story about someone who mattered to you.

Because you’re here, you’ve probably been given the responsibility of putting the obituary together on top of experiencing the mourning process yourself. Our hearts go out to you. But writing a meaningful obituary can also feel very cathartic: Think of it as a way to revisit good memories, share old stories and find some comfort.

Inspired? Create and share by tagging @HallmarkStores .

We have some ideas on how to represent your family member or friend in a way that feels genuine. We hope this can help and guide you as you begin to tell their story.

How to Announce a Death on Social Media
What to Write in an Obituary
How to Write an Obituary with Personality

How to Announce a Death on Social Media

The first way many people widely share news about a loved one’s death is on social media or a blog (either personal or a site like CaringBridge).

A death announcement on social media can be short and simple, with a note that more information—like service details and a full obituary—is to come. This initial message is just about getting the word out.

Essentials to include in a social media death announcement:

Who the person was to you (parent, sibling, grandparent, friend, etc.).
That they’ve passed away. (How much detail you include is entirely up to you.)
Positive attributes, a few heartfelt words or how you’re feeling.
Optional: A photo and any important details or links you want to share, like an obituary or blog post with more information, such as CaringBridge.

Examples of what to write in a social media death announcement:

Dearest friends and family, we are deeply saddened to announce that our adored dad, Sonny Silvercreek, passed away Friday night, leaving behind many memories with those he loved.
Sad news: My sister left this earth late last evening. She was never a morning person, so true to her night-owl self, she flew off in the wee hours to her next adventure. For those who didn’t know, Rosemary was living with a kidney condition that caused her to say goodbye way too soon. (Read Rosemary’s story on her CaringBridge page.) Thank you for your support.
To my family and friends: It is with a very heavy heart that I share that our Jaime left this life yesterday afternoon. They struggled fitting into this world, but it never took away from the world of blessings they gave to us. Jaime, we love you and hope you have finally found everlasting peace and joy.

What to Write in an Obituary

An obituary can be traditional and straightforward or expressive and full of personality—or anywhere in between. Below, we’ll cover the expected parts of an obituary and provide examples of writing for you to personalize or use as thought-starters.

Start with the facts

Obituaries typically begin with information about who someone was and the announcement that they’ve died. These are the most common:

Name: Preferably their full name, plus any nicknames, maiden names or changed names. Allow for prefixes and suffixes, like Dr., Sir, Rev., Jr., etc. Use proper pronouns, and if there’s any question, ask family for clarification.
Age: This can be done by simply stating it, noting their birth and death dates or doing both.
Who they were: This can include a range of roles, both personal and professional. Examples: Father, mom, teacher, skydiver, chef, friend, baby sister, peacemaker, party planner, etc.
Date they died: This is optional and can be omitted if there are concerns about publishing too much info.
Where they lived and died: You can include the city or cities they were born and lived in, and mention details such as that they died “peacefully, surrounded by family and friends” or “at St. Luke’s hospice care community.”
How they died: This is also optional and entirely based on your preferences. People will be curious, but that doesn’t mean it’s their right to know.

A simple introduction that incorporates these facts can be personal and make a powerful statement about someone’s life. For example:

Gene Romano III, age 87, of Tybee Island, Georgia, passed away on March 3, 2022, from complications during surgery. Born on February 10, 1935, Gene was blessed to have many roles as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, son and friend.
Feisty right up to the end, Chris Young gave cancer a fight like it’s never seen. She was a young 46, but an old soul who made every day count.
Daughter, sister, fur mama and friend, Elaine Ceballos, left this world loved on June 5, 2022.

Family and loved ones

Including the people your loved one loved is another way to honor their life and to acknowledge those who are grieving.

Start with those who preceded them in death. If you’re wondering how far back to go, first think about immediate family—like a child, mom, stepmom, dad, stepdad, grandparent, sibling, spouse or fiance. Your loved one might also have lost a companion or life partner decades ago, a best friend that they talked to every day or even a significant pet that would be respectful to mention.

Then list surviving family members—including chosen family.Choose a family member or a few to work with on the list. Do your best to come to an agreement that works for everyone. Most of the time, it’s better to over-include than under-include.

Current spouse, children and stepchildren (along with children’s spouses or partners), parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, etc.
First husband or wife, if there are children involved or if there was still a friendship or some other unique circumstance.
Partners in life, whether officially married or not.
Anyone not in the “traditional” list but who was very important to the deceased. Chosen family might include best friends, favorite uncles or aunts, a beloved mentor, a supportive group of buddies, beloved pets, etc.
Current pets: You’ll know when this is appropriate—we all can picture the people whose pets are their world, so don’t be shy about including them.

Here are some examples of how to list family members in an obituary:

Allie is preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Mack Ross. She is survived by her daughter, Liza Stapinski; Liza’s dad, Joe Stapinski; sisters, Laura Lynn Schroeder Ross and Jacquelyn Schroeder McKinley (Ryan); father, Dr. Aaron Schroeder; mother, Simone Mercier; stepmom, Logan Schroeder; and many beloved family and friends.
Sophie is preceded in death by her mom, Adelaide Davis, and her precious schnauzer, Turbo. She is survived by a long list of people who loved her, including, but not limited to: dad, Hugh Cohen of Lawrence; siblings, Will Cohen (Luna) of Shreveport, Collin Cohen (Bridget) of Savannah, Charlie Cohen (Vivian) of Jackson, Aubrey Cohen of Houston; stepdad, Guy Smith of Fayetteville; bestie, Jenn MacLewen of Atlantic City; and her boisterous book club sisters of Springfield.
Jack is preceded in death by his grandma, Harriet Irwin. He is survived by his father, Rowan Bleu; mother, Ann Bleu; brothers, Ken Bleu (Tracy) and Danny Bleu (Jo); bonus child, Tyrell Waters; and wild child collie, Mischief.

Life and accomplishments

It’s hard to know where to start, so start with what you know. Think of how they would have wanted to be remembered and let that spark some ideas.

Make a list of the most important things.Share the gems, the rare and wonderful things they did, what made people love them and how they loved others. Here are some questions to get you started:

Where did their life begin…and where did it take them?
What were their family and important relationships like, and how did they grow or change over time?
What was school like? Were they a high school rebel, did they have multiple degrees or were they self-taught?
What did they do to make a living? What impact did it have on them—or how did they impact their workplace or community?
What were they known for among their friends and family? Interesting hobbies? Volunteering? Memorable stories, sayings or habits?
What did they believe in? What mattered the most to them?

Here are some examples of what to write about someone’s life in an obituary:

Mrs. DuBose was a dedicated sports fan—she cheered on countless games featuring her children and grandchildren, as well as every Kansas City sports team. She loved to bake and would not have dreamed of showing up to a family event or tailgate without her legendary caramel cake. She was a member of First Baptist Church, where she enjoyed singing hymns with the senior choir and attending Sunday school.
Arthur grew up in Indianapolis, attended Westport High School, then joined the Marines once he graduated. After serving several tours of duty, he pursued his passion of making the most beautiful bamboo furniture. Some of his designs were even featured on celebrity social media accounts. Arthur played soccer his whole life, loved the outdoors and hated dressing up. More than anything, he adored his family. And they adored him.
Nobody was more into fashion than Annabelle. A style maven through and through, our girl never looked bad and always made everyone else feel good. Her beauty was more than skin deep, though. After graduating from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Mass Communications, Annabelle started a nonprofit that supported young business entrepreneurs. When she wasn’t changing the world, Annabelle spent time painting in watercolor and loving on her cute kitten, Howard.

Share details of the service and special requests

It’s important to share details as soon as you can so friends and family can make plans to attend or memorialize the deceased.

Include information about the visitation, funeral services, burial and/or the celebration of life—which might happen a few months down the road depending on schedules. If your plans aren’t yet finalized, reassure people that you’ll share info as soon as possible. Once you have it, be sure to include:

Type of event: Visitation, wake, funeral, private burial, celebration of life, shiva, etc.
Location: Include the name of the place, plus any directions or maps.
Date and time: If mourners are coming from other parts of the country, verify the time zone so no one’s confused.

You can also share special requests or ways the family would like loved ones to remember the deceased:

“Flowers not required but always appreciated,” or “No flowers, please” or “In lieu of flowers, please…”
Donations to specific foundations or philanthropies.
Kind gestures.
What to bring or share, including photos, memories and food.

Visitation will be Thursday, December 1, from 5–9 p.m. and Friday, December 2, from 4–6 p.m. at the Christ Church Community Center. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 3, at 11 a.m. at Christ Church in the main chapel. Burial immediately following. Lunch will be provided in the church Fellowship Hall for those who’d like to gather and share favorite stories. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Rae’s favorite environmental organization: [insert donation website and/or mailing address here].

How to Write an Obituary with Personality

There are many ways to personalize an obituary, but there are a few easy ways to capture who your loved one really was and how they lived.

Deliver the details

By including personal details, you make your loved one’s story come alive. Think about:

What they were known for. Maybe your loved one performed acts of kindness you want to share. Or believed in angels. Or were steadfastly optimistic about their favorite team’s chances.
Being precise. Why write someone “loved to cook” when you can write about that one favorite dish they made only for the most special occasions? Look for information you can change from vague to specific.
Getting descriptive. For example, turn “enjoyed” into “displayed an encyclopedic knowledge of” or “giggled excitedly over.”

Write in a real voice

Voice captures someone’s point of view, the words they choose and the emotions and rhythms in their speech. For an obituary, you can use your unique voice—or borrow your loved one’s style. Here are some tips:

Make it conversational. Pretend you’re telling your loved one’s story to a friend. Use real language and turns of phrase.
Write it out in the present tense. After it sounds like you want it to, switch to past tense.
Include dialogue. This could mean adding a quote your loved one once said, borrowing their own language quirks or including part of a conversation you had.

Here are some examples of obituary writing that use details and voice to capture unique personalities:

His perfect day was a horse ride down the Sapphire Trail, followed by a neat whiskey—plenty of ice—on the porch, with Sinatra playing in the background.
They were a peacemaker, through and through. Except if you ordered pineapple on pizza. Then, Lord have mercy on your soul.
Kit’s dream was to be a professional figure skater when she grew up. Even though she didn’t get to do that here, we think our little girl is twirling her toes off in Heaven.

Go completely off script

This is permission—just in case you need it—to trust yourself and your own language style when writing an obituary. Here are a few examples of nontraditional obituaries:

No one knew more about Jane Austen than Edith did. Except for maybe Jane Austen. She visited the famous novelist’s homeplace twice and read all of her books way more than twice! In Edith’s memory, we’d love to have a proper British tea. Please bring a Jane Austen quote to share. For now, we’ll leave you with this one: “It is such happiness when good people get together.”
Colette Park was a delightful girl, dancer, dreamer, artist, discoverer of “animal clouds,” ice cream aficionado and best friend to her fur sibling, Rufus. Colette will be remembered for all the things she was…and mourned for the things she could’ve been. We won’t focus on the end of her life, but instead on the beautiful eight years we were blessed to have her. To honor our sweet girl’s memory, you can donate to [insert philanthropy] in her name.
Brian’s memory was so amazing that even elephants were jealous. He remembered the most random stories and names we couldn’t recall and never forgot a face. This is one of many reasons, Brian, that we’ll always remember you.

Paying formal tribute to someone’s life is a big responsibility. But what really matters is that you give it your best, with empathy and respect for your family and the person you’ve lost. Your loved one was special and your writing will be, too, when you do it with love.

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How to Write a Memorable Obituary

Pay tribute to the little and big things that made your loved one special.

A zoomed in view of a newspaper obituary page with the word death circled

Carl Reiner, the legendary comedy writer, producer, director and performer, told CBS Sunday Morning in 2015 that the first thing he does in the morning before he has coffee is read the obituaries. “If I'm not in there, I know that I'm alive,” he said.

His death in June at age 98 made news around the world and garnered obituaries in the New York Times , in People magazine and on CNN. Reiner was like many of us who turn right to the obits to see who has died, whether the individual is a politician, a celebrity or a neighbor from down the street.

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It's typically up to family or other loved ones to write an obituary. That's a tough task on its own. And it's often done while the bereaved are in mourning, grappling with myriad funeral details and notifying others of the loss.

"People have to do something entirely new that they've never done before at their moment of grief ,” says Jane Lerner, a former journalist who wrote scores of obituaries and a column for a newspaper in New York state and then turned her experience into a business called Lives Lived: A Professional Obituary Writing Service .

Getting the structure down

The best obits are memorable portraits that reveal notable details about a person's life and how it affected others. But it's also important to include the basics of a person's life and to share any funeral service information.

Numerous free online resources and templates offer help with getting an outline set, including many offered by funeral homes. A checklist offered by Shirley Brothers Funeral Homes and Crematory in Indianapolis is typical. It includes:

Any familial survivors
When the person retired, if relevant
Any military affiliations
Any volunteer affiliations
Date, time and location of the funeral
Any viewing details
Requests for donations in lieu of flowers

Some obituaries don't mention the cause of death. Lerner recommends including it if possible because readers will want to know, and then the rest of the piece can focus on the person's life. “An obituary doesn't need to be about how someone died but about how someone lived,” she says.

Celebrate what made your loved one unique

Did your mother play shortstop in high school or take a second job to put you through college? Take the time to highlight such details, and include what else made the deceased special, such as hobbies, nickname or proudest accomplishments.

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Priscilla Martel, a cookbook author and food writer who wrote the obituaries for her favorite uncle and her mother and father in the space of two years, compiled an engaging, well-rounded profile of each. She created a vibrant portrait of a singer who once opened for Tony Bennett, a collector of dollhouse miniatures who had a bouquet of friends, and a music shop owner who owned more than 100 cars in his lifetime and had a thriving second career as a classic car appraiser.

"You are really memorializing these people for eternity. It's an opportunity to craft something that is really about who they are, more than just a collection of milestones, military service, education, professional career and family,” Martel says.

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Most of us don't have all the facts or stories about our loved ones. To glean compelling details, reach out to relatives and family friends, Martel says. A bonus is connecting with those close to the deceased when many of us need an emotional boost.

If writing the obituary or contacting others for information is too much to take on, reach out for help. A funeral director should be able to offer guidance, and professional obituary writers can assist as well.

It's OK to add some levity

Death is no joke, of course, but it's fine to sprinkle some humor into an obituary . A Connecticut woman took this to extremes last year when she memorialized her prankster father, Joe Heller, 82, in a hilarious and loving tribute that went viral on social media and which the New York Times dubbed “The Best Obituary Ever."

It describes Heller as a hoarder who named his first dog Fart and left his family with “a house full of crap, 300 pounds of birdseed and dead houseplants that they have no idea what to do with.”

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, when in-person funerals are limited to a handful of mourners, obituaries are including more personal anecdotes than before, according to Stephen Segal, director of content for Legacy.com, an online obituary company that provides support and obituary-related services to newspapers and funeral homes in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

How to place an obit in print or online

Newspapers have long been the go-to outlet for obituaries. Printing obituaries was once a free community service, but now most charge a fee that can climb from less than $100 to more than $1,000 depending on the length, whether you include a photo and how long it runs.

Lerner suggests sending the obituary to the deceased's alumni publication, religious community and interest group newsletters, and also posting it on social media, which are all free of charge. “Some obits are so good they have gone viral,” she says.

For newspapers, funeral homes will handle the logistics. Tracy McClarnon, a coordinator at Shirley Brothers Mortuaries & Crematory in Indianapolis, advises paying for a short obituary with service details and then linking to the funeral home website for a longer obituary, which is often part of the funeral package.

To do it yourself, most newspapers have user-friendly portals with deadlines, fees and instructions on how to upload the text. The paper will share a proof of the obit so you can check for accuracy and make any changes before it runs.

Many newspapers automatically publish paid death notices on Legacy.com, an online obituary service with its own suite of paid options.

"In the absence of a physical funeral, the obituary is taking an even more prominent role as the place where those stories get told, where those memories get shared, where a loved one's life story is honored and preserved,” Segal says.

How to Write a Biography

Last Updated: April 1, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,851,663 times.

Writing a biography can be a fun challenge, where you are sharing the story of someone’s life with readers. You may need to write a biography for a class or decide to write one as a personal project. Once you have identified the subject of the biography, do your research so you know as much about them as possible. Then, dive into the writing of the biography and revising it until it is at its finest.

Researching Your Subject

Step 1 Ask the subject for permission to write the biography.

If the subject does not give you permission to write the biography, you may want to choose a different subject. If you decide to publish the biography without the subject’s permission, you may be susceptible to legal action by the subject.
If the subject is no longer alive, you obviously do not need to ask permission to write about them.

Step 2 Look for primary sources about the subject.

You may create research questions to help focus your research of the subject, such as, What do I find interesting about the subject? Why is this subject important to readers? What can I say that is new about the subject? What would I like to learn more about?

Step 3 Conduct interviews with the subject and those close to them.

For in person interviews, record them with a tape recorder or a voice recorder on your computer or phone.
You may need to interview the subject and others several times to get the material you need.

Step 4 Visit locations that are important to the subject.

You may also want to visit areas where the subject made a major decision or breakthrough in their life. Being physically in the area can give you a sense of how the subject might have felt and help you write their experiences more effectively.

Step 5 Study the time and place of the subject’s life.

When researching the time period ask yourself: What were the social norms of that time? What was going on economically and politically? How did the social and political climate affect the subject?

You may also include historical events or moments that affected the subject on the timeline. For example, maybe there was a conflict or civil war that happened during the person’s life that affected their life.

Writing the Biography

Step 1 Go for a chronological structure.

You may end up focusing on particular areas of the person’s life. If you do this, work through a particular period in the person’s life chronologically.

Step 2 Create a thesis for the biography.

For example, you may have a thesis statement about focusing on how the person impacted the civil rights movement in America in the 1970s. You can then make sure all your content relates back to this thesis.

Flashbacks should feel as detailed and real as present day scenes. Use your research notes and interviews with the subject to get a good sense of their past for the flashbacks.
For example, you may jump from the person’s death in the present to a flashback to their favorite childhood memory.

Step 4 Focus on major events and milestones.

For example, you may focus on the person’s accomplishments in the civil rights movement. You may write a whole section about their contributions and participation in major civil rights marches in their hometown.

Step 5 Identify a major theme or pattern in the person’s life.

For example, you may notice that the person’s life is patterned with moments of adversity, where the person worked hard and fought against larger forces. You can then use the theme of overcoming adversity in the biography.

Step 6 Include your own opinions and thoughts about the person.

For example, you may note how you see parallels in the person’s life during the civil rights movement with your own interests in social justice. You may also commend the person for their hard work and positive impact on society.

Polishing the Biography

Step 1 Show the biography to others for feedback.

Revise the biography based on feedback from others. Do not be afraid to cut or edit down the biography to suit the needs of your readers.

Having a biography riddled with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors can turn off your readers and result in a poor grade if you are handing in the text for a class.

If the biography is for a class, use MLA , APA , or Chicago Style citations based on the preferences of your instructor.

Biography Help

Community Q&A

Be careful when publishing private or embarrassing information, especially if the person is not a celebrity. You may violate their "Right of Privacy" or equivalent. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 5
Have the sources to back up your statements about the subject's life. Untruthful written statements can lead to litigation. If it is your opinion, be clear that it is such and not fact (although you can support your opinion with facts). Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 15

↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
↑ https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-bio
↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/3-tips-for-writing-successful-flashbacks
↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-bio/
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
↑ https://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-do-i-cite-sources

About This Article

Before you write a biography, gather as much information about the subject that you can from sources like newspaper articles, interviews, photos, existing biographies, and anything else you can find. Write the story of that person’s life, including as much supporting detail as you can, including information about the place and time where the person lived. Focus on major events and milestones in their life, including historical events, marriage, children, and events which would shape their path later in life. For tips from our reviewer on proofreading the biography and citing your sources, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Writing about death is one of the hardest, most valuable things journalists do — here’s how to do it correctly.

Alma matters: journalism resources for professors and students during the covid-19 pandemic.

Welcome to Alma Matters, a regularly updated feature on Poynter.org to assist educators and student media organizations.

Struggling and need advice? Have a tip or tool you want to share with others? Email me at [email protected] .

Reminder: All News University self-directed courses and webinars are free until May 31. Use the discount code 20college100

One of the toughest rites of passage for young journalists is writing about someone who just died.

For many working journalists, interviewing distraught loved ones and grieving friends is a hard but necessary part of the job — and something we’re used to.

The nation’s student journalists are about to face this nearly alone.

The in-person support network that a college newsroom used to offer is gone, replaced by teleconferencing and texts.

Advisers and experienced student editors should be mindful of their staff members as the death toll for COVID-19 mounts, keeping an eye out not just on deceased community members but the students who are being asked to cover their deaths.

Here are my best tips for dealing with death. I hope you won’t need them.

A hard necessity

First and foremost, understand that writing about a person who has died is important and meaningful. You cannot skip this part of the job because it’s intimidating. Telling stories of people’s lives and deaths is a way that journalism connects humanity, and that’s more important now than ever.

An easy litmus test: Think of someone you truly hold dear, and imagine them dying (unpleasant, I know). Now imagine that a local TV station airs a long story about this person without ever talking to you. How do you feel about being excluded from this process to tell stories and celebrate the life of your loved one? Carry that thinking with you throughout your reporting process. It will help you always do the right thing.

Make a plan

If they haven’t already, student media organizations should get a plan in place. Consider:

Who will write profiles of the deceased?
Who will edit and fact-check them?
Has your staff been briefed on how to deal with grieving sources?
Will you treat students, faculty, staff, donor and alumni deaths the same or differently?
Where will these stories reside? Are you creating a special page?
Who will gather photos and perhaps audio/video?

Interview skillfully

Interviewing the bereaved is hard enough in person, but this time it’s going to be even harder without the body language and potential physical contact you can have with sources.

You should do it anyway.

Arrange a time and place for a phone call, Facetime, Zoom, or Google Hangout, or whatever technology you’re most comfortable with and are assured the other party can use. Encourage your source to pass the phone/device around and talk to as many loved ones as you can if there are multiple people at the home.

Loved ones congregating at one home may not happen now, so be sure to get as many names and numbers as you can from your initial source so you can call other people.

As with most journalism, a richer and more full story emerges as you talk to more people. Do not rely on texts or emails for these stories if at all possible. Really attempt personal connection, even if it’s virtual.

Where to start with sources

A cardinal rule of death writing is that you must talk to the family and friends — you cannot rely on loving social media posts or online funeral home memory books.

The best sources for stories about death are immediate family — spouses, children, parents. Start there and move outward toward siblings, friends, cousins and coworkers.

Call the funeral home. Often there’s a person designated there to be a contact for the family, and the funeral home will let that person know there’s a media inquiry into their loved one’s death. Some funeral homes understand the important role journalism plays in mourning; others don’t. Don’t be intimidated either way.

What to ask

Do research beforehand. Your list of questions should attempt to answer some basic biographical questions: the decedent’s birthplace/hometown, where they grew up, where they moved around to and settled or lived when they died, where they went to high school and/or college, their major, the date they graduated or were set to graduate, where they worked and in what industry, the name of their spouse(s), the year they got married, names and birth years of children. You should also ask about hobbies, interests, extracurriculars or volunteer work. The more questions about their life you have going into an interview, the smoother it will go.

Use other published material and social accounts to fact-check and backup your story.

Don’t forget the pictures

Get photos. Publish several. Write good cutlines on each one.

It’s preferable to ask for family photos than to take them from social media profiles, but you can also ask permission to use social photos. Sharing a photo on social media does not waive ownership, and it’s not an invitation for you to copy and republish it, experts say.

Style and accuracy check

As hard as it is sometimes, we always say that someone died, not that they “passed away” or “passed on.” You can certainly use this language in your questions, but when it comes time to write the story, stick to “died.”

Generally, obits and death stories focus on the positive parts of a person’s life. That’s generally OK.

Bear in mind that a project like this is an important historical work that may be kept in the family for generations to come. Often, this is the single bit of press a person will get in his or her lifetime.

Self-care matters

Despite what we might have heard from older generations of journalists, you shouldn’t tough this out alone. There’s absolutely no shame in having and sharing serious emotions around death, and your experiences as you gather news around that topic. You want to maintain a level of professionalism, but even the pros can become distraught on the job .

The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma offers the tip sheet Covering Breaking News: Interviewing Victims and Survivors that’s worth reading in its entirety, and Poynter has this advice for self-care for journalists.

Here are highlights from the Dart Center’s tip sheet:

Be transparent, calm and soft-spoken.
Identify who you are, what organization you represent, what will happen with the information you collect from the interview, how it might be used and when it will appear.
Tell them why you want to talk with them.
If they are open to an interview, then proceed. If not, then leave your contact information with them and ask them to contact you anytime if they would like to talk.
If they are not interested in talking, or willing to speak on the record, there will be another opportunity to find another source.
Don’t patronize.
Don’t ask “How do you feel?”
Don’t say “I know how you feel,” or “I totally understand,” because in most cases nobody truly knows what somebody else is going through.
“So what you’re saying is…”
“From what you’re saying, I can see how you would be…”
“You must be …”
Give ample time for the interview – you may need more time than you think.
Record the interviews so you can always go back and listen – in case you missed something in your notes.
Don’t take things personally. Sometimes sources may be going through interpersonal responses to trauma and may not be showing you signs in the interview of interaction – don’t take this personally, it may be the way they are dealing with the situation.

Don’t bottle up your feelings. Don’t forget that covering a traumatic event can impact you, too. Be sure to find ways to talk about the experience with your friends, family, adviser or editor. They may have covered something similar and/or can just be a listening ear. You should not keep your emotions bottled up; sharing your experience is one way of coping with witnessing and reporting on such a difficult event.

Send me your questions, ideas, solutions and tips. I’ll try to help as much as I can in a future column. Contact me at [email protected] or on Twitter at barbara_allen_

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Create a Tribute for a Friend Who Passed Away

Coming to terms with the death of a dear friend can be one of the most difficult things to do. A heartfelt tribute can honor their life and bring solace, peace, and closure to the friends and family who are left behind.

Writing a tribute is a meaningful way to honor a friend’s life and memory. Through this process, we can recognize the positive impact they had on us and celebrate their life in an everlasting way.

What is a Tribute?

A tribute is a speech, poem, or song expressing admiration and gratitude for someone. It is often spoken of in the context of honoring a deceased person’s memory. A tribute can be given to friends, family members, colleagues, and mentors who have passed away. Writing a tribute to honor a friend who has passed away can be a powerful way to express love and appreciation for them.

Writing a tribute is a way to say goodbye, capture fond memories, and remember the good times shared with a departed friend. It can often provide comfort during this difficult time of grief. Here are some suggestions on how to write a meaningful tribute.

Choose Your Format

You don’t have to be a professional writer to write an effective tribute. Consider your friend’s life, hobbies, and interests when selecting the format for your tribute. Some examples of tributes may include stories, poems, songs, letters, or eulogies.

Tell Your Story

When writing your tribute consider sharing a meaningful story about your friend. This could be a funny memory, an inspiring moment, or even a cherished dream that your friend shared with you.

Include Meaningful Quotes

Quotes are an excellent way to pay homage and remember the impact that your friend had on your life. Think of meaningful quotes from literature, songs, and movies that you can use to emphasize your tribute.

Meaningful Quotes to Honor a Friend Who Has Passed

Quotes can provide beautiful language to honor fallen friends in a meaningful way. The right quote can celebrate the positive impact that the person had on your life. Quotes such as these can be a good way to reflect on the time spent together and can bring peace and comfort to those mourning the death of a friend.

“The loss of a good friend is like losing a part of yourself. You never forget them, no matter where life takes you.” – Unknown

“Grief is only the memory of love. Where there is great grief there is great love.” – Unknown

“In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.” – Robert Ingersoll

“When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” – Unknown

“When someone you love dies, it’s like a part of you has died. But our loved ones live on in the memories we treasure.” – Unknown

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – Unknown

“Goodbyes are not forever; goodbyes are not the end; they simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again.” – Palitha Ariyarathna

“The death of a beloved is an amputation.” – C.S. Lewis

“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” – Kenji Miyazawa

“For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.” – Kahlil Gibran

“Memories are a treasure, no one can steal. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.” – Unknown (from an Irish headstone)

“As long as we live, they too will live; for they are now part of us, as we remember them.” – Sylvan Kamens & Rabbi Jack Riemer

What to Say to Honor a Friend Who Passed Away

When honoring a departed friend, expressing your respects doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some basic phrases and words you can use in your tribute to honor the memory of your friend.

“Your life was one of selflessness and love. You will always be remembered.”

“Your service to our community and your spirit of kindness will never be forgotten.”

“You were an inspiration, and a role model to many. You will be greatly missed.”

“Your courage and strength stood as an example to all. Your legacy will live on in our hearts.”

“We thank you for the time we had together, and all that you shared with us.”

“Your dedication and commitment to helping others will always be remembered.”

“You were a light in our lives and we will always be grateful for the moments we shared.”

“Your unwavering spirit and passion will remain forever in our souls.”

“Your generous heart, your deep insight, and wisdom will stay with us always.”

“Your life was a blessing, your memory will remain in our hearts.”

“We are deeply saddened by your loss, but grateful for the time we had together.”

“Our beloved friend, you may have left us far too soon, but your loving presence will endure forever in our hearts and souls.”

“We will keep the memory of you alive by cherishing the moments we spent together and remembering your legacy always.”

“We honor and cherish your memory, our beloved friend.”

“May your spirit live on forever in our hearts and souls.”

“Rest in peace, beloved friend. You are gone but never forgotten.”

Remember to keep in mind the particular words and phrases that were special to your friend as you prepare a tribute. By expressing your respect with personalized language, you can honor the memory of someone who had a positive impact on your life.

How to Express Condolences to Someone Who Has Lost a Friend

No matter what the circumstances may be, expressing sympathy to someone who has lost a friend can be difficult. You may not know how your words will be received, so it’s important to keep your message simple and sincere, such as in these examples.

“May our grief be replaced by cherished memories that will never fade away.”

“May these words bring solace during this sorrowful time of mourning.”

“They will always remain close in our hearts forever.”

“No matter how much time passes, the memories shared between us and our lost friends will never fade away.”

“No matter how much time passes, the love and friendship of those we have lost will remain close in spirit and in our hearts forever.”

Here are some additional tips to help you express your condolences in a meaningful way.

Acknowledge the Loss

Acknowledging the loss of a loved one is an important part of showing your support. An expression such as “I am so sorry for your loss” can go a long way.

Offer Support

Along with expressing your sympathy, you should also offer support to the bereaved. It can be helpful to remind them that they are not alone and that you are there for them if they need anything.

Share a Memory

Share a memory of the person who passed away with the bereaved. This can help to honor the departed and bring comfort to those grieving.

Be Available

While you don’t necessarily have to be present at a funeral or other services, it can be helpful to let the bereaved know that you are available if they need anything.

Express Gratitude

Acknowledging the deceased’s impact on your life can be a meaningful way to show support. Letting the bereaved know how grateful you are for their loved one’s influence in your life can be comforting.

Offer a Gesture

If you are comfortable, offering a gesture such as flowers or a donation to a charity in memory of the deceased can be appreciated by the bereaved.

If you follow these tips, you can create a meaningful tribute to the life of your friend. Showing support during difficult times is an important part of being there for someone who has lost a loved one.

By taking the time to express your condolences in a thoughtful and caring way, you can offer comfort and solace to a grieving friend.

A Heartfelt Tribute is Powerful

A tribute is an acknowledgment that brings solace and peace in times of grief and sorrow. Though it is never easy to say goodbye, a heartfelt tribute to a friend who has passed away can provide comfort, strength, and solace during a difficult time of mourning. A good tribute can honor a departed friend’s contributions and the impact made on our lives, commemorate cherished memories of times shared together, and keep their spirit alive in our minds and hearts.

Gone Too Soon: 100 Quotes About Unexpected Death

Death is a topic that we often avoid, but it is something that we all have to face at some point in our lives. The death of a loved one can be especially difficult, and when that death is sudden and unexpected, it can be even harder to cope with. In this post, we will […]

Short Prayers for a Peaceful Death

As we all come to the end of our lives, we hope for a peaceful and gentle passing. A time when we can let go of this world and move on to the next without fear or pain. If you are looking for a short prayer for a peaceful death, you have come to the […]

70 Christian Condolence Messages

When someone we know suffers a loss, it can be difficult to know what to say. Words of comfort and support are often much needed in these difficult times. If you are looking for Christian condolence messages to send to someone who is grieving, you have come to the right place. In this blog post, […]

65 Goodbye to Grandpa Quotes

As we all say goodbye to our beloved grandpas, we can take comfort in the memories of the good times. These best grandpa quotes will help you remember the laughs, smiles, and love shared between you and your grandfather. Whether he was a joker or a serious man, these quotes will remind you of all […]

20 Sympathy Messages for the Loss of a Mother

Grieving the loss of a mother can be one of the most difficult experiences a person goes through. Finding words to take some comfort in, or to say to someone who has lost such a special person in their life can be challenging. In this blog post, we’ve gathered a list of sympathy messages for […]

Writing a Unique Eulogy

Learn the meaning of eulogy.

How Long Should a Eulogy Be?

How to write a eulogy.

How to Add Humor to A Eulogy?

How to write a eulogy in 5 easy steps, 1. brainstorm ideas and gather information.

2. Write an Introduction

3. write a brief biography, 4. share special life moments, memories, and qualities, 5. conclude the eulogy with some comforting words, need help talk to our funeral directors.

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O.J. Simpson, Football Star Whose Trial Riveted the Nation, Dies at 76

He ran to football fame and made fortunes in movies. His trial for the murder of his former wife and her friend became an inflection point on race in America.

Share full article

O.J. Simpson wearing a tan suit and yellow patterned tie as he is embraced from behind by his lawyer, Johnnie Cochran.

By Robert D. McFadden

O.J. Simpson, who ran to fame on the football field, made fortunes as an all-American in movies, television and advertising, and was acquitted of killing his former wife and her friend in a 1995 trial in Los Angeles that mesmerized the nation, died on Wednesday at his home in Las Vegas. He was 76.

The cause was cancer, his family announced on social media.

The jury in the murder trial cleared him, but the case, which had held up a cracked mirror to Black and white America, changed the trajectory of his life. In 1997, a civil suit by the victims’ families found him liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald L. Goldman, and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages. He paid little of the debt, moved to Florida and struggled to remake his life, raise his children and stay out of trouble.

In 2006, he sold a book manuscript, titled “If I Did It,” and a prospective TV interview, giving a “hypothetical” account of murders he had always denied committing. A public outcry ended both projects, but Mr. Goldman’s family secured the book rights, added material imputing guilt to Mr. Simpson and had it published.

In 2007, he was arrested after he and other men invaded a Las Vegas hotel room of some sports memorabilia dealers and took a trove of collectibles. He claimed that the items had been stolen from him, but a jury in 2008 found him guilty of 12 charges, including armed robbery and kidnapping, after a trial that drew only a smattering of reporters and spectators. He was sentenced to nine to 33 years in a Nevada state prison. He served the minimum term and was released in 2017.

Over the years, the story of O.J. Simpson generated a tide of tell-all books, movies, studies and debate over questions of justice, race relations and celebrity in a nation that adores its heroes, especially those cast in rags-to-riches stereotypes, but that has never been comfortable with its deeper contradictions.

There were many in the Simpson saga. Yellowing old newspaper clippings yield the earliest portraits of a postwar child of poverty afflicted with rickets and forced to wear steel braces on his spindly legs, of a hardscrabble life in a bleak housing project and of hanging with teenage gangs in the tough back streets of San Francisco, where he learned to run.

“Running, man, that’s what I do,” he said in 1975, when he was one of America’s best-known and highest-paid football players, the Buffalo Bills’ electrifying, swivel-hipped ball carrier, known universally as the Juice. “All my life I’ve been a runner.”

And so he had — running to daylight on the gridiron of the University of Southern California and in the roaring stadiums of the National Football League for 11 years; running for Hollywood movie moguls, for Madison Avenue image-makers and for television networks; running to pinnacles of success in sports and entertainment.

Along the way, he broke college and professional records, won the Heisman Trophy and was enshrined in pro football’s Hall of Fame. He appeared in dozens of movies and memorable commercials for Hertz and other clients; was a sports analyst for ABC and NBC; acquired homes, cars and a radiant family; and became an American idol — a handsome warrior with the gentle eyes and soft voice of a nice guy. And he played golf.

It was the good life, on the surface. But there was a deeper, more troubled reality — about an infant daughter drowning in the family pool and a divorce from his high school sweetheart; about his stormy marriage to a stunning young waitress and her frequent calls to the police when he beat her; about the jealous rages of a frustrated man.

Calls to the Police

The abuse left Nicole Simpson bruised and terrified on scores of occasions, but the police rarely took substantive action. After one call to the police on New Year’s Day, 1989, officers found her badly beaten and half-naked, hiding in the bushes outside their home. “He’s going to kill me!” she sobbed. Mr. Simpson was arrested and convicted of spousal abuse, but was let off with a fine and probation.

The couple divorced in 1992, but confrontations continued. On Oct. 25, 1993, Ms. Simpson called the police again. “He’s back,” she told a 911 operator, and officers once more intervened.

Then it happened. On June 12, 1994, Ms. Simpson, 35, and Mr. Goldman, 25, were attacked outside her condominium in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, not far from Mr. Simpson’s estate. She was nearly decapitated, and Mr. Goldman was slashed to death.

The knife was never found, but the police discovered a bloody glove at the scene and abundant hair, blood and fiber clues. Aware of Mr. Simpson’s earlier abuse and her calls for help, investigators believed from the start that Mr. Simpson, 46, was the killer. They found blood on his car and, in his home, a bloody glove that matched the one picked up near the bodies. There was never any other suspect.

Five days later, after Mr. Simpson had attended Nicole’s funeral with their two children, he was charged with the murders, but fled in his white Ford Bronco. With his old friend and teammate Al Cowlings at the wheel and the fugitive in the back holding a gun to his head and threatening suicide, the Bronco led a fleet of patrol cars and news helicopters on a slow 60-mile televised chase over the Southern California freeways.

Networks pre-empted prime-time programming for the spectacle, some of it captured by news cameras in helicopters, and a nationwide audience of 95 million people watched for hours. Overpasses and roadsides were crowded with spectators. The police closed highways and motorists pulled over to watch, some waving and cheering at the passing Bronco, which was not stopped. Mr. Simpson finally returned home and was taken into custody.

The ensuing trial lasted nine months, from January to early October 1995, and captivated the nation with its lurid accounts of the murders and the tactics and strategy of prosecutors and of a defense that included the “dream team” of Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. , F. Lee Bailey , Alan M. Dershowitz, Barry Scheck and Robert L. Shapiro.

The prosecution, led by Marcia Clark and Christopher A. Darden, had what seemed to be overwhelming evidence: tests showing that blood, shoe prints, hair strands, shirt fibers, carpet threads and other items found at the murder scene had come from Mr. Simpson or his home, and DNA tests showing that the bloody glove found at Mr. Simpson’s home matched the one left at the crime scene. Prosecutors also had a list of 62 incidents of abusive behavior by Mr. Simpson against his wife.

But as the trial unfolded before Judge Lance Ito and a 12-member jury that included 10 Black people, it became apparent that the police inquiry had been flawed. Photo evidence had been lost or mislabeled; DNA had been collected and stored improperly, raising a possibility that it was tainted. And Detective Mark Fuhrman, a key witness, admitted that he had entered the Simpson home and found the matching glove and other crucial evidence — all without a search warrant.

‘If the Glove Don’t Fit’

The defense argued, but never proved, that Mr. Fuhrman planted the second glove. More damaging, however, was its attack on his history of racist remarks. Mr. Fuhrman swore that he had not used racist language for a decade. But four witnesses and a taped radio interview played for the jury contradicted him and undermined his credibility. (After the trial, Mr. Fuhrman pleaded no contest to a perjury charge. He was the only person convicted in the case.)

In what was seen as the crucial blunder of the trial, the prosecution asked Mr. Simpson, who was not called to testify, to try on the gloves. He struggled to do so. They were apparently too small.

“If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit,” Mr. Cochran told the jury later.

In the end, it was the defense that had the overwhelming case, with many grounds for reasonable doubt, the standard for acquittal. But it wanted more. It portrayed the Los Angeles police as racist, charged that a Black man was being railroaded, and urged the jury to think beyond guilt or innocence and send a message to a racist society.

On the day of the verdict, autograph hounds, T-shirt vendors, street preachers and paparazzi engulfed the courthouse steps. After what some news media outlets had called “The Trial of the Century,” producing 126 witnesses, 1,105 items of evidence and 45,000 pages of transcripts, the jury — sequestered for 266 days, longer than any in California history — deliberated for only three hours.

Much of America came to a standstill. In homes, offices, airports and malls, people paused to watch. Even President Bill Clinton left the Oval Office to join his secretaries. In court, cries of “Yes!” and “Oh, no!” were echoed across the nation as the verdict left many Black people jubilant and many white people aghast.

In the aftermath, Mr. Simpson and the case became the grist for television specials, films and more than 30 books, many by participants who made millions. Mr. Simpson, with Lawrence Schiller, produced “I Want to Tell You,” a thin mosaic volume of letters, photographs and self-justifying commentary that sold hundreds of thousands of copies and earned Mr. Simpson more than $1 million.

He was released after 474 days in custody, but his ordeal was hardly over. Much of the case was resurrected for the civil suit by the Goldman and Brown families. A predominantly white jury with a looser standard of proof held Mr. Simpson culpable and awarded the families $33.5 million in damages. The civil case, which excluded racial issues as inflammatory and speculative, was a vindication of sorts for the families and a blow to Mr. Simpson, who insisted that he had no chance of ever paying the damages.

Mr. Simpson had spent large sums for his criminal defense. Records submitted in the murder trial showed his net worth at about $11 million, and people with knowledge of the case said he had only $3.5 million afterward. A 1999 auction of his Heisman Trophy and other memorabilia netted about $500,000, which went to the plaintiffs. But court records show he paid little of the balance that was owed.

He regained custody of the children he had with Ms. Simpson, and in 2000 he moved to Florida, bought a home south of Miami and settled into a quiet life, playing golf and living on pensions from the N.F.L., the Screen Actors Guild and other sources, about $400,000 a year. Florida laws protect a home and pension income from seizure to satisfy court judgments.

The glamour and lucrative contracts were gone, but Mr. Simpson sent his two children to prep school and college. He was seen in restaurants and malls, where he readily obliged requests for autographs. He was fined once for powerboat speeding in a manatee zone, and once for pirating cable television signals.

In 2006, as the debt to the murder victims’ families grew with interest to $38 million, he was sued by Fred Goldman, the father of Ronald Goldman, who contended that his book and television deal for “If I Did It” had advanced him $1 million and that it had been structured to cheat the family of the damages owed.

The projects were scrapped by News Corporation, parent of the publisher HarperCollins and the Fox Television Network, and a corporation spokesman said Mr. Simpson was not expected to repay an $800,000 advance. The Goldman family secured the book rights from a trustee after a bankruptcy court proceeding and had it published in 2007 under the title “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.” On the book’s cover, the “If” appeared in tiny type, and the “I Did It” in large red letters.

Another Trial, and Prison

After years in which it seemed he had been convicted in the court of public opinion, Mr. Simpson in 2008 again faced a jury. This time he was accused of raiding a Las Vegas hotel room in 2007 with five other men, most of them convicted criminals and two armed with guns, to steal a trove of sports memorabilia from a pair of collectible dealers.

Mr. Simpson claimed that he was only trying to retrieve items stolen from him, including eight footballs, two plaques and a photo of him with the F.B.I. director J. Edgar Hoover, and that he had not known about any guns. But four men, who had been arrested with him and pleaded guilty, testified against him, two saying they had carried guns at his request. Prosecutors also played hours of tapes secretly recorded by a co-conspirator detailing the planning and execution of the crime.

On Oct. 3 — 13 years to the day after his acquittal in Los Angeles — a jury of nine women and three men found him guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, conspiracy, coercion and other charges. After Mr. Simpson was sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison, his lawyer vowed to appeal, noting that none of the jurors were Black and questioning whether they could be fair to Mr. Simpson after what had happened years earlier. But jurors said the double-murder case was never mentioned in deliberations.

In 2013, the Nevada Parole Board, citing his positive conduct in prison and participation in inmate programs, granted Mr. Simpson parole on several charges related to his robbery conviction. But the board left other verdicts in place. His bid for a new trial was rejected by a Nevada judge, and legal experts said that appeals were unlikely to succeed. He remained in custody until Oct. 1, 2017, when the parole board unanimously granted him parole when he became eligible.

Certain conditions of Mr. Simpson’s parole — travel restrictions, no contacts with co-defendants in the robbery case and no drinking to excess — remained until 2021, when they were lifted, making him a completely free man.

Questions about his guilt or innocence in the murders of his former wife and Mr. Goldman never went away. In May 2008, Mike Gilbert, a memorabilia dealer and former crony, said in a book that Mr. Simpson, high on marijuana, had admitted the killings to him after the trial. Mr. Gilbert quoted Mr. Simpson as saying that he had carried no knife but that he had used one that Ms. Simpson had in her hand when she opened the door. He also said that Mr. Simpson had stopped taking arthritis medicine to let his hands swell so that they would not fit the gloves in court. Mr. Simpson’s lawyer Yale L. Galanter denied Mr. Gilbert’s claims, calling him delusional.

In 2016, more than 20 years after his murder trial, the story of O.J. Simpson was told twice more for endlessly fascinated mass audiences on television. “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” Ryan Murphy’s installment in the “American Crime Story” anthology on FX, focused on the trial itself and on the constellation of characters brought together by the defendant (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.). “O.J.: Made in America,” a five-part, nearly eight-hour installment in ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary series (it was also released in theaters), detailed the trial but extended the narrative to include a biography of Mr. Simpson and an examination of race, fame, sports and Los Angeles over the previous half-century.

A.O. Scott, in a commentary in The New York Times, called “The People v. O.J. Simpson” a “tightly packed, almost indecently entertaining piece of pop realism, a Dreiser novel infused with the spirit of Tom Wolfe” and said “O.J.: Made in America” had “the grandeur and authority of the best long-form fiction.”

In Leg Braces as a Child

Orenthal James Simpson was born in San Francisco on July 9, 1947, one of four children of James and Eunice (Durden) Simpson. As an infant afflicted with the calcium deficiency rickets, he wore leg braces for several years but outgrew his disability. His father, a janitor and cook, left the family when the child was 4, and his mother, a hospital nurse’s aide, raised the children in a housing project in the tough Potrero Hill district.

As a teenager, Mr. Simpson, who hated the name Orenthal and called himself O.J., ran with street gangs. But at 15 he was introduced by a friend to Willie Mays, the renowned San Francisco Giants outfielder. The encounter was inspirational and turned his life around, Mr. Simpson recalled. He joined the Galileo High School football team and won All-City honors in his senior year.

In 1967, Mr. Simpson married his high school sweetheart, Marguerite Whitley. The couple had three children, Arnelle, Jason and Aaren. Shortly after their divorce in 1979, Aaren, 23 months old, fell into a swimming pool at home and died a week later.

Mr. Simpson married Nicole Brown in 1985; the couple had a daughter, Sydney, and a son, Justin. He is survived by Arnelle, Jason, Sydney and Justin Simpson and three grandchildren, his lawyer Malcolm P. LaVergne said.

After being released from prison in Nevada in 2017, Mr. Simpson moved into the Las Vegas country club home of a wealthy friend, James Barnett, for what he assumed would be a temporary stay. But he found himself enjoying the local golf scene and making friends, sometimes with people who introduced themselves to him at restaurants, Mr. LaVergne said. Mr. Simpson decided to remain in Las Vegas full time. At his death, he lived right on the course of the Rhodes Ranch Golf Club.

From his youth, Mr. Simpson was a natural on the gridiron. He had dazzling speed, power and finesse in a broken field that made him hard to catch, let alone tackle. He began his collegiate career at San Francisco City College, scoring 54 touchdowns in two years. In his third year he transferred to Southern Cal, where he shattered records — rushing for 3,423 yards and 36 touchdowns in 22 games — and led the Trojans into the Rose Bowl in successive years. He won the Heisman Trophy as the nation’s best college football player of 1968. Some magazines called him the greatest running back in the history of the college game.

His professional career was even more illustrious, though it took time to get going. The No. 1 draft pick in 1969, Mr. Simpson went to the Buffalo Bills — the league’s worst team had the first pick — and was used sparingly in his rookie season; in his second, he was sidelined with a knee injury. But by 1971, behind a line known as the Electric Company because they “turned on the Juice,” he began breaking games open.

In 1973, Mr. Simpson became the first to rush for over 2,000 yards, breaking a record held by Jim Brown, and was named the N.F.L.’s most valuable player. In 1975, he led the American Football Conference in rushing and scoring. After nine seasons, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, his hometown team, and played his last two years with them. He retired in 1979 as the highest-paid player in the league, with a salary over $800,000, having scored 61 touchdowns and rushed for more than 11,000 yards in his career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Mr. Simpson’s work as a network sports analyst overlapped with his football years. He was a color commentator for ABC from 1969 to 1977, and for NBC from 1978 to 1982. He rejoined ABC on “Monday Night Football” from 1983 to 1986.

Actor and Pitchman

And he had a parallel acting career. He appeared in some 30 films as well as television productions, including the mini-series “Roots” (1977) and the movies “The Towering Inferno” (1974), “Killer Force” (1976), “Cassandra Crossing” (1976), “Capricorn One” (1977), “Firepower” (1979) and others, including the comedy “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad” (1988) and its two sequels.

He did not pretend to be a serious actor. “I’m a realist,” he said. “No matter how many acting lessons I took, the public just wouldn’t buy me as Othello.”

Mr. Simpson was a congenial celebrity. He talked freely to reporters and fans, signed autographs, posed for pictures with children and was self-effacing in interviews, crediting his teammates and coaches, who clearly liked him. In an era of Black power displays, his only militancy was to crack heads on the gridiron.

His smiling, racially neutral image, easygoing manner and almost universal acceptance made him a perfect candidate for endorsements. Even before joining the N.F.L., he signed deals, including a three-year, $250,000 contract with Chevrolet. He later endorsed sporting goods, soft drinks, razor blades and other products.

In 1975, Hertz made him the first Black star of a national television advertising campaign. Memorable long-running commercials depicted him sprinting through airports and leaping over counters to get to a Hertz rental car. He earned millions, Hertz rentals shot up and the ads made O.J.’s face one of the most recognizable in America.

Mr. Simpson, in a way, wrote his own farewell on the day of his arrest. As he rode in the Bronco with a gun to his head, a friend, Robert Kardashian, released a handwritten letter to the public that he had left at home, expressing love for Ms. Simpson and denying that he killed her. “Don’t feel sorry for me,” he wrote. “I’ve had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O.J. and not this lost person.”

Alex Traub contributed reporting.

An earlier version of this obituary referred incorrectly to the glove that was an important piece of evidence in Mr. Simpson’s murder trial. It was not a golf glove. The error was repeated in a picture caption.

How we handle corrections

Robert D. McFadden is a Times reporter who writes advance obituaries of notable people. More about Robert D. McFadden

Tips For Dealing With Grief

7 Sample Letters to Deceased Loved Ones

Updated 08/25/2023

Published 07/10/2022

Dr. Alejandra Vasquez, JD, CT

Certified Grief Counselor

Use these sample letters to a deceased loved one to help you write one of your own with tips on what to include, what to do with the letter, and examples for relatives and friends.

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

Grief is an intensely personal feeling resulting from suffering the loss of a loved one or experiencing another type of significant personal setback. At times, getting through your grief will seem like an insurmountable challenge, and at others, you'll find that you're doing okay, if only for that moment.

Jump ahead to these sections:

What Could You Include in a Letter to a Deceased Loved One

What Can You Do With a Letter to a Deceased Loved One?

Example letters for a deceased loved one.

As time passes, you'll find yourself growing around your grief , where you're no longer paralyzed by it but have learned to live with it. There'll be times when your grief swells, and you'll miss your loved one.

It might help you feel comforted by sharing your thoughts and feelings with your deceased loved one. If it enables you to cope with your grief, take the time to write a letter to your loved one. Tell them about what's going on in your life and how their death has impacted you. Letter writing works to keep your connection going with your loved one.

What Could You Include in a Letter to a Deceased Loved One?

Sitting down to pen a letter to your deceased loved one is a highly personal grief ritual that only you’ll know what to write in it when the time comes. A critical aspect of this letter writing is to let your thoughts and feelings flow freely without censoring what you put down on paper.

You don’t need to worry about formatting your letter correctly, spelling your words right, or making any sense. Write from your heart, and the words will flow effortlessly.

To gain inspiration, begin by telling your loved one about your day, and take a look back to the prior week. Did anything unusual or exciting take place that you want to share with your loved one? Were you feeling emotionally drained and having difficulty coping with your grief?

Talking about everyday experiences in your letter helps open the dialogue and gives you a starting point on what to say. There are no rules in how you write your letter or what you say. This is your private connection to your loved one, so say whatever's on your mind.

You’ll find that the more letters you write, the easier it becomes to get your feelings and emotions out in the open. Try not to judge yourself so that what you write comes from a place of authenticity, instead of worrying what others think. No one but you will see the final copy unless you show it to them.

Letter writing is a personal grief and loss activity that you can do whenever you need to let go of any feelings you've put on hold. Once you've described your grief and said everything in your heart and mind, you can release what you wrote in the letter by burning it in the kitchen sink or tossing it into the fireplace.

Before releasing the letter, set your intention for it. Do you want your letter to reach your loved one in Heaven? Are you sending it out to the universe? Or, do you want to release your pain and sorrow into the flames?

Another way of letting go of trapped sorrow is to bury your letter by a tree. Before doing so, ask mother nature to heal your pain and absorb your words' negative energy and emotion. These simple rituals can be cleansing and therapeutic.

If you prefer, once you dump all your pain and hurt into your words, crumble up the letter and toss it in the trash. Or, better yet, tear it to pieces and flush it down the toilet. You can keep it stored in a shoebox hidden away in the back of your closet for you to read later once you're feeling better.

It doesn't matter what you do with the letter. What matters is that you took the time for this self-healing ritual and are beginning to feel better.

We all suffer from different types of grief , and there’s no way to mess up the grieving process. You’ll go through your grief experience in the way that makes the most sense to you. You’ll never get over the loss of your loved one.

Though it can be hard to recognize, your grief is your burden to carry with you for the rest of your life. As time goes on, your grief will transform, and you’ll find healing. Until you get through yours, letter writing can be the salvation that lifts you from your darkest moments.

How you describe your grief in your letters will depend on what you’re going through at the moment. Your grief will change, and so will how you perceive your loss. The following example letter should help give you ideas on what to say to your deceased loved one.

Example for a parent

Letter to dad.

It’s only been a few short weeks since you left me, and I’m still having trouble believing you’re gone. Every time I think of calling you, I have to remind myself that you’re no longer here and you won’t answer no matter how much I will you to do so. But I still try. I call you up to one hundred times a day, hoping you’ll hear my call. I know it’s impossible, but hope is all I have left.

My sister tries to tell me that everything’ll be okay. But, will it ever? I don’t think so. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you here. You didn’t even say goodbye to me when you left. I’m still mad at you for that. I thought we were really close and that you’d never leave me. Not without at least first saying goodbye. I wasn’t ready for you to die. I hope you’re good in Heaven. I’m miserable here on earth. Take care, dad. Call me back.

Your Daughter

Example for a grandparent

Hey Grandma,

How are you doing? It’s been a while since I’ve talked to you. I was letting you get all acquainted up in Heaven. I’m sure you have a lot of people to catch up with and friends to see. Tell uncle Joey that I say hello when you see him.

It’s getting tough to make it through without you here. I miss having you here. Now I don’t have anyone to turn to when I need advice or a decent meal. I’ve been struggling. But, hey, this isn’t about me. I want to know what’s been going on with you. Do you think you can send me a sign to let me know you got this letter?

Your Granddaughter

Example for a sibling

So, tell me what it's like in Heaven. Do you like it there? I know, what isn't there to like about it? I'm wondering if it's all flowers and rainbows up there or if it looks the same as here. I don't get it. I don't get why we can't have pretty colored flowers here on Earth. Why do we first have to die to see the beauty of the world?

I miss you. I've been keeping busy with all these grief support classes and meetings, but I'm not really seeing where it's all going. Everyone keeps telling me that it'll get better. But sometimes, I don't even know how I'm going to make it from one moment to the next. I feel like I'm suffocating, and I can't even breathe.

I wish it would've been me instead of you. I don't see how I'm gonna make it here without you. Can you come talk to me? Do they let you?

Love you, Sister.

Example for a spouse or partner

Dear Henry,

The day you left me was the worst day of my life. I never imagined you’d be taken from me without warning. I always thought we’d grow old together and live in a barn somewhere in Idaho. Just you and me and the dogs.

It hurts so much that you’re not here. I still have all your clothes hanging in the closet. I don’t see the point in getting rid of any of it, even though everyone tells me I need to let go and move on. I can’t believe the things people say. They can be so insensitive and cruel.

Even your own mother said something so rude to me the other day. I just felt like punching her in the nose to shut her up. But we were at church, so I didn’t. I didn’t want to risk getting banned from Heaven, so I just walked away. You would’ve been so proud of me.

I have to go for now,

Love you forever

Example for a child

Thank you for coming to see me. Every time I see a butterfly I know it's your spirit come to check up on me. I'm always surrounded by your love and presence when those tiny white butterflies come by that you love. And then I start talking to you just as if you were right beside me.

Before you know it, everyone will start talking about your mom behind her back. There goes that crazy lady who talks to herself. But I don't care as long as I know I'm talking to you. I miss you so much, and I love you more than I can ever say.

Love, your mom

Example for an aunt or uncle

Dear Auntie,

You did it, congratulations! You always said you would pack your bags and leave us all behind without a word. Mom can’t believe that you beat her to the punch! All she keeps saying is how you always wanted to be first at everything. Now she’s always complaining that she couldn’t even beat you at dying. We all still hope to get her out of her misery. We tell her it’s never too late and to keep trying.

I’ll see you later, auntie. Thanks for the laughs. Rest easy.

Example for a friend

You make me so mad! How could you be so stupid? Didn’t I tell you so many times to use your brain when doing stupid things? I knew this would one day happen.

Now, what are we all supposed to do without you? I can’t even think straight anymore. All I keep doing is going over in my head how reckless and irresponsible you are. But I love you. And, even though I’m really mad at you, I miss your face. I’ll write to you later when I calm down a little bit more.

Bye for now.

How to Express Grief in A Letter

There’s nothing lonelier than the pain of grief after a loved one dies, and sometimes the only thing holding you together is your pain. Every relationship produces its own special suffering that you must confront in equally unique ways.

Letter writing is only one grief activity that alleviates some of that yearning for your loved one, but it can save you from drowning in your sorrow when there’s no other escape.

How to Write a Letter to a Deceased Parent + Examples

How to Write a Condolence Letter with 12 Examples

How to Write a Thank You Letter to Your Mentor: 6 Steps

How to Write a Gratitude Letter + Examples

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Thomas Gumbleton, Detroit Catholic bishop who opposed war and promoted social justice, dies at 94

FILE - Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton speaks on Jan. 11, 2006, at a press conference in Columbus, Ohio. Gumbleton, a Catholic bishop in Detroit who for decades was an international voice against war and racism and an advocate for labor and social justice, died Thursday, April 4, 2024,. He was 94. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

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DETROIT (AP) — Thomas Gumbleton, a Catholic bishop in Detroit who for decades was an international voice against war and racism and an advocate for labor and social justice, died Thursday. He was 94.

Gumbleton’s death was announced by the Archdiocese of Detroit, where he was a clergyman for more than 50 years. A cause was not disclosed.

“Bishop Gumbleton was a faithful son of the Archdiocese of Detroit, loved and respected by his brother priests and the laity for his integrity and devotion to the people he served,” said Archbishop Allen Vigneron.

Gumbleton became a national religious figure in the 1960s when he was urged by activist priests to oppose the U.S. role in the Vietnam War. He was a founding leader of Pax Christi USA, an American Catholic peace movement.

“Our participation in it is gravely immoral,” Gumbleton said of the war, writing in The New York Times. “When Jesus faced his captors, He told Peter to put away his sword. It seems to me He is saying the same thing to the people of the United States in 1971.”

Gumbleton said if he were a young man drafted into U.S. military service at that time he would go to jail or even leave the country if turned down as a conscientious objector.

FILE - President Joe Biden presents the Medal of Honor to retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett, in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 21, 2021, in Washington. Puckett, a retired Army colonel awarded the Medal of Honor seven decades after he was wounded leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in battle during the Korean War, died peacefully Monday, April 8, 2024, at his home in Columbus, Ga., according to the Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, which is handling funeral arrangements. He was 97. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

His opinions led to hate mail from people who said he was giving comfort to cowards, authors Frank Fromherz and Suzanne Sattler wrote in “No Guilty Bystander,” a 2023 book about Gumbleton.

“The war had become a personal turning point,” they wrote.

The archdiocese said he spoke out against war and met victims of violence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Colombia, Haiti and Peru.

Gumbleton’s activism sometimes led to his arrest at protests in Washington and elsewhere. He was taken away in 1996 while supporting striking newspaper workers in Detroit.

“Bishop Gumbleton took the gospel to heart and lived it day in and day out. He preferred to speak the truth and to be on the side of the marginalized than to toe any party line and climb the ecclesiastical ladder,” Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, said Thursday.

Gumbleton retired from active ministry in 2006, the archdiocese said.

He was ordained a priest in 1956 and promoted to auxiliary bishop in 1968. He worked at numerous parishes but was best known for 20-plus years of leadership at St. Leo in Detroit, which had a large Black congregation.

A newspaper, National Catholic Reporter, regularly published his sermons in a column called “The Peace Pulpit.”

In 2006, Gumbleton spoke in favor of legislation in Colorado and Ohio to give sexual abuse victims more time to file lawsuits. He disclosed that he was inappropriately touched by a priest decades earlier.

Gumbleton in 2021 joined a Catholic cardinal and a group of other bishops in expressing public support for LGBTQ+ youth and denouncing the bullying often directed at them.

In the preface to “No Guilty Bystander,” Gumbleton urged readers to be publicly engaged by defending democracy, supporting LGBTQ+ rights or choosing another cause.

“Lest all of this seem overwhelming,” he wrote, “the important thing is to recognize that each of us has a small part to play in the whole picture.”

Follow Ed White on X at https://twitter.com/edwritez

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7+ tribute ideas for a mother who has passed away.

Paying tribute to a mother who has passed away is a common gesture children and others want to make. You’ll often find tributes in books, art, film, poems, and other media, but these aren’t the only places to pay tribute to someone you’ve lost. You can also pay tribute to a mother by doing any of the following: through an event, honorary donation, and other ways. Here’s some ideas to get you started on paying tribute to a mother who died.

Words to say at a funeral for your mother

If you're looking for suggestions on paying tribute to a mother at her funeral, you've come to the right place. Paying tribute can be done verbally or nonverbally, which can make it easier for all types of people to pay tribute to their mother at her funeral. In general, when paying tribute, you'll want to focus on the ways in which your mother was important to you, her impact on others, and what made her unique and special.

Example of a tribute to a mother who passed away

"Thank you so much to everyone for being here today to celebrate the life and honor the memory of my mother. To explain just how much my mother means to me is an impossible task, but I want to make sure that I pay tribute to my mother at her funeral. My mother was one of the strongest, bravest, and kindest humans to grace this planet. Without her, I wouldn't be here today, I wouldn't be the person I am, and I wouldn't have the life I have. She is everything to me, and more, and there's no way I could ever quantify the importance she's held in my life. My mother was the best mother a person could ask for: [list some of her qualities]. Thank you, mom, for everything. In closing, I'd like to read this poem, one of my mom's favorites: [Poem] I love you, mom."

Poems about the death of a mother

Funeral poems for mothers usually include a reference to their importance in our lives, their guidance and knowledge as a mom, their love of their family, or other aspects of motherhood. You can find some example poems about losing a mother and poems about the death of a mother below. These poems also serve as excellent mothers day poems for moms that have passed away.

A Sonnet for My Incomparable Mother by Joanna Fuchs "I think of all the things you gave to me / Sacrifice, devotion, love and tears / Your heart, your mind, your energy and soul / All these you spent on me throughout the years."

Goodbye Mom by Aneela Ahmed "As you leave today / Let me cry, let me say / My mom was my hero. / Leading me to right / Forgiving and loving / A star so bright. / So I lose today / My support, my light. / My dear Mom. / Making my life bright."

If Roses Grow in Heaven by Dolores M. Garcia "If roses grow in heaven, / Lord please pick a bunch for me, / Place them in my Mother’s arms / and tell her they’re from me."

Richer Than Gold by Strickland Gillilan “You may have tangible wealth untold / Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold / Richer than I you can never be / I had a mother who read to me.”

Wonderful Mother by Patrick O’Reilly "God made a wonderful mother, / A mother who never grows old; / He made her smile of the sunshine. / And He moulded her heart of pure gold; / In her eyes He placed bright shining stars, / In her cheeks fair roses you see; / God made a wonderful mother, / And He gave that dear mother to me."

When God Thought of Mother by Henry Ward Beecher "When God thought of mother, / He must have laughed with satisfaction, / and framed it quickly – / so rich, so deep, so divine, / so full of soul, power, and beauty, / as the conception."

A Mother’s Crown by Unknown "Heaven lit up with a mighty presence, / as the Angels all looked down. / Today the Lord was placing the jewels / Into my mother’s crown."

Quotes to include when paying tribute to a mother

You can include these quotes at the end of your tribute, eulogy, or speech, if you decide to give one.

“Those we love and lose are always connected by heartstrings into infinity.” - Terri Guillemets

“My mother is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.” - Graycie Harmon

“There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” - Mahatma Gandhi

"What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us." - Helen Keller

"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you ... I could walk in my own garden forever." - Alfred Tennyson

"No matter what age... I'll always need you mom." - Unknown

"Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form." Rumi

Funeral ideas for mom

Many families and individuals want to make sure that their mother's funeral is a special one, but may not know where to start. When it comes to making a funeral unique or uniquely special, it's important to stay true to the individual who passed away. Here are some funeral ideas for a mother who has passed that can help you pay tribute to your mom.

Make a memorial website for her

A memorial website is a wonderful way to share the life of your mom with friends, family, and your community. Memorial websites on Ever Loved come with tons of features that other families have found incredibly helpful and useful in remembering the life of someone they loved. A memorial website gives you the opportunity to publish an obituary, share family history, start a fundraiser, share memories and photos, and share any important event information you have -- all for free.

Start a memorial website

Decorate the service with your mother's favorite flowers or colors

If your mother had a favorite color, plant, or type of flower, decorating the service with this plant or flower (or color) is a great way to honor her memory. You can take this one step further by asking attendees to wear a piece of clothing that's of this color or, if they're considering arrangements, to send arrangements with your specific flower or plant in mind.

Read out favorite memories or moments

Ask friends and loved ones to send in favorite memories or moments so that you can collect them and read them at some point during the ceremony. This is a great way to share moments or memories that others may not have been aware of and can help create a sense of shared joy and connectedness among those attending.

Give attendees a set of favorite recipes

Was your mom a great cook? Were there any recipes she was particularly known for? Sharing these recipes with loved ones is an easy and loving way to share something your mom was great at with all of those who know her.

Hold the memorial service somewhere special

If you're able to, hosting the memorial service in a special spot is an excellent way to honor your mother's memory. If you're not able to host

Plan an annual trip to a favorite spot

Did your mom have a favorite camping spot or favorite restaurant? Planning an annual trip to this spot in her memory is a great way to connect with your friends and family while honoring your mother's memory.

Do a butterfly or pigeon release

Butterfly or pigeon releases can add an added element of nature and beauty at your mother's funeral. You can ask that there's a moment of silence during this time or have a certain special song be sung or played. This is also a great time to ask folks to share a special moment or memory they had with your mother.

Have people plant in a garden dedicated to your mom

If you have space that'd you like to dedicate to your mom, consider planting a garden in her memory. Have friends and family come to the space and give them seeds or sprouts to plant in the garden. This is a wonderful way to see a living tribute grow over time in her memory.

Regardless of your chosen method of honoring your mother, it’s encouraged that you set up a memorial website - even if it’s just to share information on the other ways in which you’re memorializing your mom. Memorial websites are free, stay up indefinitely, and are easy to use and set up.

Create a memorial website

Get funeral quotes, get free grief support, how to donate to charity in someone's memory.

Donating to a charity in memory of someone is a great way of honoring the person who has passed on and an excellent way of recognizing their contributions. The best charities are often those that have a personal connection, so you should try to find something that would be meaningful to the person w

Are Obituaries Required by Law?

Obituaries are a common way of remembering people who are no longer with us. We are often left to wonder what they were like, how their life was lived, and what legacy they left behind. While obituaries are important, you may find yourself questioning whether they're required by law. What if you don

When to Publish an Obituary

When someone passes away, there are several steps that are usually taken before they can be laid to rest; notifying family members and friends about the person's death is one of those tasks. Publishing an obituary formally announces the person’s death, tells their life story, and shares key funeral

Want to publish an obituary for free?

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O.J. Simpson, Football Player and Actor Accused of Murdering Ex-Wife, Dies at 76

By Pat Saperstein

Pat Saperstein

Deputy Editor

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LOVELOCK, NV - JULY 20: O.J. Simpson attends his parole hearing at Lovelock Correctional Center July 20, 2017 in Lovelock, Nevada. Simpson is serving a nine to 33 year prison term for a 2007 armed robbery and kidnapping conviction. (Photo by Jason Bean-Pool/Getty Images)

O.J. Simpson , the former champion football running back-turned-actor who was acquitted in a sensational trial of charges that he murdered his ex-wife and her friend, has died of cancer, his family confirmed. He was 76 and died Wednesday at his home in Las Vegas.

His family took to his official X account to write , “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”

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He started acting while still at USC, and appeared on “Medical Center” before going pro as a football player. He appeared in films such as “The Klansman,” “The Cassandra Crossing” and “The Towering Inferno,” as well as the miniseries “Roots,” while still in the NFL.

After retiring from football, he starred in three “Naked Gun” movies and the comedy “Back to the Beach.” He had completed a two-hour long pilot for the adventure series “Frogmen” when his arrest brought the project for NBC to an abrupt halt.

On June 12, 1994, his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found murdered outside her Brentwood condo. Simpson, who had pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge against Nicole Brown Simpson when they were married, was considered a person of interest in the killings and charges were filed against him. Instead of turning himself in, a media spectacle erupted when he attempted to flee in his white Ford Bronco and the police followed in a slow-speed chase. The televised chase on June 17 drew an audience of some 95 million people.

He later served almost nine years in prison for robbery, kidnapping and other counts in a Las Vegas sports memorabilia scheme, and was released in 2017.

Hollywood films and docuseries, like Fox’s “The O.J. Simpson Story” (1995), CBS’ “American Tragedy” (2000), Investigation Discovery’s “OJ: Trial of the Century” (2014), the Oscar-winning “O.J.: Made in America” (2016) and FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (2016) starring Cuba Gooding Jr., have chronicled the infamous trial. Sacha Baron Cohen, while disguised in-character for his 2018 Showtime series “Who Is America?”, attempted to get a confession out of Simpson in an awkward, yet memorable, interview. In 2021, Simpson was released early from parole for good behavior.

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Solar Eclipse 2024

What the World Has Learned From Past Eclipses

C louds scudded over the small volcanic island of Principe, off the western coast of Africa, on the afternoon of May 29, 1919. Arthur Eddington, director of the Cambridge Observatory in the U.K., waited for the Sun to emerge. The remains of a morning thunderstorm could ruin everything.

The island was about to experience the rare and overwhelming sight of a total solar eclipse. For six minutes, the longest eclipse since 1416, the Moon would completely block the face of the Sun, pulling a curtain of darkness over a thin stripe of Earth. Eddington traveled into the eclipse path to try and prove one of the most consequential ideas of his age: Albert Einstein’s new theory of general relativity.

Eddington, a physicist, was one of the few people at the time who understood the theory, which Einstein proposed in 1915. But many other scientists were stymied by the bizarre idea that gravity is not a mutual attraction, but a warping of spacetime. Light itself would be subject to this warping, too. So an eclipse would be the best way to prove whether the theory was true, because with the Sun’s light blocked by the Moon, astronomers would be able to see whether the Sun’s gravity bent the light of distant stars behind it.

Two teams of astronomers boarded ships steaming from Liverpool, England, in March 1919 to watch the eclipse and take the measure of the stars. Eddington and his team went to Principe, and another team led by Frank Dyson of the Greenwich Observatory went to Sobral, Brazil.

Totality, the complete obscuration of the Sun, would be at 2:13 local time in Principe. Moments before the Moon slid in front of the Sun, the clouds finally began breaking up. For a moment, it was totally clear. Eddington and his group hastily captured images of a star cluster found near the Sun that day, called the Hyades, found in the constellation of Taurus. The astronomers were using the best astronomical technology of the time, photographic plates, which are large exposures taken on glass instead of film. Stars appeared on seven of the plates, and solar “prominences,” filaments of gas streaming from the Sun, appeared on others.

Eddington wanted to stay in Principe to measure the Hyades when there was no eclipse, but a ship workers’ strike made him leave early. Later, Eddington and Dyson both compared the glass plates taken during the eclipse to other glass plates captured of the Hyades in a different part of the sky, when there was no eclipse. On the images from Eddington’s and Dyson’s expeditions, the stars were not aligned. The 40-year-old Einstein was right.

“Lights All Askew In the Heavens,” the New York Times proclaimed when the scientific papers were published. The eclipse was the key to the discovery—as so many solar eclipses before and since have illuminated new findings about our universe.

Telescope used to observe a total solar eclipse, Sobral, Brazil, 1919.

To understand why Eddington and Dyson traveled such distances to watch the eclipse, we need to talk about gravity.

Since at least the days of Isaac Newton, who wrote in 1687, scientists thought gravity was a simple force of mutual attraction. Newton proposed that every object in the universe attracts every other object in the universe, and that the strength of this attraction is related to the size of the objects and the distances among them. This is mostly true, actually, but it’s a little more nuanced than that.

On much larger scales, like among black holes or galaxy clusters, Newtonian gravity falls short. It also can’t accurately account for the movement of large objects that are close together, such as how the orbit of Mercury is affected by its proximity the Sun.

Albert Einstein’s most consequential breakthrough solved these problems. General relativity holds that gravity is not really an invisible force of mutual attraction, but a distortion. Rather than some kind of mutual tug-of-war, large objects like the Sun and other stars respond relative to each other because the space they are in has been altered. Their mass is so great that they bend the fabric of space and time around themselves.

Read More: 10 Surprising Facts About the 2024 Solar Eclipse

This was a weird concept, and many scientists thought Einstein’s ideas and equations were ridiculous. But others thought it sounded reasonable. Einstein and others knew that if the theory was correct, and the fabric of reality is bending around large objects, then light itself would have to follow that bend. The light of a star in the great distance, for instance, would seem to curve around a large object in front of it, nearer to us—like our Sun. But normally, it’s impossible to study stars behind the Sun to measure this effect. Enter an eclipse.

Einstein’s theory gives an equation for how much the Sun’s gravity would displace the images of background stars. Newton’s theory predicts only half that amount of displacement.

Eddington and Dyson measured the Hyades cluster because it contains many stars; the more stars to distort, the better the comparison. Both teams of scientists encountered strange political and natural obstacles in making the discovery, which are chronicled beautifully in the book No Shadow of a Doubt: The 1919 Eclipse That Confirmed Einstein's Theory of Relativity , by the physicist Daniel Kennefick. But the confirmation of Einstein’s ideas was worth it. Eddington said as much in a letter to his mother: “The one good plate that I measured gave a result agreeing with Einstein,” he wrote , “and I think I have got a little confirmation from a second plate.”

The Eddington-Dyson experiments were hardly the first time scientists used eclipses to make profound new discoveries. The idea dates to the beginnings of human civilization.

Careful records of lunar and solar eclipses are one of the greatest legacies of ancient Babylon. Astronomers—or astrologers, really, but the goal was the same—were able to predict both lunar and solar eclipses with impressive accuracy. They worked out what we now call the Saros Cycle, a repeating period of 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours in which eclipses appear to repeat. One Saros cycle is equal to 223 synodic months, which is the time it takes the Moon to return to the same phase as seen from Earth. They also figured out, though may not have understood it completely, the geometry that enables eclipses to happen.

The path we trace around the Sun is called the ecliptic. Our planet’s axis is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, which is why we have seasons, and why the other celestial bodies seem to cross the same general path in our sky.

As the Moon goes around Earth, it, too, crosses the plane of the ecliptic twice in a year. The ascending node is where the Moon moves into the northern ecliptic. The descending node is where the Moon enters the southern ecliptic. When the Moon crosses a node, a total solar eclipse can happen. Ancient astronomers were aware of these points in the sky, and by the apex of Babylonian civilization, they were very good at predicting when eclipses would occur.

Two and a half millennia later, in 2016, astronomers used these same ancient records to measure the change in the rate at which Earth’s rotation is slowing—which is to say, the amount by which are days are lengthening, over thousands of years.

By the middle of the 19 th century, scientific discoveries came at a frenetic pace, and eclipses powered many of them. In October 1868, two astronomers, Pierre Jules César Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer, separately measured the colors of sunlight during a total eclipse. Each found evidence of an unknown element, indicating a new discovery: Helium, named for the Greek god of the Sun. In another eclipse in 1869, astronomers found convincing evidence of another new element, which they nicknamed coronium—before learning a few decades later that it was not a new element, but highly ionized iron, indicating that the Sun’s atmosphere is exceptionally, bizarrely hot. This oddity led to the prediction, in the 1950s, of a continual outflow that we now call the solar wind.

And during solar eclipses between 1878 and 1908, astronomers searched in vain for a proposed extra planet within the orbit of Mercury. Provisionally named Vulcan, this planet was thought to exist because Newtonian gravity could not fully describe Mercury’s strange orbit. The matter of the innermost planet’s path was settled, finally, in 1915, when Einstein used general relativity equations to explain it.

Many eclipse expeditions were intended to learn something new, or to prove an idea right—or wrong. But many of these discoveries have major practical effects on us. Understanding the Sun, and why its atmosphere gets so hot, can help us predict solar outbursts that could disrupt the power grid and communications satellites. Understanding gravity, at all scales, allows us to know and to navigate the cosmos.

GPS satellites, for instance, provide accurate measurements down to inches on Earth. Relativity equations account for the effects of the Earth’s gravity and the distances between the satellites and their receivers on the ground. Special relativity holds that the clocks on satellites, which experience weaker gravity, seem to run slower than clocks under the stronger force of gravity on Earth. From the point of view of the satellite, Earth clocks seem to run faster. We can use different satellites in different positions, and different ground stations, to accurately triangulate our positions on Earth down to inches. Without those calculations, GPS satellites would be far less precise.

This year, scientists fanned out across North America and in the skies above it will continue the legacy of eclipse science. Scientists from NASA and several universities and other research institutions will study Earth’s atmosphere; the Sun’s atmosphere; the Sun’s magnetic fields; and the Sun’s atmospheric outbursts, called coronal mass ejections.

When you look up at the Sun and Moon on the eclipse , the Moon’s day — or just observe its shadow darkening the ground beneath the clouds, which seems more likely — think about all the discoveries still yet waiting to happen, just behind the shadow of the Moon.

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