Guide to Writing Obituaries
Whereas newspapers have published obituaries as free news items in the past, most newspapers now charge for obituaries.
There is no legal requirement to publish an obituary; however, if desired, during the funeral arrangements, your funeral director will assist in composing the obituary and provide a proof and estimate of the costs prior to submission. You are free to edit the obituary, but please keep in mind that the newspaper reserves the right to edit the funeral home's submission. Unfortunately, the family is responsible for all charges for what is ultimately printed, even though it may not be exactly what was submitted.
Your obituary will be posted on our website as you approved it. There is no charge for posting on our website. Most newspapers will only accept obituaries from licensed funeral directors.
CAUTION: IDENTITY THEFT
Due to the risk of identity theft, we advise you to omit the following from your obituary:
- Date of Birth
- Mother's Maiden Name
- Street Address
Newspaper and Obituary Information
The following are the newspapers with which our families commonly choose to place their obituaries:
Star Ledger
Covers the Central/North New Jersey. Obituaries will appear in all county editions. Cost is $9 per line (headline and photo are free). Layout editor selects the heading and placement. No discount for second and subsequent days.
Courier News
Based in Bridgewater. Formerly the Plainfield Courier. Coverage is from the western part of Union County and northern Middlesex County to all of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. Photos increase to number of lines. You may request a second line under headline. If you do not request one, the editor usually will. The charge is as follows:
1-15 lines Free; 16-25 lines $45; each add'l line $4.37
You may repeat the obituary at a 50% discount.
Westfield Leader/Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times
Weekly paper distributed on Thursday. Deadline is usually Tuesday by noon (if space is available). Price range for average obituary is from $27 to $60. |
