The death of a loved one is often the most challenging thing one will face in one’s life. It’s overwhelming, disheartening, and saddening for you personally, but also for those around you. As you prepare for the funeral, you’ll need to start contacting loved ones. How do you determine who to tell first and how?

Call those closest first

Immediate and extended family members along with close friends are who you should be contacting first. They are the ones who were most important to the deceased, and it is imperative they be made aware first before funeral arrangements are made. As you make your rounds, it will be a good idea to ask for up-to-date information including email addresses so details can be shared as the funeral approaches.

Consider sending out an email

An email chain can be started with those within the deceased’s communities, religious groups, and workplace. Keeping the email short will allow easy circulation and sharing. Keep funeral details short and omit any sensitive information that the family would want to keep private.

Social Media and Obituary

Writing an obituary can be really challenging for a few reasons, but chief among them is grappling with summarizing the life of your loved one in just a few paragraphs. Don’t worry about getting it perfect; the main purpose of an obituary is to inform the surrounding community of the death and memorial. You’ll have the chance to tell your loved one’s full story at the service. Be sure to have another set of eyes on the obituary as it’s written; this could spare any potential headaches arising from spelling errors or incorrect details.

And lastly, social media will reach the rest of the deceased’s circle of connections. Be careful to inform the immediate family and inner circle before sending out any social media post. It really should fall to the very bottom of the priority list in terms of spreading the news and is best for minimizing any hurt or shocked feelings. Keep the post brief, and consider linking the published obituary and service details. A good post will generate condolences, the sharing of memories, and support.