Bible Verse of the Month
The LORD is my rock,
and my fortress,
and my deliverer;
my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust;
my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalms 18:2
How To Write An Obituary
Writing an obituary is both a great honor — and a great responsibility…
The person writing an obituary has been asked to create a document that is going to be read by many, many people. It will be read in newspapers for several weeks, and on the internet far into the future. It will be read by family members, loved ones, friends, acquaintances and many others who are simply interested in reading about neighbors who have passed away. For most authors, the obituary will be the most read piece of writing they have ever done – or ever will do.
Despite the above factors, most people who are called upon to compose an obituary are understandably unprepared to do so. And while there is a growing list of resources to support the novice obituary author, there is still a profound lack of practical, helpful, easy-to-use assistance.
Stevenson & Sons has prepared this document, including the Complete Instructions on How to Write an Obituary – with examples, below to help people who are called upon to create an obituary. It is designed to provide practical support in an easy to follow and use manner. Examples are provided, when they are appropriate.
Please note that all of the following steps in Complete Instructions on How to Write an Obituary – with examples do not have to be included. If all of the steps are included, it constitutes an exceptional obituary. Many times, an obituary must be much, much shorter due to any number of factors; including the inability to contact friends and relatives from early years.
Succinctly put: Provide the readers of the obituary you write with whatever you can.
Complete Instructions on How to Write an Obituary – with examples
You may download the entire set of illustrated instructions with examples as a PDF by clicking HERE – then save it as a document to your computer for future reference or you may simply read it or print it out.
Introducing Scot Renville – Funeral Director
Scot was born and raised in Fort Benton, the birthplace of Montana. He graduated in 1985 and spent the next 2 years in Chicago attending Wheaton College. in 1987, Scot joined the US Navy and faithfully served his country for the next 6 years- spending time in Orlando and San Diego. After his Honorable Discharge, he returned to Montana where he and his wife, Shawna, raised their two sons- Seth and Samuel. Scot began a career with the BNSF Railway that would last the next 16 years. In 2009, he was asked to assist with a funeral and realized his life calling. Scot attended Arapahoe Community College near Denver and became a fully licensed Funeral Director in 2013. While on a hunting trip in late 2015, he spent some time in a Stevenson Family funeral home and joined their team in early 2016. That summer Scot moved to Glasgow and now works in both the Bell Mortuary and the CSMC Chapel in Wolf Point.
Scot has served on several boards and currently serves as Quartermaster and Adjutant for VFW Post 3107. In his spare time, Scot enjoys camping, golfing, dancing, travelling and recently found a passion for kayaking with his youngest son, Samuel.
14-Years Old & Under Babe Ruth Word Series Tournament
14- Years Old & Under Babe Ruth Word Series Tournament in Williston, ND. On Monday, August 15th, Stevenson Fulkerson’s Funeral Homes in Williston, ND sponsored the event’s Chef of the Day: Boog’s BBQ out of Miles City, Montana.
Financial Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020…
If you lost a loved one due to Covid-19, you may qualify for financial assistance for your family’s funeral expenses. Click here to find out more information.
Grief Support
Many people do not have the time to locate a proper grief counselor. Others do not live in an area where there are any grief counselors available. And finally, many people are not prepared to pay a professional for grief counseling. Fortunately, the internet provides some solutions for those who wish to seek grief counseling or to interact with groups of people who are also coping with grief. Many such services exist, as do professional counselors who will assist people privately on line, hence eliminating the need for travel. Not all services are the same, nor are all chat rooms/groups. You should research what you are interested in and follow-up on the leads you believe will be most helpful to your personal situation until you locate exactly what works best for you. In your search engine look for terms like “grief chat rooms” “bereavement support groups” “professional grief counseling” or “grief management.” Good research is the path to successfully linking up with what, or who, will work the best for you. Another option would be to start your search at the Mental Health American website. Lots of information, and many places to research groups, centers and more.
Supporting Others
If you know someone who would benefit from the uplifting messages and support information we provide in these monthly newsletters, they can sign up to receive their own copy here (https://stevensonandsons.com/news/sign-up/). It’s a great way to lend your support to a friend or a family member.
