Ready to be IMMORTALIZED?

Legacy.com is about to launch a new podcast called "Immortalized." The show, hosted by Legacy reporters Linnea Crowther and Stephen Segal, will answer some of the public's most frequent questions, including: 

 * “Do deaths really come in threes?” 

 * “Is it morbid writing obituaries every day?” 

* “Whose obituary got the most love?”

Here's the trailer for season 1:

British Royals

 https://www.rappler.com/science/society-culture/obituaries-rarely-cross-taboo-as-they-look-for-the-positive-peoples-lives

Fascinating subject + skilled writer = great obituary

You don't have to be rich or famous to warrant a great obituary. You just have to live an interesting life -- and catch the attention of a top-notch journalist.

Maureen O'Donnell, obituary writer for The Chicago Sun-Times and the former president of The Society of Professional Obituary Writers, is one such reporter and her obit of Florence Jones-Smith is a must-read. 

Let me entice you with her lede: 

Florence Jones-Smith grew up the 13th of 15 children in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, and she kept a wisp of cotton in a glass jar to remind herself she never wanted to go back. 

“This represents the first and last cotton I ever picked,” she’d say.

Click here to read the rest of Florence's fascinating life story.

Quote of the Day

"Everybody thinks that they’re important enough to warrant a big obit. But the best obituaries come in sort of understated. An obit’s a story; it’s not just a résumé." --Adam Bernstein, Washington Post

What is lost without obits? Great stories

Although there are wonderful obituaries still published in Australia, dwindling resources have significantly reduced their appearances in newspapers. So what is lost when this happens?

"I believe you lose perhaps the most important journalism instrument, in terms of history. It's the first verdict of society on a life lived. And if you want to know what life was like in times past, go to the obituaries." --Nigel Starck, author of "Life After Death: The Art of the Obituary," recently told ABC Radio Perth.

Click here to listen to the entire interview.

"CBS Sunday Morning" reporting from ObitCon 2019

New Grimmy winners announced at ObitCon 2019

Every two years, The Society of Professional Obituary Writers honors excellence in obituary writing with The Grimmys. Reporters and editors from all over the world submit entries to the contest, which is then blind-judged by a panel of society members.

Trophies were awarded at ObitCon in Washington D.C. last week, but if you were unable to attend, here's the list of winners:

Best long form obit: Aretha Franklin
Written by Hillel Italie, AP

Best short form obit (under 800 words): Sarkis Tashjian
Written by Maureen O’Donnell, Chicago Sun-Times

Best obit of an ordinary Joe/Jane: Ian Jordan
Written by Tom Hawthorn, The Globe and Mail

Obituary writer of the year: Harrison Smith, The Washington Post

Lifetime achievement: Tom Hawthorn, The Globe and Mail

Click here to read the obits that won this year's awards.


--Group photo by Jen Peters. Trophy closeup by Harrison Smith.