Emily Grierson’s Obituary Assignment

As an activity for our study of Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”, you are required to write an obituary of Emily Grierson’s life and death. Drawing on details from the story, write Miss Emily’s obituary for the Jefferson Enquirer.

An obituary is a notice of a person’s death which includes details from their life. Included in these details are the following: Birth, death, family relations (marriages, children, brother, sisters, etc…), work life, military service, awards, accomplishments, goals, character traits, etc… the purpose of an obituary is to notify people of the person’s death and to honor their life and accomplishments of it. (Formats and examples of obituaries are attached and/or posted on Mr. Kroll’s website.)

YOU NEED TO USE YOUR TEXT, READING HANDOUTS AND EVENT CHART TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT! FOLLOW FORMAT ON ATTACHED PAGES!

Obituaries should be a minimum of 150 words and need to be typed and are due on Tuesday, February 18, 2014.

Points / Criteria
15 / A 15 point response shows understanding of the topic, completes all requirements, follows the format of an obituary, and contains all necessary and important details of the life and death of Emily Grierson.
13 / A 13 point response shows understanding of the topic, completes all requirements, follows the format of an obituary, and contains some necessary and important details of the life and death of Emily Grierson.
11 / A 11 point response shows some understanding of the topic, completes most of the requirements, generally follows the format of an obituary, and contains a few necessary and important details of the life and death of Emily Grierson.
9 / A 9 point response minimum understanding of the topic, completes a few of requirements, basically follows the format of an obituary, and contains little necessary and important details of the life and death of Emily Grierson.
8 & Below / Off-topic or irrelevant response.

OBITUARY

Writing an obituary can be a daunting task so often funeral homes and mortuaries will write the obituary for you based on the information you provide to them. Once you have collected the information about the deceased that you'd like to include in the obituary, writing it is not that difficult.

The hardest aspect of obituary writing is collecting the dates and information about the deceased's life. Writing the obituary for a loved one can be a therapeutic and welcomed task. This is your opportunity to show your loved one in the best possible light and to include information about the deceased that may not be widely known.

An obituary is a celebration of the deceased and it is an honor to be the one to write it. Now that you have taken on this task, here are some ways to make the writing go a little easier.

How to Write an Obituary, Sentence by Sentence

If you've read obituaries in the newspaper or online, you'll notice that there is a pattern to them. They always have certain elements included and the information flows from specifics of the death and funeral, to details about the deceased and surviving family.

  • The first sentence starts with the full name of the deceased, the city in which they resided, the date they died, where they died and sometimes cause of death.
  • The next sentence often tells when and where the deceased was born, and the names of parents.
  • Then the obituary can go on to give accomplishments and a chronological account of the person's life and education.
  • A list of surviving family usually is at the end, but can also be included right after the first sentence announcing the death.
  • The obituary closes with the funeral, burial, wake, or memorial details and a foundation where memorial gifts can be donated.

This is another sample of a funeral obituary outline that you may need to write.

You will want to make note of this information before actually sitting down to write the obituary.

  1. Start with noting the person’s full name, date of birth and date of death.
  2. In chronological form, indicate the account of the person’s life starting from place of birth, where they grew up, where they received their education and place of residency for the majority of their life and death. Include a list of schools attended, degrees received, vocation and hobbies, if applicable.
  3. Make acknowledge to any surviving family members who includes parents, siblings, spouse, children, and grandchildren, if any. The surviving relatives can be listed by name if you desire.
  4. Make the announcement on when and where the funeral, burial, wake and/or memorial service will take place.
  5. Conclude with a statement regarding memorial contributions and where they can be sent, if applicable. The initial words can include “In lieu of flowers…” or “Memorial donations may be made to…”
  6. Make your obituary sound positive and celebrate the life that was lived by including facts about the person’s interest, hobbies, and joys. The people who read your obituary will read it as if walking down memory lane in reflection to his or her life.

EXAMPLE OBITUARIES can be found on Mr. Kroll’s website and/or in print newspapers.

Another Sample Format

The second type of obituary will create a longer life sketch of the individual who has passed away, which may contain several paragraphs. This is typically the type of obituary that is used in funeral programs, prayer cards and funeral keepsakes. It may include the following information:

  • Date of birth, place of birth
  • Date of death, place of death
  • Circumstances of death (This section is optional, and may be general or specific. Rather than referring directly to cancer or Alzheimer’s, it may be more appropriate to refer to a “prolonged illness.” In cases of suicide, perhaps no information is necessary).
  • Plans for the viewing (if applicable) and the memorial service
  • Name of high school or college from which he/she attended or graduated
  • Military service and decorations
  • Religious affiliation, such as church or synagogue
  • Jobs held - including retirement
  • Names and relations of family members, both surviving and pre-deceased, to include parents, siblings, spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren
  • Awards/Recognitions received
  • Organizations to which the deceased belonged (volunteer work, fraternal organizations, veterans’ groups, religious orders)

Obituary Example 1 -- Young Person

Brad Watson
April 8th 1991 - April 10, 2011
Brad Watson, 20, of Suffolk passed away April 10, 2011 as a result of a long battle with leukaemia. His friends and family were by his side when he drifted off to be with the Lord. He was born to Brenda and Jackson Watson of SuffolkVirginia on April 8th 1991. Brad went to WilloughbyElementary School, LincolnMiddle School, and Wilkerson’s High School for Science in Math in Suffolk.
He was currently a senior at RegentUniversity majoring in Biology. His greatest aspiration was to become a doctor and help people conflicted with leukaemia. He was a member of the Student Council and created a student group for people with leukaemia. Brad also wrote the “health news’ column for Regent University Times, the school newspaper. He was dedicated to getting the word out about Leukaemia along with other health issues. He also attended Friendship Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach.
Brad is survived by his parents Brenda and Jackson Watson; his brother Koby Jackson and his sister Linda Jackson all of Suffolk. He also leaves his maternal grandparents, Janet and Jerome Williams, of Virginia Beach; and his paternal grandparents, Joyce and Reggie Carter of Indianapolis. He is also survived by his girlfriend, Sharon Pittles of Suffolk and his close friend John Hillman of Virginia Beach and several loving aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Loveland Funeral Home in Virginia Beach. The funeral will be held at 11:30 am on Thursday, April 18th at the funeral home; burial will follow at ShadyAcresCemetery in Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society.

Obituary Example 2 -- Prominent Person

World Renowned Artist Randolph Liddon
May, 11 1943 – April 23, 2011
Randolph Liddon 58, who was killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas on Wednesday, was one of the most prominent painter, sculptor and educator to grace the south east in more than five decades. Liddon was known for his artistic depictions of southern culture and life.
A native of Gastonia, N.C., Liddon entered VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity intending to be a scientist. He soon switched to art after being encouraged by art educator Reginald Whitman.
“He was one of my brightest students and I remember one day he showed me some of his paintings. I was blown away. I told him that the world needed his art. He will be missed but his art will speak for him now,” stated Whitman.
After completing his undergraduate degree Liddon enrolled at BostonUniversity and earned a Masters of Art and a Doctorate in Art Education. In 1990 he established the ArtDepartment at NorfolkStateUniversity where he taught until his death. Across the nation Liddon left his artistic mark with more than 30 murals and over 100 paintings. His most talked about painting, “A Time Before Sunrise,” still graces the walls of the White House. President Clinton bought the piece during his presidential tenure.
In 2010 a retrospective collaboration of his work, "Randolph Liddon: A Beautiful Love," travelled to museums from Milan to the District of Columbia. He had pieces at local community galleries as well as the Smithsonian. Liddon was known to use several platforms to feature his art with an effort to reach people where they were. He often infused his work with intricate geometric patterns and African motifs, some of which were inspired by seven trips to Africa and the middle-east.
During an interview about his “Randolph Liddon: A Beautiful Love” project he stated, "Art is about expressing love visually and I accepted this challenge as my life’s true vocation. When you mix love and art and allow the two to bring people together then you have a wonderful thing. You have something magical.”
Randolph is survived by his wife Sadie Liddon; daughter Renee Liddon; his brother Jackson Liddon all of Norfolk, Va. He also leaves behind several aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends, colleagues, and students who played very important roles in his life.
His students have organized a memorial celebration of his life at noon tomorrow, April 25th at Brown Hall on the campus of NorfolkStateUniversity. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Love Hall Funeral Home in Norfolk, Virginia. The funeral will be held at 11:30 am on Wednesday, April 27th at the funeral home; burial will follow at SweetPassagesCemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Randolph Liddon College Fund.

Thomas Francis Cannon

Thomas Francis Cannon
AGE: 81 Avon
Thomas Francis Cannon passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in Salerno, Italy. He was born in Jersey City, NJ on March 20, 1930 to Thomas Francis Cannon and Norah Feeney Cannon. He was the youngest of seven children, all predeceased. He attended St. Aloysius High School and after graduation had a short career at Metropolitan Life in NYC. Tom entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy-Kings Point (USMMA) Class of 1955 after which he began his lifetime career in the Merchant Marines sailing for much of his career with American Export Lines and Sea Land Services. In 1961, while working for RCA in Hoboken, he earned his Master in Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1995, Tom received the Silver Mariner Award from USMMA. This award recognizes graduates of the USMMA who through their career have fulfilled the principal goal of the Academy. He was inducted in 1997 to the USMMA Athletic Hall of Fame; while at USMMA he earned 10 varsity letters (more than any cadet before him) in baseball, football and basketball. He led the football team in pass receptions for 3 of 4 years and led the baseball team batting average and home runs for two years. Later in life, he would go on to proudly coach baseball for AvonElementary School for seven years. In 2008, Tom was honored with the Maritime Administration's Merchant Marine Medal for Outstanding Achievement in recognition of his 50 years of active service, unique career achievements and dedication to the United States Merchant Marines as an educator. Since his retirement and up to his passing, he remained selflessly dedicated to teaching and passing on lessons learned to future generations of marine engineers at the CalhoonMEBAEngineeringSchool in Easton, Md. as an Adjunct instructor. Most marine engineers aspire to be Chief Engineers. Tom held the distinct honor to be the only Chief Engineer to hold unlimited Chief Engineer license in Steam, Motor, Gas Turbine and Nuclear commercial vessels. He was the Chief Engineer of such ships as the GTS Adm. William M. Callaghan with its revolutionary gas turbine technology and the N/S Savannah the world's first and only commercially operated nuclear ship. He had many interests, including traveling, fishing, cooking, reading, collecting old maritime books, learning Italian and crossword puzzles to name a few. Throughout his life, he could always be found fixing something: whether it was mechanical, electrical or digital he would try and make it work. Tom was an inspiration to us all and will be sorely missed. He will always be remembered for his way of giving back, teaching, coaching and mentoring.
He was predeceased by his wife, Teresa L. Wolkoff Cannon and is survived by his wife, Concetta Siano Cannon and seven children, Mary Anne (Dan), Thomas (Joseph), Suzanne (Ronald), Adrianne (Sean), Aileen, Piper (John) and Heather (Anthony); and his grandchildren, Ron, Tom, Norah, Joseph, Mickey, Matthew, Grace and Emma, along with many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at the Reilly Funeral Home, 801 D St., Belmar. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel R.C. Church, 805 Pine St., Asbury Park, followed by interment at St. Ann's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to SloanKetteringCancerCenter for Dr. Slovin's research, St. Jude Children's ResearchHospital or United States Merchant Marine Academy-Kings Point.