Obituaries

Arlene Brown
B: 1938-01-11
D: 2021-11-11
View Details
Brown, Arlene
Anne Vickery
B: 1935-10-29
D: 2021-11-08
View Details
Vickery, Anne
Ursula Selinger
B: 1939-02-13
D: 2021-11-08
View Details
Selinger, Ursula
Rose-Marie Nardozzi
B: 1931-07-08
D: 2021-11-08
View Details
Nardozzi, Rose-Marie
Thomas Guy
B: 1955-01-18
D: 2021-11-07
View Details
Guy, Thomas
Robert Chewning
B: 1927-01-09
D: 2021-11-06
View Details
Chewning, Robert
Helen Curry
B: 1963-04-19
D: 2021-11-06
View Details
Curry, Helen
Alain Champaloux
B: 1954-02-04
D: 2021-11-05
View Details
Champaloux, Alain
Lucy Spagnolo
B: 1933-03-15
D: 2021-11-02
View Details
Spagnolo, Lucy
William Grierson
B: 1950-11-21
D: 2021-11-01
View Details
Grierson, William
Charles Lynn
B: 1939-05-21
D: 2021-11-01
View Details
Lynn, Charles
Nickolaos Mellos
B: 1936-06-05
D: 2021-10-31
View Details
Mellos, Nickolaos
Robert Chaney
B: 1925-09-27
D: 2021-10-29
View Details
Chaney, Robert
Charles Wallis
B: 1968-03-13
D: 2021-10-28
View Details
Wallis, Charles
Eleanor Judy
B: 1926-11-15
D: 2021-10-27
View Details
Judy, Eleanor
Helen Cordero
B: 1942-07-30
D: 2021-10-27
View Details
Cordero, Helen
Robert Ferry
B: 1937-05-31
D: 2021-10-27
View Details
Ferry, Robert
Sharon Chalmers
B: 1946-05-14
D: 2021-10-26
View Details
Chalmers, Sharon
Claire Hall
B: 1926-04-04
D: 2021-10-25
View Details
Hall, Claire
Charlotte Heazlit
B: 1928-08-23
D: 2021-10-25
View Details
Heazlit, Charlotte
Denise Curey
B: 1964-02-13
D: 2021-10-25
View Details
Curey, Denise

Search

Use the form above to find your loved one. You can search using the name of your loved one, or any family name for current or past services entrusted to our firm.

Click here to view all obituaries
Search Obituaries
2973 Solomons Island Road
Edgewater, MD 21037
Phone: 410-956-4488
Fax: 410-956-0783
Kalas Funeral Home
Compassion.Innovation.Trust

How to Write an Obituary

What's involved in writing a good obituary? That's really the first thing you have to think about when sitting down to write one for a spouse, other family members, or a close friend. Exactly what factual information should it include and how can you find a balance between dry facts and engaging storytelling? We have the answers to those questions and hope you will find this information about how to write an obituary helpful.

What's the Difference between an Obituary and a Death Notice?

The obituary is a longer, more detailed look at the life of the deceased and the death notice is merely a compilation of relevant facts. The obituary also includes those essential details but it expands on them to provide a more complete look at the deceased's life experiences. 

The first of the details would, of course, be their name. If she was a married woman, you'll want to include her maiden name and if he or she was commonly known by a nickname, you may want to add that as well.

Other essential details to include when writing either a death notice or an obituary are:

  • Their age upon death
  • Birthday
  • Birthplace
  • A list of the surviving relatives
  • The date of death
  • The location (city/state) where they died
  • Details about the funeral service: date, time, place
  • Full name
  • Date of death
  • Where the person lived

We think it benefits the families we serve when we remind them of the simple truth: in writing an obituary for your loved one, you have the opportunity to serve future generations – not only of your immediate family but of the society as a whole. You are, in effect, recording history on an individual scale. It's a humbling yet inspiring thought; at least we think so.

Well-Written Obituaries

It's very easy to find examples of obituaries that are worthy of attention. There are interesting obituaries for everyday folks that inspire us; maybe even make us cry or laugh. Obituaries which, when we're done reading them, we say to ourselves, "I wish I'd had a chance to get to know that person." Obituaries are scattered in cyberspace, acting as digital records of a life, a time, and a place; and recently, some very funny obituaries have been written.

Will writing our own obituaries become a trend? Maybe. We know many more people are writing their own obituaries today as it's often given as an assignment in certain college and university courses.

How you document your loved one's life story is up to you. With that said, we recommend that in addition to the facts of a death notice listed above, the enhanced death notice, known as an obituary, could also include these details:

  • Parents' names
  • Information about the spouse and children
  • Church affiliations
  • Job or career information
  • Personal and professional accomplishments
  • Personal character and interests
  • Influence on his or her community

It's now time to push the facts aside. Sit back and think about the anecdotes and memories you could share to shed some light on your loved one's character and personal interests. Bring factual details into play whenever you can to help the reader clearly see who your loved one was, how they lived, what they did, who and what they loved. The more rich in detail, the more memorable the obituary becomes.

Double Check Spelling and Grammar

Before you give a copy of the final draft of your loved one's obituary, be sure to read it through twice or even three times. You're looking for errors in spelling and grammar but you also want to make sure your facts are straight. 

Don't Hesitate to Call Us

We would be happy to offer some suggestions if you're stuck. Call us at (410) 956-4488 to discover how we can help you to shine a brighter spotlight on their life.