How to submit information for an obituary in The Durango Herald

Telling the story of a life

Obituaries report the news of a death, but they also tell the story of a life. The Herald considers such news important because we, as a community, have all suffered a loss. Sometimes such news appears on our front page, but most often an obituary appears inside the paper.

We would like to make the process of telling the story of your loved one’s life simple and clear, and we hope this brochure can help you. Unlike many newspapers, the Herald does not charge for a news obituary for people who have a clear connection to La Plata County, such as having lived here or having an immediate family member who lives here. However, like most newspapers, we use a standard news style for a free obituary. That means writing specific information in a specific way.

Unfortunately, many times we cannot use exactly the words that you or your family have prepared because it does not fit that news style. But we’ll make every effort to include information that you consider important. And, if you want to use your own words, we’ll help you to create a paid obituary.

Unfortunately, many times we cannot use exactly the words that you or your family have prepared because it does not fit that news style. But we’ll make every effort to include information that you consider important. And, if you want to use your own words, we’ll help you to shape a paid obituary.

A free obituary
A free obituary is a short news story that appears one time only in the Herald’s news section. It includes a short profile, an optional photo, a list of survivors and information about services and charitable donations. Your family or a mortuary director submits this information to the Herald, and reporters write the story according to standard news style. The questions on the back of this brochure will help Herald reporters shape this story.

A paid obituary
A paid obituary is published at a discounted rate and handled like an advertisement by the Herald’s advertising department. You may write long or short, and we will publish your words verbatim, subject only to advertising standards. The size of the ad determines its cost. (For example, a black and white, 3.8” wide by 5”deep ad costs about $107.) The cost includes design work, which can be tailored to your needs. Call (970) 247-3504 and ask to speak to an advertising representative.

Timing
We make every effort to publish free obituaries in a timely manner so readers can learn about service arrangements. Obituaries should be submitted by 2 p.m. whenever possible. We may have to delay publication of obituaries that do not have pending services until space is available.

Photos
While we cannot guarantee we will use photos because of space limitations, we welcome recent photos of your loved ones. We also encourage a close-up photo of senior citizens when they were younger. If you submit such a photo, please indicate the year it was taken. Attach prints or a disk to the obituary, or e-mail images to obituaries@ durangoherald.com. Write “Obituary photo for [name]” in the subject line. Photos sent by e-mail must be 300 dpi JPEG files at least 2” wide.

Filling in the details
An obituary documents a life for future generations as well as for historians. To record this history, a Herald reporter will write an obituary based on your answers to questions on the reverse side of this brochure. Please offer as much information as possible, and be accurate and thorough. This will help our readers remember your loved ones as fully as you do.
Please answer questions as completely as possible and type or neatly print your answers on a separate sheet of paper. If you would like the Herald to publish an obituary in a different format, see the information on paid obituaries on the reverse side of this brochure. A Herald reporter may call you to clarify information or gather additional facts.
Contact Information
1. Your name
2. Your relationship to the deceased
3. Your phone number (including one where you can be reached right away) and e-mail address
4. Do you have a recent close-up photo that you would like to include? Do you have an additional photo at a younger age?

Biographical Information
5. Full name of your loved one – first, middle, surname, nickname, Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss
6. Date, city and state of death
7. Cause of death (See note in box at right.)
8. Date, city, state or country of birth
9. Parents’ names at time of birth
10. When and where did your loved one live in Southwest Colorado? If not here, then please explain his or her connection to our community.

Education
11. Where and when did your loved one attend high school? College? (Include all degrees and dates earned.)

Military Service
12. Branch of service
13. When enlisted; where stationed/served
14. Rank at discharge; date of discharge
15. Stories or anecdotes about this service

Marriage(s)
16. First marriage: date, place, full name of spouse Did the marriage end in death or divorce?
17. Second marriage: date, place, full name of spouse. Did the marriage end in death or divorce? (See note in box at right.)
18. Subsequent marriages

Work History
19. This is not a resumé, so you don’t need to include every job ever held. But please include the important ones that shaped your loved one’s work life. Include employer, a brief description of job responsibilities and years of employment.

Organizations and Memberships
20. List the organizations that occupied your loved one’s time. This may include religion, politics, nonprofits, or athletic, professional and personal activities. If your loved one held elected office, whether the school board or the U.S. Senate, please include this information.

Passions and Hobbies
21. What your loved one did in spare time offers insight for readers. Did this gardener tend flowers that everyone admired? Did this hunter get an elk for 20 years running?

Anecdotes
22. Family memories make an obituary interesting and complete. Please include these personal touches, as well as quotes from family members.

Family
23. List spouses, significant companions and children who preceded your loved one in death.
24. List survivors, including parents, grandparents, spouses, significant companions or caregivers, children or siblings. Please list full names, all relationships to your loved one, plus town and state of residence for each person. We include the number, but not the names, of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren, as well as statements such as “numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.” (See note in box, above.)

Service Information
25. Include date, time and place. What type of service? Will there be a funeral, burial, memorial, celebration of life or Mass? Details of visitation and rosaries may be included.
26. List the names and titles of those officiating at the service, burial or cremation.

Memorial Contributions
27. If you would like contributions to a charity or cause that your loved one supported in life, please identify it and provide the address.
Working with the Herald

Delivering an obituary

• In person: 1275 Main Ave., Durango. Deliver by 2 p.m. weekdays. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• By fax: (970) 259-5011, Attention: Assignment Editor
• By e-mail: obituaries@durangoherald.com (Write “Obituary for [deceased’s name]” in the subject line.)

Obtaining extra copies
The Herald cannot provide extra clippings of free obituaries after they are published. Extra newspapers may be purchased at the Herald’s front desk during normal business hours. If you would like extra newspapers mailed out of town, call the Herald’s circulation department at (970) 375-4530. For information on obtaining extra copies of paid obituaries, which are handled like paid advertisements, contact the Herald’s advertising department at 247-3504.

Internet information
This brochure can be found online at www.durangoherald.com. Free obituaries that have been published in the Herald are also posted on this site. Paid obituaries will not appear on the Herald’s Web site.

Corrections
If the Herald makes an error in an obituary, we’ll reprint the corrected obituary without cost and refer to that in “Setting It Straight.” If the Herald receives incorrect or disputed information, we’ll correct minor errors in “Setting It Straight.” Major errors may result in a reprinted obituary.
Editing obituary details

Survivors

Your loved ones may leave behind grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. The Herald regrets that we do not have enough space to list their names.We will gladly list the number of such survivors.We do not list in-laws or other extended family members as individual survivors.

Spouses
Many people have had more than one marriage or have outlived more than one spouse. Such relationships are an important part of life, especially if they included children. The Herald will state wedding information and then indicate if the marriage ended in divorce or death. Include the full name of the spouse at the time of marriage.

Cause of death
We ask for a cause of death. Reporting the cause of death sheds light on medical concerns, particularly for future generations, and the human condition. It also saves the family from having to answer the question repeatedly. Withholding the cause raises questions and may promote rumors. If we do not receive this information, we follow standard news style and add “the cause of death was not disclosed” to the obituary text.

Corrections
If the Herald makes an error in an obituary, we’ll reprint the corrected obituary without cost and refer to that in “Setting It Straight.” If the Herald receives incorrect or disputed information, we’ll correct minor errors in “Setting It Straight.” Major errors may result in a reprinted obituary.
If you have questions about obituary policies at the Herald, call (970) 375-4545 on weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or (970) 375-4584 on weekends and evenings.