In my chosen line of work, I often come across families struggling to write an obituary for a deceased loved one.  Most families assume they have to write their own obituaries and submit them to the local newspaper.  However, that isn't the case.  The former television host Art Linkletter recently passed away and was memorialized in obituaries across the country.  Each obituary took a different form and highlighted different aspects of Linkletter's life and career.  Each was written by a professional journalist.  Those who live in the Tampa Bay area may have read the one in the St. Pete Times which originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.  This particular obituary focused on Linkletter's interaction with his audience and the profound impact he had on his followers. 

The larger newspapers employer professional journalists as obituary writers.  (You may remember the movie Serendipity with John Cusack, his buddy was an obit writer for the NY Times).  A well-written obituary is an art form.  A good obituary makes the person come alive with his/her character traits, talents, foibles, and qualities. 

Obituary writing is indeed an art form.  In fact, there is a Society of Professional Obituary Writers.   The web address:   http://www.obitwriters.org

It's an important work that memorializes the importance of a life well lived.