Fisher Watkins Funeral Home Danville Virginia Obituaries (2024)

FAQs

How do I find old obituaries in Virginia? ›

An obituary is written to tell the story of your loved one. These will often be in the funeral program. There will even be a part of the funeral where the obituary will be silently read by everyone in attendance at the funeral. It is something you and your family should be patient with when you are writing it.

Keep in mind the length: the average size of an obituary is approximately 200 words, but some publications may accept obituaries as long as 450 words or as short as 50 words.

Please contact the Health Department of the locality or the Office of Vital Records to check their availability. The Library of Virginia also has a death index that was created from transportation permits for deaths prior to 1912 and from 1912–1927.

Many funeral homes publish obituaries on their websites. These can usually be located with a Google search on the person's name. Local genealogical and historical societies, public libraries, and some newspaper publishers maintain clipping files of obituaries.

As you are giving your speech, if you begin to feel tears swell up, look up at the audience. This quick action can serve as a distraction for your mind and help hold the tears back. You can also scan the audience to see a friendly face which may also help in making you feel more relaxed and able to hold back the tears.

Deciding not to publish an obituary is #perfectlynormal in grief. If publishing an obituary in the paper or online feels (or felt) wrong to you - perhaps drawing unwanted attention or sharing on a level beyond what's comfortable - that's OK. There is no one right way to honor someone you love.

Concluding Message

Phrases like “We will always carry your memory in our hearts,” or perhaps a favorite quote of your loved one are heartfelt and personal.

The first paragraph of the obituary should include the deceased person's full name, including any nicknames they may have used, their age, date and place of death. Some people choose to include cause of death, but this is optional depending on how much information you would like to share.

What is the shortest obituary ever? ›

The late Douglas Legler, from Fargo, North Dakota, may have the funniest and most concise obituary ever. The whole obituary reads "Doug Died." And that's exactly the way he wanted it.

Copyright and Obituaries. To be clear, obituaries are protected by copyright. They are creative works of expression that are fixed into a tangible medium of expression. Both the text and the images that make up an obituary are protected by copyright (even if the facts and information are not).

Information for obtaining a Death Certificate directly from the Virginia Department Health Vital Records Division can be found at: www.vdh.virginia.gov by clicking on “Births, Deaths & Marriages” or by calling one of their customer service representatives at 804-662-6200.

When writing an obituary for a woman who had a maiden name, simply write her first name and then in parentheses write her maiden name and then her married last name. For instance, Laura (Ingalls) Wilder, Marie (Sklodowska) Curie or Julia (McWilliams) Childs.

Type of Certificate:

Death certificate without cause of death (public record) Death certificate with cause of death (confidential for 50 years - VALID PHOTO IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED).