Reimagining obituaries into enduring storytelling

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Despite the explosion of media, instant access to historical data, and ease of having conversations anywhere on the globe, obituaries remain stuck in the 19th century. Locate a great- or great-great-grandparent through a family tree database, and compare their death notice with today’s. You’ll find the same robotic recitation of facts: Date and location of birth and death, education, profession, marriage; parents, children and other relatives, funeral arrangements.

Where others see death notices as the formulaic last word on a life with a depressing air of finality, the journalists at McElvy Communications help craft vibrant and compelling life stories that endure, rich with detail, insight and intimacy. We believe in the adage that humans continue to live as long as one person remembers even the smallest detail about them, and we create indelible and inspiring narratives that bring and keep alive lost lives in a way that no traditional format can.

We are engaging with select funeral directors to acquaint them with our services, to add us to the options available to individuals and families’ planning. This can be done sensitively for an unexpected death or as a more measured part of a pre-need arrangement. Each life is approached with the same dignity and respect that you accord, and we will blend perfectly into a partnership with you.

Instead of providing a form to be filled out, an experienced journalist from McElvy will work with your client directly, gathering necessary research for factual integrity while conducting interviews and making other personal connections that will be woven into a vibrant and moving life story that will not only touch friends and family but will be compelling human interest reading for anyone.

For your clients whose passing is newsworthy, we will write a thoroughly professional news release that we will distribute to appropriate media, and we will serve as the liaison for the family, as needed, with the news media. This can be adapted to specialized audiences, including professional and educational journals and other niche media. Upon request, we can evaluate the potential for a video tribute and provide scripting and producing services if the proper elements can be gathered.

We hope you will review our samples and work with us to craft options and packages to offer to your highly discerning clientele that will add another dimension to the services you provide. And most importantly, to create lasting tributes that do justice to their lives.