“In this world, nothing is certain, except death and taxes.” That famous line attributed to Founding Father Benjamin Franklin still rings true today. However, as most Americans prepare each year for spring tax season, few will sit down to put their affairs in order before death, and more specifically, to write their own obituary, says Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist.
“It’s a valuable process to write a basic obituary that you can add to over time,” Brown says.
On April 10 from 11am-1pm CST, SDSU Extension will host an online workshop dedicated to obituary writing. Free and open to the public, “Heirlooms: Creative Life Writing,” will help attendees examine significant life memories and events and then organize them into obituary form. Space is limited.
The class will be led by Molly Barari, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Wilkes University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Adult Education at the University of South Dakota. She will provide writing prompts to help participants identify the important details of their lives.
Barari says crafting a written document ensures that it’s available for family and loved ones when needed, and most importantly, writing your own obituary gives you the opportunity to preserve your life story in your own words.
“Obituaries should have personalities, just like the people they represent,” says Barari. “This workshop helps you write down important life events in your own voice. It’s never too soon to start preserving your legacy.”
For the workshop, participants should have access to a notebook and pen or a Word program on their computer. All ages of adults are welcome to attend.
Registration can be found on the SDSU Extension website.
For more information, contact Brown at 605-394-1722 or by email.
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