Guidance for Submitting Obituaries or Memorials to the Mountainair Dispatch
The Mountainair Dispatch understands that submitting an obituary is one of the most difficult tasks a family or funeral home may undertake. Obituaries are both a tribute to a loved one’s life and an important way to inform the community of their passing.
To help families, friends, and funeral homes create meaningful memorials, the Mountainair Dispatch has outlined the information we suggest you provide when submitting an obituary.
Suggested Information
When preparing an obituary, please include as much of the following as possible:
- Full Name of the individual, including:
- Maiden names
- Nicknames
- Professional or religious titles (e.g., Reverend, Dr., Sister, etc.)
- Note: We are sensitive to circumstances in which an individual may have changed their name during their life, including those for transgender individuals. We will honor the name(s) the family designates, as these are most likely in line with the deceased’s wishes.
- Photograph(s) and/or video of the deceased, with captions if available
- Age of the deceased at the time of passing
- Date of passing
- Date of birth
- Place of birth and all places of residence throughout life
- Schools, occupations, and workplaces, especially where the deceased was widely known
- Interests, hobbies, clubs, and passions
- Names of surviving family members
- Details of memorial services:
- Date and time of funeral, memorial service, wake, shiva, or other religious or cultural gatherings
- Whether services are public or private
- Locations of services, including addresses and web links if available
- Where to share remembrances online, with a web address
- Where to send flowers, with a web address if available
- Where to make memorial donations in lieu of flowers, with a web address if available
Submitting Obituaries
Please email obituary submissions to:
You may also attach photos and service flyers when submitting by email.
Proofreading and Editing
The Mountainair Dispatch staff will proofread and, if necessary, make minor changes to obituary submissions for clarity, grammar, and readability.
Example Obituary
We welcome submissions in many styles. Below is an example format you may find helpful:
Jane Mary Doe (née Smith), age 64, entered into rest on July 31, 2025.
She was born in East Orange, NJ, on November 5, 1960, to Thomas Smith and Martha Smith. At the age of 10 her family moved to Mountainair, NM, where she graduated high school. She worked many years as a baker at Doe Orchards Pie Shop in Pueblo, CO.
Jane was a loving person who appreciated the great outdoors and enjoyed traveling and camping with her children. Her passions were visiting libraries, collecting baseball cards, and doting on her dogs. Jane was a skillful cook and took pride in hosting many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
She loved her family, especially her precious grandchildren, and she will be dearly missed by all. Jane is survived by her mother, Martha, her son Albert, daughters Brenda and Claire, her five grandchildren, Donna, Eric, Frank, Gail, and Hannah. She is also survived by her brothers, Jake and Kyle, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A private service for Jane will be held on September 1, 2025. Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the BUSINESS NAME funeral home, ADDRESS, WEB ADDRESS, where visitors can share their memories of the deceased. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org/.
For questions, please contact us at todd@tradecraftwriting.com.
We extend our deepest condolences to you and your family during this difficult time.