Every day, editors on The New York Times Obituaries team scan news reports and dig through emails from readers to learn who died recently; they then decide whether to assign a reporter to write about one of those lives. The process can be challenging. We have only so many hands to report, write and edit obituaries, yet we have a very wide world to watch.
Sometimes we miss the opportunity to write about someone who led a fascinating life or made a significant mark on the world simply because we did not know the person died.
This is where you come in. If someone you know dies and you think we should consider writing an obituary, please tell us. We’re looking to hear about people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.
Please include why you think our readers would want to know about this person’s life. We are particularly interested in people who:
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Made a significant impact on their community or society at large
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Left their mark on the arts and culture
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Played a pivotal role in a movement, era or invention
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Overcame great obstacles to attain success
We may follow up with you to learn more. We will not share your contact information outside the Times newsroom and will use it only to reach out to you.
(Please note that a Times obituary is different from a death notice, which is usually written, submitted and paid for by the family.)
