Obituaries: Frequently asked questions
How do I publish an obituary in The Telegram & Gazette?
Where do obituaries placed with the Telegram & Gazette appear?
What information is typically included in an obituary?
Who can submit an obituary?
What is a paid obituary?
Does the Telegram & Gazette publish free obituaries?
What is a Recent Death listing?
Can I include a photo with an obituary?
What if the photo is older, will it reproduce with good quality?
The photo being used is color. Will it appear in color in the newspaper?
How can I submit a photo?
Will the obituary I send you publish on telegram.com?
How long will the obituary appear on telegram.com?
Where is the obituary going to appear on telegram.com?
How frequently are obituaries updated on www.telegram.com?
How often are obituaries viewed online?
Why do I sometimes see a duplicate deceased's name appearing online?
Will the obituary notice on telegram.com have an online guest book?
What is Legacy.com?
Whom do I call if there is a change or error in the obituary?
If I change the copy in a notice or cancel it before it prints in the newspaper will I be charged?
Will you bill us for the cost of the obituary?
What is an In-memoriam?
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Self-Service: Frequently asked questions
Can I work on my notice and save it without submitting it?
Will my notice run in color in the newspaper?
Is the preview an accurate representation of how the notice will look in the paper?
What if I miss the deadline for a publication?
Can I run obituaries in the TelegramTowns papers?
How will I know how much an obituary will cost?
How will I know if the newspaper receives my notice?
What if I notice a mistake in my notice after submitting it?
Will the notice go online?
Do I have to fill out all of the serchable information?
I see additional white space between the text boxes. How do I remove it?
Is JPG the only format that can be used for a photo?
Can I submit a Recent Death listing online?
How do I publish an obituary in The Telegram & Gazette?
Copy can be faxed, emailed, submitted through our website, or placed in person at our main office located at 20 Franklin St., Worcester, MA 01608. Our hours for receiving obituaries in person are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 1:00 p.m-5:00 p.m. The deadline for print publication is 5:30 p.m. the day before you would like it to appear in the paper.
Contact information:
Phone: (508) 793-9393 Choose Option 2 for death notices
Email: obits@telegram.com
Fax: (508) 793-9221
Website: www.telegram.com/placeanobit
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Where do obituaries placed with the Telegram & Gazette appear?
The Telegram & Gazette provides both paid obituaries and free death notices. Both appear in the newspaper and online. As a source of public record and information with high community interest, it is important to reach a wide audience.
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What information is typically included in an obituary?
Following is a list of frequently included items:
- Full name
- Nickname if appropriate
- Age of person at death
- Cause of death (if desired)
- Date of death
- City of residence at death
- Place of birth
- Previous locations of residences
- Family members who preceded in death – include spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, grandparents, immediate family and extended family as appropriate
- Family members and survivors – include spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, grandparents, immediate family and extended family as appropriate
- Quotes from family members
- Work history, military history, education
- Clubs and religious affiliations, hobbies, interests, accomplishments, volunteer activities
- Complete funeral, memorial service information and family receptions including date(s), times, location, cemetery, place of burial
- Family preference for flowers, memorial contributions or donations with instructions for submission
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Who can submit an obituary?
Although most obituaries are submitted directly from a funeral home, families may publish an obituary of their loved one with verification of the death. Contact information for the funeral home or crematorium handling the arrangements, or a copy of the death certificate is required.
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What is a paid obituary?
A paid obituary can include photos, icons, logos, and additional information about the deceased such as surviving family members, education and career, organization and club membership, interests and hobbies or activities and surviving pets. A listing under Recent Deaths and Funerals Today is also included. Cost for publication is $36.80 per inch, with approximately 7 lines to an inch, and 5-6 words to a line.
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Does the Telegram & Gazette publish free obituaries?
The Telegram & Gazette offers a complimentary death notice listing that includes the name, age, date of passing and the funeral home in charge of arrangements of the deceased. If you need more information than this, please choose an obituary. These publish in an index format under the heading of Recent Deaths on the obituary page and online in the recent obituaries column. They do not include a listing under Funerals Today or an online guestbook. A Recent Death listing is included with a paid obituary.
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What is a Recent Death listing?
A Recent Death listing is published free of charge and will include the name, age, and city and state the deceased was from, date of death, and date and location of the calling hours, funeral and burial. These notices will publish in an index format under the heading of Recent Deaths on the obituary page and online in the recent obituaries column. They do not include a listing under Funerals Today or an online guestbook. A Recent Death listing is included with a paid obituary.
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Can a photo be included with an obituary?
Photos are a personal preference of the family. Some families choose to use current photos while others select a favorite photo that has special meaning. As the printed obituary has lasting value, the family should choose the photo that means the most to them. If you have a favorite photo that includes multiple people and pets, the photo could be cropped to display the deceased only.
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What if the photo is older, will it reproduce with good quality?
Your submitted photo will go through an extensive toning process to deliver the best possible quality. However, with older photos, it is sometimes not possible to duplicate the quality of a newer one.
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The photo being used is color. Will it appear in color in the newspaper?
No, all obituary photos will run in black and white in the newspaper and appear in full color online.
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How can I submit a photo?
Photos may be emailed to obits@telegram.com in any commonly-used photo format, such as .jpg or .tiff. You may also bring photos to our main office located at 20 Franklin St., Worcester, MA to be scanned. We will scan your photo and either mail it back to you or if you prefer to wait, return it to you immediately upon the completion of the obituary. The quality of reproduction will greatly depend on the quality of the photo provided. Please do not fax photos.
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Will the obituary I send you publish on telegram.com?
Both paid obituaries and free Recent Death listings will be published online at telegram.com within 2 hours of being entered into our system. For example, an obituary placed on Thursday to run in the Sunday Telegram will post on www.telegram.com within 2 hours of entry into our system and remain on the main page online until end of day Sunday.
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How long will the obituary appear on telegram.com?
The notice will remain online for 30 days.
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Where is the obituary going to appear on telegram.com?
The notice will appear on the main page of the death notices through the scheduled print publication date in the Telegram & Gazette newspaper, after which it becomes searchable by the name of the deceased.
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How frequently are obituaries updated on telegram.com?
Obituaries are updated frequently throughout the day during our normal obituary office hours of 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday and 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
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How often are obituaries viewed online?
On telegram.com, an average of 1.4 million users each month look to our obituary pages. Obituary pages are consistently in the top three sections read by our online readers who find telegram.com to be their source for updated obituary notifications. The obituaries are also available each day on telegram.com's mobile site.
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Why do I sometimes see a duplicate deceased's name appearing online?
There are times when a notice is submitted as a Recent Death or as a smaller "incomplete" obituary preceding the full obituary notice. Because of the added benefit of having obituaries and Recent Death notices publish online before appearing in print, there may be a time frame when both notices are listed online.
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Will the obituary notice online have an online guest book?
An online guestbook is provided with paid obituaries only and will remain on the site for 30 days with the option for renewal.
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What is Legacy.com?
The Telegram & Gazette partners with Legacy.com, the largest provider of online obituaries, to facilitate dissemination of obituaries nationwide. The reader will be able to access obituaries through telegram.com but also have access to the full national site. Your publication of an obituary in the Telegram & Gazette includes the ability for a family members and friends to view the notice and sign and view the guest book for one month.
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Whom do I call if there is a change or error in the obituary?
Please call the Obituary Department at (508) 793-9393 and choose option 2 off the main menu. Someone is in the office every day of the year to assist you on the telephone from 10:00 a.m-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays. If you reach our voice mail during these hours, please leave your name and phone number and we will return your call promptly. Corrections may also be made by email or fax. We do not accept corrections over the phone.
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If I change the copy in a notice or cancel it before it prints in the newspaper will I be charged?
Due to the frequency of publishing the obituaries online there will be no refunds for cancellation. Copy changes that result in an increase or decrease in the cost of the obituary will be charged the higher rate.
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Will you bill us for the cost of the obituary?
We bill most funeral homes within our immediate area. We do not bill out of state funeral homes, or private parties for obituaries. We can arrange for payment with a credit card by phone prior to publishing the obituary. You may also pay in person by cash, check or credit card at our main office located at 20 Franklin St., Worcester , MA during the business hours of 8:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.
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What is an In-memoriam?
An in-memoriam ad is placed to remember birthdays, death anniversaries, holidays, or any special day for the departed. A standard in-memoriam includes a border, photo, name, date of birth, date of death and a message. An in-memoriam may be placed by emailing to memoriams@telegram.com or in person at 20 Franklin St., Worcester, MA, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The deadline is 2 business days prior to the publication date. Cost for placement is $68.70 per inch and prepayment is required. For more information on placing an in-memoriam please call (508)-793-9226.
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Contact information
Phone: (508) 793-9393 Choose Option 2 for death notices
Email: obits@telegram.com
Fax: (508) 793-9221
Website: www.telegram.com/placeanobit
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Can I work on my notice and save it without submitting it?
Yes, you may build the notice, see how much it will cost and save it for later. You will be prompted to create an account so you can log in at a later date and finish and submit the notice.
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Will my notice run in color in the newspaper?
No, all ads run black and white in the newspaper. The photos remain in color on the screen and will be converted prior to publication. The photos will run in color on telegram.com.
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Is the preview an accurate representation of how the notice will look in the paper?
Yes, what you see is what you will get in the newspaper (other than the color photo). The preview that is provided of your completed obituary is how it will appear in the newspaper. Take this opportunity to ensure that spelling, grammar, and wording is how you wish to see it in the paper.
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What if I miss the deadline for a publication?
Unfortunately, you will need to choose the next available date. If the date is unavailable on your screen, the deadline has passed.
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Can I run obituaries in the TelegramTowns papers?
Yes. The Telegram & Gazette has nine weekly papers, which publish on Fridays. You may choose to run your obituary in the Telegram & Gazette as well as any one or more of our weekly newspapers. Note that the deadlines for the Telegram & Gazette and the weekly papers are different.
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How will I know how much an obituary will cost?
Our easy to use self service tool will automatically quote the cost of the obituary upon placement.
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How will I know if the newspaper receives my notice?
You will receive a confirmation email once the order is filed. Orders are processed into the Telegram & Gazette’s system as they are created. You will receive confirmation emails so that you can see that the orders are arriving consistently.
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What if I notice a mistake in my notice after submitting it?
You may make changes to your notice at any point before deadline for that day's publication. Simply log in to your account, locate your ad in the Future Ads area, and "Modify" the ad. If you are paying by credit card and you change the cost of the ad, you will be credited/charged the correct amount, depending on if your amount increases or decreases.
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Will the notice go online?
Yes, it will be sent to telegram.com as soon as it is approved by the obituary staff.
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Do I have to fill out all of the serchable information?
No, just the first and last name, and the place of residence at the time of death are used for searching on telegram.com. The rest is for advanced searches and is not required.
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I see additional white space between the text boxes. How do I remove it?
This is usually an extra “return” that was done when the original text was typed or copied. It can easily be removed by placing your cursor after the last period in the text and pressing delete a few times. Another method is to locate the cursor at the end of the white space and press “backspace” until you reach the last period in the text.
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Is JPG the only format that can be used for a photo?
No, you can use jpg, gif, eps, tif, png and pdf.
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Can I submit a Recent Death listing online?
Yes, but please note that these notices only contain the name, age, date of death, city and state, funeral date and time, and name of funeral home. They do not contain a picture or logo.
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