Obituaries

What information should be included?

Obituaries should contain basic factual information including:

1. Name, age, state and date of death
2. Time, date and location of the funeral services
3. Name of the funeral home or crematory handling the arrangements

Besides the basic information, obituaries appearing in the Tampa Bay Times can be personalized to truly represent the spirit, life and personality of the deceased.

You may relate the activities, interests and hobbies of the deceased, mention pets, share memories and list the organizations and careers of the deceased. Your funeral director will assist you with the placement of your notice. If you are handling the details yourself, CLICK HERE to submit an obituary now. When you hit submit the page will stop (it will not give you a price of confirmation). The obituary will be delivered to our Obituary Department inbox and assigned to a staff member who will prepare it for publication. He / She will send you a proof for your review (so please check your email). This will include a cost quote. You will then have the opportunity to make changes Once you receive a proof that you want us to publish, you may call 727-893-8518 for assistance with a credit or debit card transaction. The obituary will then be released for publication.

Obituary Rate & Placement Information:

Writing and submitting a newspaper obituary for a loved one can feel overwhelming, especially without the advice of a professionally trained resource - your funeral director. However, if you are placing the obituary yourself, this guide can help guide you through the process.

Obituary:

Minimum of 5 column lines: First 5 column lines are free first day only. Additional column lines (6+ lines) are charged at: $12 per column line. A column line consists of approximately 20 characters which includes letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation.

Legacy Online Guest Book:

$30 automatic charge on every paid obituary, starting at 6 lines. Every newspaper obituary is posted 1 day in print, and online at tampabay.com/obits, where the guest book remains for 30 days. Guest books may be sponsored to remain online for a year, or permanently online. For more information, please visit Legacy.com or email info@legacy.com.

Guest Book details:

All entries reviewed for content before posting online. No limit to number of entries. Entries can be added digitally at any time. Photos with captions may be uploaded with any entry and into the photo gallery. Emails announce each new entry. Each paid obituary will include links to information about charities. A tag will be added, at no charge, at the bottom of the newspaper notice, referencing the online guest book.

Photos and Emblems:

Photograph & Insignia Rates are $50 per photo per day (extends text 3 additional lines) Insignias (approx. 3-4 lines deep) are billed based on space used. Here is a sample of insignias available, so readers know at a glance if someone in their branch of service has passed away. Ask our representative if we have one for your organization.

Insignias

Here is a sample of insignias available, so readers know at a glance if someone from their organization or branch of service has passed away. Ask our representative if there is one for your organization.

How to provide photos:

Photographs may be e-mailed as a jpeg attachment to obits@tampabay.com. Photo prints can be delivered to the front counter at a Times regional office or mailed to the attention of the Funeral Desk. Contact the Times obituary desk at 727-893-8518 or toll-free 800-333-7505, ext. 8518, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday for the correct bureau location and address.

What is the deadline?

Obituaries must be submitted, approved, and paid by 1 p.m. the day before the notice is to appear (and 1 p.m., Fri., for Sunday or Monday publication). Obituaries submitted by families directly to the Times are accepted on a prepaid basis. Questions may be directed to our obituary desk at 727-893-8518 or toll-free 800-333-7505, ext. 8518, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

In Memoriam & Cards of Thanks:

Memorials & Tributes and Cards of Thanks publish on the obituary page. These notices allow families to honor or memorialize their loved ones, or offer a venue for the family to publicly share their appreciation to a group or organization. Memorials & Tributes and Cards of Thanks Rates are $12 per line, with a five-line minimum. No free lines.

Application photographs can be added for an additional $50 per photo per day, and extends ad text 3 lines. Emblems and insignias may be included and are charged only for the space that is used. Contact the Times Obituary Desk 727-893-8518 or toll-free 800-333-7505, ext. 8518, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

How and where to submit an obituary:

If you are not working with a funeral director, please do one of the following:

1. CLICK HERE and fill out the form.
2. Email notice to obits@tampabay.com, or Fax notice to 727-892-2922
3. Mail notice to: Tampa Bay Times Funeral Desk, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731-0112

Please include your name, address, phone number, your relationship to the deceased, the funeral home or crematory handling the arrangements, and publication date.

Questions:

May be directed to our obituary desk 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday at: 727-893-8518

The Commemorative Guest Book:

Hold on to the beautiful memories and sentiments shared by friends and loved ones with this handsome keepsake. A full-color, professionally printed and bound book, the Commemorative Guest Book contains all of the entries and photos posted in your loved ones online guest book. For ease and convenience, you may order your keepsake through a link on your guest book page labeled "Professionally Printed Guest Book." Hard- and soft-cover options are available.

Obituary Form: