Your loved one’s biography can be just a few sentences long, or it can take up several pages—it’s up to you how much detail you’d like to include.

The basics include the person’s origins—parents and birthplace, education, military service, career, marriage, children, grandchildren, community ties, and anything else that helps tell their story.

But it’s often most compelling to include stories that show what made this person unique, and what made life special for them. Did they have a great sense of humor, diplomatic nature, or leadership abilities? Did they love fly-fishing, painting, or politics? What were their favorite foods, music, or clothing? Is there one anecdote that really shows them at their best? Or a few?

Click here to see a sample biography page.

You may want to get the help of other family members and friends as you write the biography. One way of getting them to help is to ask them to loan you their photos so you can add them to the memorial. Another way to involve them is to include a section where they can share their own Stories and Tributes.

For more ideas on what to include in your loved one’s biography, explore these links.
Biography Assistant at Geneaology.com
How to Write a Biography
Biography Writer’s Workshop at Scholastic