This might be a bit macabre but....

[youthere]

Why, in obituaries, do they always write who the person was "preceded in death" by?

[EstimatedProphet]

1. They don't - I've always heard "survived by"

[youthere]

3. I was reading the paper this morning and nearly all of the obits...

had a listing of "preceded in death". I never really paid attention, but one of them listed the person's cousins that had died which I thought was a little odd.

[SeattleGirl]

7. Actually, some papers do. "Preceded in death by" was in my

mom's obituary week before last. It was part of the form my sister had to fill out.

[EstimatedProphet]

8. OK

[Orrex]

2. Because if you say "followed in death by," it sounds like he or she kicked off an exciting trend

"Orrex, you should really try dying. Youthere did it, and now it's all the rage!"

[youthere]

4. Okay..that was some funny chit. You owe me a keyboard.

[madinmaryland]

5. Typically they will refer to any immediate relatives of the person.

(i.e. parents, spouse, and children).

There are only two categories (alive and dead).

:shrug:

[Swede]

6. Next of kin usually write the obits.

You can write your own if you indicate this in your will.