For two decades, the New York Times obituary desk served as a unique vantage point on how society memorializes notable lives, according to the paper’s longtime obituaries editor who recently retired. Reflecting on this experience, the editor highlighted the distinct role obituaries play—not merely as tributes but as a form of journalism that presents a comprehensive and honest account of a person’s life, including its complexities and imperfections.
The editor described a recurring piece of workplace decor: a Paul Noth cartoon depicting a cocktail party where a woman introduces an elderly man as “the subject of a widely anticipated obituary.” This image encapsulates the cultural significance attributed to receiving a Times obituary—considered by many as a symbolic recognition akin to a lifetime achievement award, despite the likelihood that the subject will never see it.
Obituaries at the Times are highly selective, reserved for those whose deaths are judged to have broader societal relevance, whether their arenas were politics, sports, science, or the arts. The editor noted that readers often perceive such an obituary as a public affirmation of a life that influenced society in some meaningful way.
Over the years, the obituary desk received numerous requests from family members, colleagues, and others advocating for inclusion. In some cases, these efforts took the form of organized campaigns. Interestingly, the editor also shared receiving unsolicited appeals from individuals seeking to ensure they would be remembered in the Times upon their passing. These outreach attempts sometimes included autobiographies, resumes, photographs, and testimonials aimed at assisting the writing of advance obituaries.
The Times maintains a substantial archive of prewritten “advance” obituaries, covering hundreds of prominent living figures. Out of approximately 24,000 obituaries prepared during the editor’s tenure, roughly 4,000 had been written in advance, with thousands more still in reserve.
The content of unsolicited submissions reflected a range of backgrounds: from medical professionals and perfume industry executives to historians, psychiatrists, composers, former network executives, and relatives of public figures. While some appeals may have been motivated by ego, the editor suggested they also embody a universal desire to be remembered beyond a mere name on a gravestone. In this sense, an obituary represents a form of immortality—an enduring story preserved in print or online.
Upon revisiting some of these unsolicited materials, the editor found that many of those individuals had since passed away, yet most would likely not have met the Times’ criteria for a published obituary. Nonetheless, some submitted materials proved useful when obituaries were eventually written, with a few continuing to remain in the archive as reserves.
The editor reflected on the enduring nature of the obituary craft, underscoring that while individual lives end, their stories—captured thoughtfully and honestly through obituaries—can persist. In retirement, this sense of ongoing connection to remembering lives offers both consolation and a continuing purpose.