InLovingMemory_January2026

SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER, 2025

LOVING M EMORY IN

During a family’s time of sorrow, we want to reflect on the lives of those who have recently passed. The Gazette offers this special quarterly feature to commemorate and honor those we have lost.

This edition provides a listing of obituaries and memorials placed in The Gazette September 1 –December 31, 2025.

What 38 million obituaries reveal about how Americans define a ‘life well lived’

Obituaries preserve what families most want remembered about the people they cherish most. across time, they also reveal the values each era chose to honor.

In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the national academy of Sciences, we analyzed 38 million obituaries of a mericans published from 1998 to 2024. We identified the values families most often highlight, and how those values shift across generations, regions and major historical events. Specifically, working with psychologists Liane young and Thomas Mazzuchi, we examined the language used on Legacy.com, an online platform where families often post obituaries and share memories of loved ones. during their lifetime, most people tend to be guided by a small set of broad values like caring for others, honoring tradition, keeping loved ones safe and seeking personal growth. To understand how these values showed up in remembrance, we used textanalysis tools built on curated lists of everyday words people use when talking about those themes. By analyzing the words that appeared again and again in memorials, we could see which values communities chose to emphasize when looking back on the lives of their loved ones, and how those patterns changed over time. Because the dataset included 38 million obituaries, the analysis ran on a supercomputer.

across nearly 30 years of obituaries, words related to the value “tradition” appeared most often — many tributes described religious participation and enduring customs. Words related to the value “benevolence” — caring for the welfare of others — were also consistently prominent. In fact, tradition and benevolence formed the dominant value profile across the dataset: They appeared in more than 70% of the obituaries. By contrast, words related to values like “achievement” and “power” appeared far less often.

Historical events did leave a mark. after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the language families used to remember loved ones shifted compared with the period just before the attacks – and those shifts persisted for at least a year. Words related to the value “security” — including terms like “surviving,” “health” and “order” — showed up less often. at the same time, families used more language related to values like “benevolence” and “tradition.” Terms like “caring,” “loyal” and “service” showed up more often. These changes were especially strong in new york, where the attacks had the most direct impact.

COVI d -19, however, produced the most dramatic shifts. Beginning in March 2020, benevolence-related language – including terms like “love,” “sympathy” and “family” – declined sharply, and hasn’t been the same

since. Tradition-related language — terms like “service,” “faith” and “heritage” — initially declined as well, then rose above baseline levels during later stages of the pandemic.

These changes show that collective disruptions impact the moral vocabulary families use when commemorating loved ones. They shift what it means to have lived a good life. We also saw differences that reflect stereotypes about gender and age. Obituaries for men contained more language linked to achievement, conformity and power. Meanwhile, obituaries for women contained more language associated with benevolence and enjoying life’s pleasures.

Older adults were often remembered more for valuing tradition. younger adults, on the other hand, were often remembered more for valuing the welfare of all people and nature, and for being motivated to think and act independently. Value patterns in men’s obituaries shifted more across the lifespan than those in women’s. In other words, the values highlighted in younger and older men’s obituaries differed more from each other, while women’s value profiles stayed relatively consistent across age.

WHY IT MATTERS

The most visited parts of print newspapers and online memorial sites, obituaries offer a window into what societies value at different points in time.

This study contributes to the broader scientific understanding of legacy. People often hold strong preferences about how they want to be remembered, but far less is known about how they actually are remembered, in part because largescale evidence about real memorials is rare. Our analysis of millions of obituaries helps fill that gap.

WHAT’S NEXT

Obituaries allow researchers to trace cultural values across time, geography and social groups. Future work can examine differences across race and occupation, as well as across regions. It could also look to earlier periods using historical obituary archives, such as those preserved in older newspapers and local records. a nother direction is to examine whether highlighting how often kindness shows up in obituaries could inspire people to be more caring in daily life.

u nderstanding what endures in memory helps clarify what people consider meaningful; those values shape how they choose to live.

The Conversation (https:// theconversation.com/us) is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.

Life Insurance Options to fit today’s funeral practices

Tradition is meeting innovation in today’s memorial practices, proving that even life’s final chapter can be reimagined.

Today’s funerals bear little resemblance to those of the past. according to the national Funeral directors a ssociation, cremation surpassed traditional burials as the preferred method of laying the deceased to rest in 2015. That trend continues today, with the estimated cremation rate in the u nited States in 2024 at 61.9%, and the burial rate estimated at 33.2%.

The tone of funerals has also changed, with many opting to host a celebration of life characterized with bright colors, upbeat music and even laughter as loved ones remember treasured moments together.

a newer, surprising trend is not waiting for a loved one to die before officially celebrating their life. Known as living funerals, these customized ceremonies are actually overseen and attended by the to-be deceased.

Technology is taking a more dominant role in memorials. Streaming services, virtual memorials and online tributes make it possible to pay respects without traveling. digital tools make planning the funeral or celebration faster and more convenient. Perhaps one of the most significant changes is an environmental focus. Biodegradable polymer urns are available that release nutrients into the earth. Tree pod burials involve wrapping the individual in an organic fiber buried where a tree will be planted. While such green options are increasingly popular, they are not yet available everywhere and must follow stringent requirements.

Water cremation, also known as alkaline-hydrolysis or aquamation, is becoming more common because

of its low-carbon footprint. a lthough it is far from a frequent form of disposition, it is gaining popularity and legal acceptance. a mong other environmental benefits, it offers 90% energy savings over fire cremation. Of course, cost is often a key consideration. unless the deceased’s family is wealthy, they will likely rely on the proceeds of existing life insurance policies to cover costs. according to the nFda , the median cost of a funeral with viewing and traditional burial in 2024 was $8,300. Cremation is less expensive, which helps to explain its growing popularity. But there are other expenses to consider. These include cemetery plots, headstones, flowers, musicians, transportation and obituaries.

The face value of life insurance policies varies greatly depending on a family’s financial situation. at minimum, financial advisors will typically recommend that a life insurance policy be purchased with a death benefit to pay for final expenses. These smaller policies, which average $5,000-$25,000, are designed solely to cover necessary costs without financially burdening family. Smaller whole life policies can accomplish the same goals. neither, however, do much to help survivors sustain a standard of living following a death.

determining exactly how much life insurance you and your loved ones need and the best form of coverage can be challenging, especially considering there are more options today than ever. But, with the help of an experienced life insurance agent, the process is not overwhelming. While funeral practices are in flux, one thing remains the same: a life insurance policy can help loved ones meet expenses.

Celebrations

The Gazette accepts obituaries, death notices, celebrations of life, service information and life tributes as paid notices. The deadline is 2 p.m. Monday – Friday for the next day’s publication; 3 p.m. Friday for Sunday and Monday publication.

Notices may be sent by email to obits@gazette.com or submitted at placead.gazette.com/adportal/gaz-obits/index.html or submitted by mail to:

The Gazette Obituaries/Celebrations of Life Desk 30 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80903

If you need further assistance, please call 719-636-0101.

Remembering

When you place an obituary notice or celebration of life in The Gazette, you may order a special keepsake to remember your loved one. This beautiful handmade plaque is composed of the obituary and the name of our newspaper, along with a beautiful graphic. Bookmarks are also available. For additional memorial options, please call 719-636-0101.

Additional Options