Death Notification Process

Death is experienced not only by the deceased but also by the survivors of the deceased, who are profoundly affected by the loss of their loved one. Recognizing the profundity of the loss of a loved one, societies and the organizations therein construct guidelines—both formally within organizations and culturally—for delivering such grave news to the next of kin. For the survivors, the death notification is a ritual that initiates the final stage of the life course for a loved one and the beginning of the grief and bereavement process. This entry examines the history of death notification in the West and some of the characteristics of the death notification process in the United States, focusing on some of the common elements of its delivery for private audiences (i.e., the next of kin) and public audiences via the mass media. As no uniform death notification process exists, there is much organizational variation in the death notification process within the United States as well as cultural variation of the process outside the United States.

History of the Death Notification Process in Western Society

In the 18th and 19th centuries, prior to formal organizations taking over the death ritual, death occurred in the home and often in the accompaniment of close family and friends. The responsibility for notifying others of the death of the individual fell on the family members. In small communities, the news of the passing of a community member was spread informally between members of the community. In Europe, death was often announced with the tolling of the bells. In other communities, a funeral notice was often posted on the window of a building, allowing community members to see who had passed away recently. In other areas, notification was more symbolic, such as when individuals would wear a black badge around their arm to indicate the passing of a loved one.

In the 20th century, with the advent of new communications technology such as the radio and the telephone, death notification could now be related to a mass group of individuals relatively quickly. It was in the early 20th century that formal organizations such as funeral homes and hospitals began to take on death rituals. These organizations utilized these new forms of communication to alert people of the passing of the individual. Today, although death notification is often done in person, alerting the public to the death of a person often occurs through some communication technology, such as the telephone or the television.