Life stories interrupted: an exploration of United States obituaries during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 global pandemic drastically changed the lives of so many, including creating a sense of mass bereavement in the United States because of the million plus lives lost. As obituaries provide public documentation of personal legacies as well as serve to create a generational memory, this study sought to determine how obituaries, published in the United States during a public health crisis with excess deaths, discuss living and dying. We analysed 82 obituaries published in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine their functions during this time. These U.S. obituaries documented how the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the life stories of so many. Several key themes emerged in the obituaries – cause of death, COVID-19 changing lives, resilience/positivity, political statements, and thanking healthcare workers. These COVID-19 obituaries shared many of the known functions of obituaries, but they also served as public service death announcements.