The obituary: it may be the first thing we read in the news each day... and, for most of us, it likely will be the last word written about our lives. The focus of obitpage.com is the lure of the obituary both as history and as literary art form.

This site is the result of a life-long habit of reading the obituary page, collecting obituaries and sharing the most unusual with a cadre of friends — writers, lawyers, actors, educators, historians, among others. Amazingly, there is a significant closet readership for the obituary.

It is also the result of eight (soon to be nine) National Obituary Writers' Conferences and two International Seminars:  The First Great Obituary Writers' Conference held in 1999 in Archer City, Texas - home of the "Last Picture Show" author Larry McMurtry; the Second Great Obituary Writers' Conference held in 2000 in Jefferson, Texas and the Third through the Sixth Great Obituary Writers' Conferences all held in historic Las Vegas, New Mexico.  The Seventh Great Obituary Writers' International Conference was held 'across the pond' in Bath, England on June 16 - 18, 2005.   The Eighth Great returned to Las Vegas, New Mexico and this year will convene in the charming village of Alfred, NY.   In 2000 and 2001 International Seminars were held in San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico on the "Art of the Obituary."

View Video Clips from 2000 Conference in Jefferson, Texas as seen on "Texas Country Reporter": (You'll need QuickTime 3.0 or later)

Clip 1 - Carolyn Gilbert Intro (3.0 Megs)

Clip 2 - Judge Buchmeyer's Favorite Obits (2.8 Megs)

You, too, may be one of us! The typical obit reader has a great respect for history and research, a keen intellect, a wicked sense of humor, an interest in memorable lives and an endless curiosity.

This site will celebrate the life and times of ordinary people who have done common things uncommonly well... or who have done uncommon things spectacularly well!

We approach the obituary as a key to history. It is an integral part of not only family history but also of community and professional history. It should be the story of a life... not merely a notice of a death.

"We go to the obituary page each morning as if drawn by some internal magnet. What piece of our own existence do we find listed there among strangers? What memories? What revelations? What questions? Is the obituary truly the end... or merely the beginning of a journey to unravel history... mystery... comedy...tragedy... or the great diversity of life and imagination?