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How to Write an Obituary (With a Template and Examples)

A step-by-step way to write an obituary in an hour: what goes in, in what order, how long, wording for the hard parts, and two examples to adapt.

A couple on their wedding day, in a photograph the family kept
The photograph and the words: the two things a family keeps.

An obituary is a short account of a life, written for the people who shared it and for the ones who will only ever read about it. It does not have to be eloquent. It has to be accurate, warm and finished by tomorrow. This guide takes you through it in the order that works, with wording you can borrow for the parts that are hard to say.

What goes in, in order

  1. The announcement. Full name (with the nickname in quotation marks if everyone used it), age, town, the date and place of death. Most families say "died" or "passed away"; both are fine. "Peacefully, at home, surrounded by family" is used when it is true.
  2. The beginning. Date and place of birth, parents' names, where they grew up, school. One or two sentences.
  3. The life. Marriage, work, service, the place they lived longest, what they were known for. This is the middle and the longest part — three to six sentences for a program, more for a newspaper.
  4. What they loved. The garden, the lake, the Sunday dinners, the team, the church choir. One sentence of this does more than a list of achievements.
  5. Survived by. Spouse; children with spouses in parentheses; grandchildren; siblings; then "and many nieces, nephews and friends" if the list runs long. Then preceded in death by — parents, a spouse, a child, a sibling.
  6. The service. Day, date, time, place, address; visitation if there is one; burial or interment; reception.
  7. In lieu of flowers. A charity, a scholarship fund, or simply "please plant something," "take a kid fishing," "call your mother." Families increasingly choose a line the person would have said.

How long

For the program, 200–350 words fits a page beside a photo; the eight- and twelve-page programs hold up to about 500 and the rest goes on a second page headed His Life or Her Life. Newspapers charge by the line, so the printed notice is often the first paragraph and the service details only, with the full obituary on the funeral home's website and in the program. The editor on this site tells you when the obituary runs long for the piece you are making, so you do not have to count.

Wording for the hard parts

A long illness: "after a long illness, borne with more grace than any of us managed" or simply "after a long illness." You do not have to name it. A sudden death: "died suddenly" or "died unexpectedly" is enough; the details belong to the family. A death by suicide: many families now write "died by suicide" plainly and add a line asking that people reach out to one another; others say "died unexpectedly." Either is right; it is your choice, not anyone else's. An estranged relative: list them or do not; nobody is owed a line. A stepparent, a partner not married, a longtime companion: "her partner of twenty years, Michael" or "his companion, Ruth" — the relationship in the words the family used.

Two short examples

Traditional: "Margaret Ann Doyle, 71, of Wheaton, Illinois, died on March 3, 2026, at home, with her family beside her. Margaret was born on June 14, 1954, in Joliet, to Thomas and Ann Byrne. She graduated from Joliet Catholic in 1972 and married Patrick Doyle in 1976; they were married for forty-nine years. She taught third grade at St. Michael's for thirty-one years and led the parish altar society for twenty. She loved her garden, the Cubs, a full table on Sunday and any child who needed a book. She is survived by her husband, Patrick; her children, Thomas (Elena) Doyle and Kathleen (Mark) Reilly; her grandchildren, Ann, Patrick and Claire; and her sister, Mary Byrne. She was preceded in death by her parents. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Michael Church, 310 South Wheaton Avenue, on Saturday, March 7, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Michael School library."

Celebration of life: "Dave Kirkland, 58, of Evergreen, died on the trail above Elk Meadow on August 2, doing the thing he loved most on the morning he loved best. Dave built trails for Jefferson County for thirty-one years and led the Tuesday volunteer crew that anyone in Evergreen over sixty has been part of at least once. He knew every wildflower by two names and every regular hiker by their dog. He leaves his wife, Jenna; his children, Ben and Sofia; his mother, Ruth; and a great many people who can now find their way. Join us at the Elk Meadow pavilion on Saturday, August 9, at 4:00 p.m. — bring a camp chair. In lieu of flowers, please hike something, and pick up what you find on the way."

A checklist before it prints

When it is written, paste it into the program: the editor lays it out beside the photo, warns if it runs long, and the same words flow into the prayer card, the bookmark and the announcement without retyping. Wording for the other sections is in what to include in a funeral program, and readings in the verse library.

Questions

How long should an obituary be?
For a funeral program, 200–350 words fits beside a photo; longer programs hold about 500 with the rest on a second page. For a newspaper, which charges by the line, families usually print the announcement and service details and put the full obituary in the program and online.
Who should be listed as survivors?
Spouse or partner, children with their spouses in parentheses, grandchildren, siblings, then parents if living. Add 'and many nieces, nephews and friends' when the list runs long. Then those who died before: parents, a spouse, a child, a sibling.
Do I have to say how the person died?
No. 'After a long illness', 'died suddenly' or simply 'died' are all complete. The cause belongs to the family; the obituary is about the life.
Can I write the obituary in the first person or informally?
Yes. Celebration-of-life obituaries are often written the way the family talks, and the best ones sound like the person. Keep the facts — names, dates, the service — exact; the tone is yours.
What if I get a name or date wrong after it is printed?
On this site a correction is free for the edit window after purchase: reopen the editor from your download page, fix it, and download fresh files. For a newspaper notice, call the paper before the deadline.

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