What to Include in a Funeral Program (With Wording You Can Use)
Every section of a funeral program, what belongs in it, how long it should be, and phrasing you can adapt when you cannot find the words.
There is no single correct funeral program. There is a familiar shape, and following it means nobody has to wonder what happens next. Here is what each part does.
The cover
A photograph, the full name, and the dates. Above them a short line — "In Loving Memory", "Celebrating the Life of", "In Memoriam". Below, the type of service, the date and time, and the venue.
Use the name they were known by. If everyone called her Nell, "Eleanor Marie Whitfield" on the cover and "Nell" in the obituary is exactly right.
The order of service
A simple list, in order. Ten to fourteen lines is typical:
Prelude
Processional
Opening Prayer
Hymn — Amazing Grace
Scripture Reading — Psalm 23
Remembrances
Eulogy
Hymn — How Great Thou Art
Closing Prayer
Recessional
Name the people where it matters — "Eulogy — Michael Whitfield" — and leave the rest plain. If someone is reading a specific passage, naming it lets people follow along.
The obituary
Three hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty words fits comfortably. A workable structure:
- The announcement. Name, age, town, the date, and where they died. One sentence.
- The life. Born where and to whom; school; work; marriage; the things that took up their days.
- The person. One paragraph of what they were actually like. This is the part people reread. Be specific — the rose garden, the Tuesday shift at the food bank, the Sunday dinner nobody was allowed to miss.
- The survivors. Immediate family first, then the wider circle, then those who died before them.
- Donations. "In lieu of flowers, the family asks…" if the family has a preference.
Write it as you would speak. Warmth reads better than formality.
A verse, poem or prayer
Common choices: Psalm 23, Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, John 14:1–3, "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep", "Afterglow", the Serenity Prayer. Keep it short enough to sit on one page comfortably — four to eight lines.
The back page
- Pallbearers — usually six names, sometimes honorary pallbearers listed separately.
- Interment — where, and whether it follows immediately.
- Reception or repast — where people should go afterwards. Say it plainly; people are not sure whether they are invited.
- Acknowledgement — a few sentences of thanks from the family, then a signature line: "The Whitfield Family".
Acknowledgement wording you can adapt
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude for the many acts of kindness, prayers and expressions of sympathy shown during this time of loss. Your love has carried us.
We are grateful beyond words for every call, every meal, every kindness. Thank you for holding us up.
The family of [Name] gratefully acknowledges your presence today and the many kindnesses shown to us. Thank you for sharing in our celebration of her life.
What to leave out
Home addresses, phone numbers and full dates of birth alongside mother's maiden name — funeral notices are public, and identity thieves read them. The dates on the cover are fine; a full personal profile is not.
Questions
- How long should a funeral program obituary be?
- Around 350 to 450 words fits a single page comfortably at a readable size. Longer is possible — the text shrinks to fit and we warn you when it gets tight.
- What goes on the back of a funeral program?
- Pallbearers, interment details, reception or repast information, and an acknowledgement from the family with a signature line.
- Who is listed as a survivor?
- Immediate family first — spouse, children and their spouses, grandchildren — then siblings and wider family, then those who died before them, introduced with 'He was preceded in death by'.
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