Writing an obituary can be one of the worst experience and it is also mostly to be done in the most difficult times.

You’re grieving, managing funeral arrangements, notifying family members, and suddenly you’re expected to summarize an entire time you have spend in some few lines . Whether you’re writing for a parent, spouse, sibling, or friend, or anyone you loved dearly – having a clear template and understanding what to include (and what to avoid) makes this daunting task manageable.

Understanding the Purpose of a Funeral Obituary

Before diving into templates, it’s important to understand what a funeral obituary actually can include.

Primary purposes:

1. Death notification which are posted in public: It is used to Inform the community that someone has passed away
2. Service information: This one usually provodes details about the funeral and the memorial celebration.
3. Family acknowledgment
4. Historical record: For Creating a permanent record for genealogical and historical purposes
5. Grief support: Offers the family a way to publicly express their loss and receive community support

Where obituaries are put on:

• Local newspapers (print and online editions)
• Websites of funeral homes.
• Online memorial sites and obituary platforms.
• Social media platforms
• Church bulletins
• Community newsletters

How long should an obituary be?

It depends on:

• Publication venue (newspapers charge by word)
• Amount of information to convey
• Family preference

General guidelines:

• Newspaper: 200-400 words
• Funeral home website: 400-600 words
• Online memorial: 600+ words acceptable

Essential Elements Every Obituary Should Include

Regardless of length or style, every funeral obituary should contain certain core information. Here are the non-negotiable elements:

1. Full Name and Basic Information

• Full legal name
• Commonly used nickname (in quotes)
• Age at death
• City and state of residence
• Date of death
• Sometimes: Date of birth

2. Family Information

• Spouse
• Children (and their spouses)
• Grandchildren
• Great-grandchildren
• Parents
• Siblings

Predeceased family members:

Usually listed separately as “preceded in death by”

Typically includes parents, spouse, siblings, or children who died before them

Tip: For large families, you can summarize: “survived by 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren” rather than naming each one.

3. Life Summary and Accomplishments

This consists on different kind of life history

• Place of birth and childhood account
• Any services
• Career highlights
• Hobbies and interests
• Personal history worth mentioning.

Length: This section can be 2-3 sentences for a brief obituary or several paragraphs for a more detailed one.

4. Service Information

Always include:

• Type of service (funeral, memorial service, celebration of life)
• Date and time
• Location (include full address)
• Whether the service is public or private

Optional service details:

• Visitation/viewing times
• Reception information
• Burial/interment location
• Live-streaming details for virtual attendance

Example: “A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Grace Community Church, 456 Oak Street, Portland, OR. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.”

5. Memorial Preferences 

Common options:

• Preferred charity for memorial donations
• “In lieu of flowers” requests
• Specific memorial fund information
• Contact information for donations

Example: “In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Margaret’s memory.”

How to Structure an Obituary Easily

Using a Simple Template

A template simple approach can look like this:

1. Announcement of passing
2. Life summary
3. Family details
4. Service information
5. Closing message

This structure works well for newspapers, websites, and digital memorials.

Basic Obituary Template Simple Formats to use.

Here’s a straightforward sample obituary template simple enough for anyone to use, regardless of writing experience:

With the help of Online Obituary templates you can easily write one in minutes.

[Full Name], [age], of [city, state], passed away [peacefully/suddenly/after a brief illness] on [date] [at location, if desired].

[He/She/They] was born on [date] in [city, state] to [parents’ names]. [Name] graduated from [school] in [year] and went on to [brief education/career summary].

[Name] [married/partnered with] [spouse name] on [date] in [location]. Together they [raised children/built a life/shared number of years, etc.].

Throughout [his/her/their] life, [Name] was known for [2-3 key qualities or passions]. [He/She/They] enjoyed [hobbies/interests] and was an active member of [organizations/church/community groups].

[Name] is survived by [list surviving family members in order: spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings]. [He/She/They] was preceded in death by [list family members who died before them].

A [funeral service/memorial service/celebration of life] will be held on [day], [date] at [time] at [location with address]. [Include visitation/reception details if applicable.]

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to [charity name and address/website].

Length: 150-250 words Best for: Traditional services, newspaper submissions with word limits, straightforward announcements

Obituary template for mother:

• This can consist of few very important information
• The basic structure remains the same
• Addition of her good times, some emotional moments and wishes

Obituary Template for Father:

• Include his favourite times
• Include his work, any achievements
• Friends and family members

Short Online Obituary Template

[Full Name]
[Birth date – Passing date]

With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of [Full Name], who left us peacefully on [date] at the age of [age].

[He/She/They] was known for [one or two defining qualities—kindness, strength, generosity] and touched the lives of many. [Full Name] is survived by [immediate family members].

A [funeral/memorial/service details or “private ceremony”] will be held on [date].
We are grateful for the love and support during this time.

Short Legacy Obituary Template (Digital / Memorial Page)

Remembering [Full Name]

[Full Name] lived a life filled with [values, passions, or purpose-love, service, creativity]. Born on [date], [he/she/they] spent [number] years creating memories that will live on through family and friends.

More than dates and milestones, [Full Name] will be remembered for [a small personal detail – storytelling, laughter, devotion to family, helping others].

This space is created to honour [his/her/their] life, share memories, and keep [his/her/their] legacy alive for generations to come.

An obituary is a very specific and emotional aspect of a funeral and mostly the loved ones write it for the lost ones but at the same time coming up with a good structured without over exaggerating or completely going blank is quite difficult. With the help of online memorial platforms now you can upload these obituaries and keep them stored forever as well.

FAQs

1. How to Write an Obituary Template?

Writing an obituary is a very important part of a funeral and here is a simple 5 step process for that:

1. Strat with basic details ( full name, age, date of birth and place and date of passing and reason)
2. Life summary ( talk about education, career and conduct )
3. Mention from family members.
4. End with a closing sentiments

Writing an obituary template helps you organize thoughts during an emotional time and ensures nothing important is missed.

2. What Is an Obituary Template?

An obituary template is a structured format or outline used to write an obituary.

It helps by:

• Guiding you on what information to include
• Reducing stress during grief
• Ensuring clarity and completeness
• Maintaining a respectful tone

Templates can be simple or detailed and are especially helpful for first-time writers.

3. What Are Common Obituary Mistakes to Avoid?

When writing an obituary, you should avoid these common mistakes:

• Including any kind of extra personal details
• No medical and financial information to be shared
• Forgetting important names and services
• Making it sound made-up and not real
• Very long paragraphs

Keeping the obituary sincere, concise, and thoughtful is more important than perfection.

4. What Is the Best Opening Line for an Obituary?

Here are some of the examples of opening lines for an obituary.

• “[Full Name], aged [age], passed away peacefully on [date].”
• “With deep love and sorrow, we announce the passing of [Name].”
• “[Name] lived a life filled with kindness, love, and meaning, and passed away on [date].”

A strong opening sets the tone and immediately honors the person’s life.

5. How Do You Write a Meaningful Obituary That Honors a Loved One?

A meaningful obituary focuses on who the person was, and their relation with the person who is writing the obituary.

Tips on how you can write a meaningful obituary:

• Highlighting their personal stories
• Including small details about their life
• Make it simple and not complicated.
• Write in a storytelling format.
• Write whatever you feel like out of love.

A meaningful obituary doesn’t need to be long it needs to be real.