Obituary templates and examples

How to use these templates

Writing an obituary is hard when you are grieving. A template helps because it gives you an order to follow. You fill in the parts in [brackets], remove anything that does not fit, and add anything that is missing.

The templates below follow the order most readers expect: the announcement, a short life story, the family, and the service details. If you are unsure which details to use, our guide on what to include in an obituary has a full checklist.

Every sample on this page uses made up names and places. They are here to show tone and structure, not to be copied word for word.

Short template for a newspaper notice

This version is useful when space is limited or the paper charges by length.

[Full name], [age], of [city], passed away on [day, date] at [place]. [He/She/They] was born in [town] to [parents’ names]. [He/She/They] worked as [job] for [number] years and loved [one or two interests]. [He/She/They] is survived by [spouse], [children], and [grandchildren]. A service will be held at [time] on [date] at [place and address]. Arrangements are by [funeral home].

Sample, fictional: Harold James Pembrook, 81, of Cedar Falls, passed away on Tuesday at home. He was born in Millbrook to Walter and Ruth Pembrook. He worked as a mail carrier for 32 years and loved fishing and crossword puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Joan, his sons, Mark and Paul, and five grandchildren. A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Grace Community Church. Arrangements are by Hillside Funeral Home.

Full template for a funeral home or online page

Online pages usually have more room, so this version adds a fuller life story.

[Full name], [age], of [city, state], died peacefully on [date], surrounded by [family or loved ones].

[First name] was born on [month and year] in [town] to [parents’ names]. [He/She/They] grew up [a short detail about childhood] and graduated from [school]. In [year], [he/she/they] married [spouse’s name], and together they [a short detail about their life together].

[First name] spent [number] years as [job or role] at [employer]. [He/She/They] was known for [a quality or habit people loved]. Outside of work, [he/she/they] enjoyed [hobbies, faith, clubs or volunteering].

[He/She/They] is survived by [list of close family] and was preceded in death by [list of family who died earlier].

Visitation will be held from [time] to [time] on [date] at [place]. The funeral will follow at [time] at [place]. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to [charity].

Sample: a long life, told simply

Sample, fictional: Dorothy Anne Kessler, 94, of Riverton, died peacefully on Sunday at Maple Court, surrounded by her family.

Dorothy was born in 1932 on a farm outside Linwood, the youngest of six children. She married her high school sweetheart, Frank Kessler, in 1953, and they shared 58 years together. Dorothy taught second grade at Riverton Elementary for more than 30 years, and former students still stopped her at the grocery store to say hello.

She loved her garden, her church choir and a good game of cards. Her apple pie was a fixture at every family gathering.

Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Linda and Carol, seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, and all five of her siblings. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at First Methodist Church in Riverton.

Sample: a younger person and a celebration of life

Sample, fictional: Marcus Allen Reyes, 42, of Brookfield, passed away unexpectedly on June 3.

Marcus lit up every room he walked into. He coached youth soccer for ten years, ran his own landscaping business, and never missed a chance to cook for friends. His two children, Sofia and Leo, were the center of his world.

Marcus is survived by his wife, Elena, his children, his parents, Luis and Maria Reyes, and his sister, Ana. The family will host a celebration of life at 4 p.m. on June 14 at Lakeside Park Pavilion. Casual dress is welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for gifts to the Brookfield Youth Soccer League.

This style is warmer and less formal. It works well when the family wants the gathering to feel like a celebration rather than a traditional service.

Sample: a brief death notice

Sometimes a family only wants a short, factual notice, perhaps with a longer obituary online.

Sample, fictional: Whitfield, Eleanor Mae, 76, of Oak Hill, died September 12. Survived by her husband, Robert, and daughter, Grace. Private burial. Full obituary at the Oakview Funeral Home website.

If you are not sure which format you need, our guide to the difference between an obituary and a death notice explains when each one fits.

Making a template your own

• Replace general words like "kind" or "loving" with a real example, such as a habit, a saying or a favorite place.
• Match the tone to the person. A funny person can have a warm, light obituary.
• Keep sentences short so the obituary is easy to read aloud at the service.
• Remove any template lines that do not apply. Nothing is required.
• Ask a relative to check names, dates and spellings before you share it.

When the obituary is ready, our guide on how to submit an obituary to a newspaper explains the next steps. Friends who have moved away may still miss the news, which is why some people use an obituary monitoring service to be emailed when a notice for someone they know is posted.