Checklist
How to write an obituary
Writing an obituary feels daunting, but it's mostly a matter of answering a handful of questions and arranging the answers warmly. Follow these steps and you'll have a draft in under an hour. Aim for honest over flowery — the best obituaries sound like the person, not like a greeting card.
Gather the facts first
Collect these before you write a word — it's far easier than stopping mid-sentence to look something up.
- Full name (and nickname or maiden name, if commonly used)
- Age, date and place of birth, date and place of death
- Key life facts: work or calling, military service, schools, faith community
- Family members who survive them, and those who died before them
- Service details: date, time, place, and any donation or flower wishes
Write it in plain order
Most obituaries follow the same simple arc. Drafting in this order keeps you from staring at a blank page.
- Open with the announcement: who died, their age, and when
- Tell a few sentences of their life — what they did and what they loved
- List who survives them and who preceded them
- Give the service details so people know how to attend
- Close with any memorial wishes or a short, fitting line
Make it sound like them
This is the difference between a record and a remembrance. One true, specific detail does more work than a paragraph of praise.
- Include one or two concrete details: a habit, a saying, a passion, a small kindness
- Use the warmth and voice the family would recognize
- Mention what they'd want remembered, not just their résumé
Check before you submit
A few minutes of review saves a lot of regret — obituaries are hard to correct once printed.
- Read it aloud, ideally to another family member
- Double-check the spelling of every name and the accuracy of every date
- Confirm the service details with the funeral home
- Ask the newspaper or website about length limits and submission deadlines (some charge by the word)
See also
Maintained by Calla Editorial. These templates and examples are general information, not legal or financial advice, and any sample names are fictional. See our editorial standards.