How to Write an Obituary


Updated: March 29, 2019

Explore this Article Sample Obituaries Structuring the Obituary Revising the Obituary Show 1 more... Show less... Article Summary Questions & Answers Related Articles

Losing a loved one is a difficult process to go through, but taking the time to write an obituary can help honor their life. An obituary provides important information about your loved one, such as when they passed away and when the memorial service takes place, but it can also paint a picture of the life they lived. After taking the time to write and revise your obituary, you can submit it to local papers so people can know about how important your loved one was to you.

Part 1
Structuring the Obituary

  1. 1
    Announce the name and time of death in the first sentence. In your opening sentence, start with their name, where they lived, and when they passed away. You don’t need to provide the cause of death if you don’t want to. Keep the sentence brief and to the point so you can expand the obituary in other places.[1]
    • For example, you may write, “On the morning of June 10, 2019, John Smith of Atlanta died at the age of 80.”
    • If you don’t want to use the word “died” because it feels too blunt, try using phrases such as “passed away” or “went to be with the Lord” if they’re religious.
  2. 2
    Include a short summary of their life as the next paragraph. List the city where they were born, their parents, and important events that happened in your loved one’s life. You can either list events chronologically or you can put them in order of what you feel is the most important. Try to use as few words as possible so the obituary is concise.
    • For example, you may write, “John was born to Tom and Jill Smith in 1950. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1976 and managed John’s Restaurant in Atlanta for 22 years. In July 1980, he married Jane Doe, and together raised two children, Anna and Benjamin.”
    • Create a list of major points in your loved one’s life on a separate sheet of paper so you have options to choose from.
    • Avoid listing their mother’s maiden name or your loved one’s birthdate in the biography since identity thieves could steal the information and commit fraud.[2]
  3. 3
    Add a short paragraph about hobbies, passions, or personal characteristics. Including personal details will capture the spirit of your loved one so others understand what their life was like. Create a list of hobbies or activities they actively participated in and how it affected other people.[3]
    • For example, you may say, “John was an avid car collector in spare time. When he wasn’t working at his restaurant, he would restore classic cars and show them at car shows. He was known for his good sense of humor and his contagious laughter among his friends.”
    • You don’t need to include this section if you don’t have the space for it in your obituary.
  4. 4
    List close family members in the third paragraph. Mention close family members, such as immediate family and parents, by name. When you want to list extended family, use a collective phrase or list the specific number. For others that have passed away before your loved one, use the phrase “preceded in death by,” and use “survived by” before listing any relatives still living.[4]
    • For example, you may write, “John is preceded in death by his father, Tom, and his mother, Jill. He is survived by his wife, Jane, his 2 children, Anna and Benjamin, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.”
  5. 5
    Provide details about the memorial and funeral service if it’s public. If you’re holding a public service, list the time and date along with the name of the funeral home. Make sure to list the specific details so others who were close to your loved one know where to go.
    • For example, you could write, “A public memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM on June 13th, 2019 at the Church of Christ.”
    • You do not have to provide any information if there is not a public service.

    Tip: If you would rather have monetary donations at the service rather than flowers at the funeral, include a statement that says, “In lieu of flowers…” followed by the donation location.

0 / 0

Part 1 Quiz

Why is it important to place the obituary as quickly as possible?

Not exactly. The newspapers appreciate that this is a delicate subject, and will most likely do their best to work with you. If they are tight on space, they may edit down a few lines, but they will find a way to fit your information in. Try another answer...

Try again! Once you submit your obituary to the newspaper or funeral home, it is out of your hands. In the rare case they need a question answered, they will contact you, but after submission editing is up to them. Choose another answer!

That's right! It's a wise idea to take out an obituary because it helps to spread the word so you don't have to. Even more practically, however, it provides details to friends on the funeral service or memorial. Read on for another quiz question.

Not quite. If you're planning to run your obituary in a national newspaper, it's a good idea to be in touch with them as soon as possible, just like with your local paper. The sooner you get your information submitted, the less you have to worry about paperwork or business calls during your time of grief. Try another answer...

Part 2
Revising the Obituary

  1. 1
    Read the obituary out loud to catch any errors. Carefully read the obituary after you’ve written it to see if there are any sentence or spelling errors. Talk through the entire obituary slowly to catch any phrases that are worded incorrectly or read awkwardly. Note your changes with a pen or pencil so you know to go back and change them.[5]
    • If you wrote your paper on a computer, print it out so you can easily mark up the page with what you need to change.
  2. 2
    Have a friend or family member read it to check for missed information. Give the obituary you’ve written to a close relative so they can see if they have anything to add or would like to remove. Write down any suggestions they have and try to work them into a new copy of the obituary.[6]
    • Talk to multiple people that were close to your loved one to see if they have any stories or details they think should be included.
  3. 3
    Compare your obituary to other obituaries in the paper. Read through the current obituaries for the paper you’re planning on submitting to. Look at their structure to see if you need to change anything about the obituary you’ve written.[7]
    • Obituaries don’t need to look exactly the same, but they should contain all the important information necessary.
0 / 0

Part 2 Quiz

How should your completed obituary read?

Try again. It's true that an obituary is about reporting a person's passing, but the how and when should not be the focus of this piece. Instead, think about how the person made you feel and work to convey those joyful, loving emotions. Choose another answer!

Not exactly. Of course, it's a good idea to include biographical information in your obituary. Still, you want some emotion and love to come through as well. Keep your tone respectful, but it doesn't have to be stiff. Try again...

Yes! You want to show just how wonderful a life your loved one lived, rather than harping on their passing. Mentioning their passions and hobbies, as well as achievements, family, and more, is a great way to showcase their life. There’s a better option out there!

Not quite. If you are close to the family, you can consider reading something of a goodbye letter at the funeral. If that's not something you feel comfortable doing, try simply writing it down for yourself and the other person who is no longer with you. Writing a goodbye can be cathartic, but an obituary is not the right place to put it. Read on for another quiz question.

Part 3
Submitting the Obituary

  1. 1
    Look on your local paper’s website to see how to submit an obituary. Many papers accept obituaries through a web portal or by email. Look up the website for your local paper to see how they accept their submissions and what files you need to include. Plan on submitting the obituary 2-3 days before the service is held so others can make travel arrangements to get there.[8]

    Tip: Many funeral packages offer obituaries with their services. If you’re using one, check with the package you have to see when you need to submit the obituary through them.

  2. 2
    Provide a photo of the deceased if you want. Choose a happy photo of your loved one so other people recognize that they lived a good life. Check with the newspaper where you plan on submitting to see if they have any size requirements for the photo you plan on submitting.[9]
    • Some newspapers charge an additional fee to publish pictures. Check with the paper’s obituary requirements to see.
  3. 3
    Submit your obituary before the print deadline if you want it in the paper. Many newspapers have a print deadline of about 5:30 PM. Check with the paper you’re submitting to so you know the exact deadline for when you need the obituary finished.[10]
    • Even if you don’t make the print deadline, the obituary will still be published on the newspaper’s website.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I get both marriages acknowledged if I have been widowed twice and want both in my obituary when I die?
    Community Answer
    The simpler said the better, "Twice widowed, she is preceded in death by (name) and (name)."
  • Question
    How do you write the name of a woman who was twice divorced and was currently going by her maiden last name?
    Community Answer
    Just use her maiden name. Former spouses can be mentioned by any surviving children of the marriages if they want to do so.
  • Question
    How do I write an obituary for someone who died from suicide?
    Community Answer
    An obituary for a suicide death rarely states the cause of death explicitly. Instead, it may mention the person's lifelong struggles with depression, mental illness, addiction, etc. or simply request that donations be made to an appropriate charity.
  • Question
    How can I word an obituary for someone survived only by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews?
    Community Answer
    "Toward the latter part of her life, she was blessed to have the company of her two generations of nieces and nephews."
  • Question
    How can a picture be shrunk to fit an obituary?
    Community Answer
    Find an image shrinking or compression website and specify a size (in pixels) that you want it to be reduced to. Pixlr or similar should work, or you could use a proper program such as Photoshop. More detailed help can be found at: How to Shrink a Picture and/or How to Resize Digital Photos and/or How to Resize a JPEG.
  • Question
    Can a finalized obituary be revised years later for any reason?
    Community Answer
    No. If a mistake is made, a correction can be issued or amended to the original obituary.
  • Question
    What is the proper way to note people that have died before the person?
    Community Answer
    Example: "She is preceded in death by her younger sisters Vannesa and Hilda Fieldman, and her beloved niece, Carol Egan."
  • Question
    How do I add the widow of a deceased brother to the obituary?
    Community Answer
    List her in the "survived by" sentence.
  • Question
    Is it necessary to list the names of those surviving the deceased?
    Community Answer
    No, but, generally speaking, obituaries list the names and locations of immediate family.
  • Question
    Can the picture have the deceased and his or her spouse?
    Community Answer
    Typically, only the deceased is in the photograph. If the spouse is also deceased, sometimes obituary photographs will show them both. If the spouse is still living, it is best to only include them in the obituary photograph if he or she, and other close family members, really want it. Also, be sure to make it clear in the obituary text that the spouse has "survived" the deceased.
Show more answers
Unanswered Questions
Ask a Question
200 characters left


    • Read other obituaries in the paper to get an idea of how they’re formatted.


    • Don’t include personal information, such as a birthdate or their mother’s maiden name, since identity thieves could steal the information and commit fraud.[11]

    Article SummaryX

    If you would like to write an obituary to honor someone’s life, start with a sentence that includes the person’s full name, age, where they lived, and when they passed away. Next, provide some biographical information, including where they were born, their educational background, and a few words about their family life. Then, offer details about the person’s hobbies, personality, and profession to let the reader know what the person was like. Finally, close with 1- 2 sentences about their remaining family and funeral arrangements. To learn how to submit your obituary, keep reading!

    Did this summary help you?

    Article Info


    Categories: Obituaries

    In other languages:

    Español: escribir un obituario

    Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 836,273 times.
    Did this article help you?