How to Write an Obituary That Truly Celebrates Life
The pain of losing someone you love makes simple tasks challenging. When arranging a memorial celebration of life, the first difficulty that families face is writing a perfect obituary that not only displays their feelings but also the important details of the deceased. You might be asking yourself, ” Where do I start? What should I include? How do I strike the right balance between facts and emotions?
This is where learning how to write an obituary becomes important. An obituary is more than just a death notice; it is a meaningful tribute to honor your loved one. Here we have provided a structural guide that will help you write a respectful and memorable obituary.
What Is an Obituary?
An obituary is a notice written to announce someone’s death, which is shorter than a biography or eulogy. It is usually announced through online or newspapers. It is used to highlight a deceased’s key life events, share their life story, honor memories, and provide details of the memorial services and funerals. Obituaries are mostly written by family members or someone close to the deceased, or if you want to add more details or have a professional touch, you can consult a funeral director. Or in special cases, the deceased writes their own obituary when they were still alive to avoid troubles for families in the future.
It is approximately 200 words, but it can vary, as some publishers accept short obituaries of 40 to 50 words, while others allow a longer version of 1k words. Many people confuse death notices with obituaries, but they are totally different. Death notices are brief, including name, age, and date of the death, but obituaries go further than that and offer a full account of the deceased.
Understanding the Purpose of an Obituary
Following are list the purposes that your obituary must have:
Announce Death Respectfully.
An obituary starts with the essential information about the deceased’s life and passing. It includes first names or nicknames, age, place of residence, date and place of death, etc. If you want it in more detail, then you can mention the cause, but confirm with the family if they are comfortable before mentioning. It is a very simple summary of the whole obituary. It can be written in different tones, like you can phrase it plainly, such as “died on [date]” or you can write with a softer expression, such as “departed this life,” or “entered eternal rest.” Try to choose those words that seem respectful and natural.
Celebrate the Individual’s Life and Accomplishments
It is the most interesting part of the obituary, which allows you the freedom to be creative and turn your simple notice into a lasting tribute. This portion’s basics include date and place of birth, marriage details, hometown, schools and degrees earned, career, and community or religious involvement. These help guests to analyze the framework of a well-lived life. After this, you can add more beauty to it by mentioning the deceased’s hobbies and interests. Highlight the things that reflect your loved one and or the things that had a special meaning to them.
To make it more memorable, you can add a heart-touching story, a tale of resilience, or a simple act of kindness that can help guests see the deceased as more than just a list of dates and achievements. As Marvin Siegel said, the obituaries that resonate most are those that move us, make us smile, or remind us of the richness of life—even when we never knew the person being remembered.
Recognize Surviving Family Members
The next step of writing your obituary is to mention the closest people of the deceased. You can name them individually, or you can collectively mention them as being survived by four grandchildren. There is no limitation to it; you can write as many names as you want. As the family members must, you can also include nieces, nephews, cousins, a fiancé, or even close friends who were dear to the deceased. But you have to keep this in mind to mention those people who had deep connections with the deceased and who would be honored to see their connection acknowledged.
Provide Service or Memorial Information
This part includes memorial formation. It has to be detailed and easy to follow so that the readers can fully understand the instructions and information. It includes location, date, and time of the visitation, funeral, burial, or memorial service, and the name of the funeral home if applicable. If you want to make your event memorable, you can also mention bringing photos, sharing stories, or providing mementos that reflect the life of your loved one. As Anne Murphy mentioned, a thoughtful service should leave people with a real sense of who the person was and how they touched others’ lives. For more creative ways to make the gathering special, explore our celebration of life ideas.
Offer Ways For People to Honor Their Memory
This section is optional, as some families require charities and some don’t. If your loved one likes to make donations to charities, it is best to take this opportunity to make a donation in the deceased’s name. The most common donations that are included in such ceremonies are health-related charities connected to an illness, a fund at the person’s alma mater, or a community organization they cared about. One important thing is to provide clear instructions about the organization’s name, mailing address, or website so guests can make donations easily.
Elements of an Obituary
A well-written obituary typically includes several key elements. Therefore, to craft an effective obituary, it must incorporate these essential components.
Simple Obituary Template
every obituary contains a structure that you have to follow. Thus, we are providing you a basic structure that you can follow:
First Template
We are announcing with deep grief that [Full Name], age [number], of [city/town], has passed away on [date] at [location].
[Name] was born on [birth date] in [birth place] to [parents’ names]. [He/She] spent [his/her] life [career/profession/major life role], and was known for [personal qualities—kindness, humor, dedication, etc.]. Other than work, [he/she] would indulge himself in [hobbies, interests].
[First name] is survived by [spouse/partner], [children], [grandchildren], [siblings], and [other close relatives]. [He/She] was preceded in death by [list of family members].
A ceremony will be held at [location] on [date] at [time]. Friends and family are most welcome to attend.
Second Template
[Full Name], [age], has passed away on [date] at [location] of [city].
Born on [birth date] in [birth place], [first name] has lived his life with [career highlights, community service, or personal passions]. [He/She] will be remembered for [personal traits or values, kindness, humor, dedication, etc.].
[First name] is lovingly remembered by [his/her] [spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, and other loved ones], who will cherish the memories created together.
[He/She] was preceded in death by [names of family members who passed away before], who [he/she] missed dearly and often spoke of with fondness.
A service in honor of [first name’s] life will be held at [location] on [date] at [time]. The family invites all people who knew [first name] to attend. Contributions in [his/her] memory may be made to [charity/organization].
Examples of obituary:
Here are some examples of obituaries that will help you write the perfect obituary.
Standard Obituary
Eleanor Grace Thompson, 82, of Denver, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home on August 28, 2025. Born on 14 Feb 2001, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Harold and Ruth Jennings.
Eleanor earned her nursing degree from the University of Colorado and worked for over 35 years at Denver General Hospital, where she was admired for her compassion and dedication. She married Richard Thompson in 1965, and together they raised three children.
Outside of her career, Eleanor enjoyed painting, volunteering at her church, and tending her rose garden. Her warmth, laughter, and strength touched everyone who knew her.
She is survived by her husband Richard; children Laura (David) Carter, Thomas (Anna) Thompson, and Rebecca (Michael) Lee; and seven grandchildren. Eleanor was preceded in death by her brother, Charles Jennings.
A celebration of life will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, Denver, on September 12, 2025, at 2 p.m. Instead of flowers, bring donations that may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Warm and Storytelling
Patricia “Pat” Henderson, 68, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away on August 29, 2025, after a brief illness. Pat was born on March 2, 1957, in Savannah, Georgia, to Walter and Helen Brooks.
A devoted nurse, Pat spent her career at Grady Memorial Hospital, where she became known for her kindness and dedication to her patients. She married her college sweetheart, James Henderson, in 1980, and together they built a life filled with laughter, love, and adventure.
Pat adored baking and was famous for her peach cobbler, which she proudly shared at every family gathering. She also found joy in gardening, cheering for the Atlanta Braves, and traveling with her grandchildren.
Pat is survived by her husband James, daughters Melissa (James) and Claire (Robert), and five grandchildren who will miss her dearly.
The ceremony of Pat’s life will be held on September 20, 2025, at Peachtree Baptist Church at 11 a.m. Donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Lighthearted and Personal
Michael Matheow, of Seattle, Washington, passed away on 7th of July, 2025. Born on December 22, 1965, in Spokane, Mike was known for his quick wit, love of classic rock, and unbeatable barbecue skills.
A software engineer by trade, Mike was also the guy everyone called when their computer froze—or when they needed an extra hand moving furniture. He had a big laugh, a bigger heart, and never missed a Mariners game.
Michael is survived by his wife, Lisa; his children, Jack and Hannah; his brother, Chris; and his dog, Rusty. His family invites friends to a backyard celebration of Mike’s life on September 21, 2025, at the Thompson family home.
Tips for Writing a Respectful Obituary
Here are some tips for you to write your obituary smoothly and perfectly to honor your loved one.
What Makes a Great Obituary?
A great obituary is not only an announcement of the death, but it tells the story of a life lived by the deceased, making it memorable and heartfelt. It should follow these instructions to be more meaningful.
Capture the Individual’s Essence.
What makes the obituary unique is its essence that leaves the readers with a clear image of life lived by the deceased, the memories they shared, and their importance. As the famous obituary writer said, obituaries are “less about death and more about life.”
It goes far beyond the mere fact and reflects your loved one’s spirit, passions, and personality.
Balance Facts with Heartfelt Tributes.
The best obituaries are like a carefully focused snapshot; they don’t tell everything, but they provide a vivid and accurate impression. Alden Whitman’s saying adds true beauty to the obituary. The amazing fact about an obituary is that it blends factual details of your loved one with the emotionally evoking words that describe their character and honor them. And with the right personal touches, you can make your obituary more genuine and meaningful.
Provide Useful Information
Practical information is essential for those wishing to attend services or pay respects. Try to provide brief and useful information like announcement of the death, a summary of the life story, names of surviving family members, funeral or memorial service details, a mention of charities or causes they supported, and a meaningful photo of the deceased. This helps guests to understand the details easily and makes the obituary captivating.
FAQs About Writing an Obituary
Conclusion
An obituary is an opportunity to celebrate a life well lived and leave behind words that honor your loved one’s memory. By following our structural guide that covers template, tips, example, and structure, etc, you will be able to write the obituary fluently. Remember, there is no right way to write an obituary. It all depends on how you convey comfort to those who read it and reflect on the deceased.
