Obituary Template: A Fill-in Structure That Works

A good obituary template gives you the order of information, so you can focus on getting the facts and the wording right instead of working out what goes where. Copy the structure below, replace every bracketed placeholder with your own facts, and delete any line that does not apply. Nothing in brackets should survive into your final version.

Obituary template: the full version

Use this version for a funeral home website or an online memorial, where length is not tightly limited. Aim for 300 to 500 words once filled in.

[Full name], [age], of [city, state], died [peacefully / unexpectedly / after a long illness] on [date of death]. [He / She / They] was born on [date of birth] in [place of birth] to [parents names].

[Full name] [studied / trained as] [subject or trade] at [school or college, if relevant] and worked as a [job title] for [number] years [at employer, if relevant]. [He / She / They] served in the [branch of service] for [number] years, if this applies. [He / She / They] married [spouse name] in [year], and together they [raised [number] children in [place] / built a life in [place]].

[He / She / They] was known for [one or two real details: a hobby, a habit, a community role, or a quality friends mention]. [One short sentence with a specific memory or habit, in plain language.]

[Full name] is survived by [spouse or partner]; [children and their partners]; [grandchildren and great grandchildren, by name or by count]; and [siblings]. [He / She / They] was preceded in death by [names, if the family wants them listed].

A [funeral service / memorial service / celebration of life] will be held on [date] at [time] at [place]. [State whether it is open to all or private.] In place of flowers, the family asks for donations to [charity name, if any].

Read the filled-in version aloud before you submit it. If a sentence sounds generic, replace it with a real detail. If a sentence sounds grander than the person was, scale it back. Honest, plain wording is what readers trust.

Obituary template: the short version

Use this version for newspapers, where most obituaries run 200 to 300 words and charges often rise with length. Aim for under 200 words once filled in.

[Full name], [age], of [city, state], died on [date of death]. [He / She / They] was [a one line summary: job and one defining detail]. [He / She / They] is survived by [spouse]; [children]; and [grandchildren, by name or count]. A [service type] will be held on [date] at [time] at [place]. In place of flowers, donations may be made to [charity name].

When trimming a long version down to this shape, cut stories before facts. Keep the name, age, date, family list and service details, and keep only one personal detail, the one that best shows who the person was.

How to fill in each part

The opening announcement

This is the only part with a fixed job: tell readers who died, how old they were, where they lived, and when they died. Put the full name first, because readers scan for names. Add a nickname only if the person was commonly known by it. Decide as a family whether to include anything about how the person died, and use the same wording everywhere the obituary appears, so there is no confusion between versions.

The life story

Cover the main chapters in order: early life, schooling or training, work and service, marriage and family, and interests. Two or three specific details beat a long list of vague praise. “She taught primary school for 34 years and volunteered at the library reading programme” tells readers more than “she was a wonderful person who loved everyone”. If a detail needs checking, such as a job title, a service record or an award, check it before you write it in, because published claims are hard to correct.

The family list

Use a consistent order: spouse or partner, children and their partners, grandchildren and great grandchildren, parents if living, and siblings. Then add a line for those who died earlier, if the family wants one. If you name partners for some children, name them for all, unless a family member asks not to be named. Check every spelling with family, including maiden names. Family lists cause more post-publication corrections than any other part of an obituary, so settle the list before you submit.

The service details and closing

Give the date, time and place of the service, and say whether it is open to all or private. If the service is private, give only the general information in print and share the exact details privately. Name the donation charity exactly as it styles its own name, and check the spelling on the charity’s own website. End with at most one or two lines of closing wording, such as a favourite saying or a simple statement about what the person meant to the family.

Drafting notes: tone, length and checking

Tone should be warm and plain. Avoid stiff formal language that hides the person, and avoid jokes or slang that older relatives or strangers may read as disrespectful. Read the draft aloud: if a sentence sounds like something the person would never have said about themselves, rewrite it.

Length should match the publication. Newspapers set word limits and often charge by the word or line, so confirm the cost before submitting a long version. Online versions can be longer and can include photos, but the accuracy rules are the same, because online obituaries stay visible for years.

Checking matters more than style. Before you submit, confirm every name, date, place and family relationship with at least one other person, and confirm the service details with the funeral home or venue. Ask the publication whether it sends a proof for review, and read that proof carefully: it is your last chance to catch errors before print.

What to leave out of any template

Delete these from your draft, even if a template you found elsewhere includes them:

• Home addresses, for safety reasons
• Exact times and places for private family gatherings
• Financial details, wills, or anything about estates
• Health details beyond what the family has agreed to share
• Family disputes or unkind remarks about anyone
• Any claim you have not verified, such as an award, a rank, or a job title

When a detail is uncertain, the safe choice is to leave it out. A shorter obituary with every fact correct serves the family better than a longer one with an error in it.

From template to finished obituary

Once the template is filled in, do three passes. First, a facts pass: names, dates, places, family list, service details. Second, a voice pass: read it aloud and replace anything generic with a real detail. Third, a length pass: trim for the publication you are submitting to, cutting stories before facts. Then ask one other family member to read it, and submit only after they have checked it too.

For completed samples that show this structure filled in, see obituary examples. For the full step-by-step process, see how to write an obituary. For the difference between an obituary and a death notice, see what is an obituary.