How to write an obituary

Writing an obituary usually falls to someone who is grieving, exhausted, and on a deadline. The good news: obituaries follow a familiar shape. If you gather a few facts and follow the order below, the words come much more easily.

1. Gather the facts first

• Full legal name, plus any nickname people used
• Date and place of birth and of death
• Spouse and children (and their spouses, in parentheses)
• Grandchildren, siblings, parents
• Anyone who passed before them ("preceded in death by")
• Service, visitation, and burial details
• Where to send donations instead of flowers

2. Open with the announcement

The first sentence states the name, age, and passing. You can add one detail that captures who they were, which makes the whole piece feel personal from the start.

3. Tell the life story — briefly

Birthplace and upbringing, education, military service, work, marriage. Choose the moments that defined them rather than listing everything.

4. Show who they were

This is the part people remember. A favorite saying, a hobby, a habit everyone knew. "Never missed a Saturday on the water" says more than "enjoyed fishing."

5. List the family

Survivors are usually listed by closeness: spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings. Then those who passed before.

6. Close with service details

Date, time, and place of visitation and service, then donation or flower requests.

Example

Fictional example.