What to include in an obituary (checklist)
Want it written for you?
Type what you remember — even in bullet points. In about a minute you'll have the finished piece, ready to edit and share.
Write it for meUse this checklist to gather everything before you start writing. You won't need every item — but having them in one place makes the writing much faster.
The essentials
- Full name, nickname, and maiden name if applicable
- Age
- City or town where they lived
- Date and place of death
- Date and place of birth
Their life
- Parents and where they grew up
- Education
- Military service (branch, years)
- Career or main work
- Marriage(s) and the year they married
- Faith, clubs, volunteering
- Hobbies and passions
- One or two personal details or sayings
Family
- Survivors: spouse, children (with spouses), grandchildren, great-grandchildren, parents, siblings
- Those who passed before them
Service information
- Visitation: date, time, place
- Funeral or memorial service: date, time, place
- Burial or interment
- Donations in lieu of flowers
What you can leave out
Cause of death, full home address, and exact birthdate are optional. Some families leave out the birthdate and home address to reduce identity-theft risk.
Want it written for you?
Type what you remember — even in bullet points. In about a minute you'll have the finished piece, ready to edit and share.
Write it for me