Obituary Writing Help

This guide helps you learn about the different parts of obituaries, what sections are optional, and provides a template that can be used to assist in writing obituaries for loved ones. While you do not need to name each niece and cousin, it is important to write a general summary of family members who passed away before your loved one, and of surviving family members.

You will begin with the basic death notice, which states your loved ones (name, age, hometown) died. An obituary is a published notice of death, usually seen in the newspaper, which includes a brief biographical account of the life of someone who has died recently. An obituary is not a biography, but rather an account of the most significant events, qualities, contributions, and connections of a person’s life.

You may also wish to include any funeral or memorial service details. Family, friends, former co-workers, and the community will want details on a viewing, memorial, or funeral, as well as any plans to have the body laid to rest.

Have another family member help confirm dates, people who need to be mentioned, proper spellings of names, and details of a planned funeral service. Gather photos and other memorabilia to be used or displayed during the funeral or memorial service. If your family would rather write an obituary, first you all want to check with the local newspaper about the guidelines for submitting it and the costs.

Templates are a good way to start if you are not sure of the length, structure, and content. Also, templates can come with varying themes, but they all need to contain all of the same core elements.

While this template is the kind of model you could use in any city or country, your local regulations might vary. Before you put pen to paper — whether it is literal or metaphorical — create a list of all of the major events, dates, places, and people in your subject’s life.

Full details are essential, including date of birth, middle name, and maiden name for married women. The information includes birth and death dates, names of family members, locations, timelines, as well as any other biographical information. Families generally wish to list the full names of deceased persons, as well as the dates of birth and death, however, due to scams and identity theft, this is discouraged.

The location may be specific, or, if preferred, it may simply say that the loved one was surrounded by family. This site is all about ways of dealing with grief, so bookmark this one and return when you are ready after the funeral is over and things calm down. When someone dies, particularly if it is a sudden death, you can feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks and decisions to make in such a short amount of time leading up to the funeral.