Writing an obituary for someone you love is an important way to honor and celebrate their life. The obituary acknowledges your loss, informs the community of the death, and invites those who knew your loved one (as well as people who care about you) to attend the funeral and offer sympathy and support.
An obituary is where we record a loved one’s life story to live on forever. More than a simple death announcement, an obituary pays tribute to someone by saying something about who they were as a person. This can be done in many ways: sharing a story from their life, writing about their hopes and dreams, listing their accomplishments, telling about their loves and favorites, reflecting on what they meant to you. The most memorable obituaries often touch on all these aspects of a person’s life and legacy.
Writing an obituary can feel daunting. You may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of writing about a loved one who has died. Or you may worry that you’ll forget important facts or that the obituary won’t fully capture your loved one’s life. This is one reason why many families begin preparing the obituary in advance. Talking with a loved one about their life can give you the chance to reminisce and learn about your family history. Some people even choose to write their own obituaries ahead of time, relishing the opportunity to reflect on life, share what they’ve learned along the way, and maybe even get the last laugh.
If you are like most people, you will be writing an obituary in the aftermath of your loved one’s death, when the obituary just one of many things to be done during this exhausting and emotional time. Legacy can help guide you through all the difficult decisions and tasks that come at the end of life, including how to write the obituary. Legacy’s free obituary writing tool is a good place to
Here is a step-by-step guide to writing an obituary and the important information to include. Keep these things in mind, but also feel free to be creative. Some of the most beautiful obituaries are ones that don’t follow the standard formula. Whatever style of
1. Announce the death
Begin the obituary with a statement that highlights basic facts about your loved one, including their full name (first, middle, and last names, maiden name, nickname, and suffixes like Jr. or Sr.), where they lived, age, date
2. Share their life story
An obituary does more than simply announce a death — an obituary tells us something about a person’s life. Most people go their whole lives without their life story being written. An obituary is
Biographical information you may wish to include in the obituary:
• Dates and locations of birth, marriage, and death
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• Schools attended, degrees earned
• Places of employment and positions held
• Military service and rank
• Membership in organizations
• Place of worship
• Hobbies or special interests
3. List family members
Most obituaries name surviving family members as well as those who died previously. Deciding whom to include in the obituary can be difficult. Start with next of kin (spouse or partner, parents, children, siblings, grandparents
4. Include funeral or memorial service information
The obituary typically is published at least a day or two before the funeral and provides the community with important service information. Include the dates, times, and locations of the visitation, funeral, burial, and/or memorial service.
5. Add charity information
Obituaries often request donations to a specific charity. There may be charities or organizations that were important to your loved one. Or perhaps the family would like to “pay it forward” by asking for donations to an organization that raises awareness about an illness. The family may wish to have people donate to
If the family prefers charitable donations or monetary contributions rather than flowers, include a phrase such as “In lieu of flowers,” followed by “please consider a donation to the American Heart Association,” “contributions suggested to the family,” or “the family is requesting financial assistance for the services.”
6. Select a photo
A photo helps bring the obituary to life, so choose a photo that shows your loved one’s personality. A portrait or close-up of your loved one’s face typically works best. The photo can be recent or from their youth, it’s up to you. Some newspapers may even allow you to choose more than one for print. Be sure to check with the newspaper for any specific requirements. If you are working with a funeral home, they will be able to assist you with formatting the photo and obituary and submitting to newspapers. If you’re having a hard time selecting just one photo, keep in mind that you likely will be able to add more photos and even video on the online version of the obituary.
