Writing an obituary is difficult for many of us. Finding the right words to sum up a loved ones life is so hard. Not to mention how brief you are required to keep it.
That’s why an obituary template can be so helpful.
Having a guide of what to write for an obituary gives you an idea of the sort of things to say. If you’ve never had to write one before then having an example template will help you get started if you’re struggling.
So use these free obituary templates and the tips for what to include to help you do justice to a loved one. You can adapt and add to them in any way you like and use different parts from the different templates until you’ve got it sounding exactly as you’d like.
| Table of Contents |
|---|
| Obituary Templates - Short Obituary Templates Silence - Obituary Templates for Mother - Obituary Templates for Father - Obituary Templates for Grandmother - Obituary Templates for Grandfather - Obituary Templates for Son - Obituary Templates for Daughter - Obituary Templates for Husband - Obituary Templates for Wife - Obituary Template for a Coworker - Obituary Template for a Pet - For Inviting Donations - Celebration of Life Template - Ash Scattering Template |
What to Include in a Simple Obituary
The most basic obituary should include these details of the deceased:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Date of death
- The age they died
- Surviving family members
- Where they were born and lived
- Where they died
These are the fundamentals you won’t want to miss out. You might want to mention the details of a funeral or memorial if one is being held as well.
On top of that you can decide if you want to include any more personal details about the deceased like their character or stories and anecdotes from your time together.
Obituary Templates
These simple obituary templates should be a good starting point to you to write your own. Use them as a basic outline and then add in the necessary details. Or combine parts from the different examples to make the most fitting obituary for your deceased loved one.
Short Obituary Templates
[Full name], aged [age], passed away on [date of death] due to [cause of death]. They lived in [location] and leave behind [surviving family members].
******************
[Name] sadly passed away aged [age] on [date of death] in [location of death]. They were beloved by their family [list of surviving family members] and predeceased by [family members who died before them]. A funeral will take place on [date of funeral].
******************
[full name], [age], of [location] was sadly taken from us on [date of death] due to [cause of death] surrounded by friends and family.
They are survived by [surviving family members] and a service will be held at [location], on [date] at [time].
******************
It is with great sadness we announce the death of [full name], [age], of [location] from [cause of death] on [date of death]. They did not suffer and were with friends and family at the end.
[name] is survived by [surviving family members] and was predeceased by [passed away family members]. There will be a private service at the request of [name] with only family in attendance.
SEE MORE: ‘In Lieu of Flowers’ Alternatives and Etiquette
Obituary Template for Mother
Our beloved mother [full name] passed away on [date of death] at the age of [age]. We are heartbroken to lose someone so special. She was a wonderful woman who will be deeply missed. She was predeceased by [family members who died before] and survived by [surviving family members].
There will be a funeral at [location], [date] [time].
******************
My amazing mother [full name] passed away on [date] after a valiant battle with [cause of death]. No words can express how missed she will be. We will be honoring her with a memorial service on [date] at [location] to all her want to pay their respects.
Obituary Template for Father
Our dad left us on [date of death] at [age]. He leaves behind [surviving family members] who will miss him dearly. There will be a funeral held at [location] on [date], [time].
******************
It is with great sadness we must announce the passing away of our father [full name] on [date]. He was surrounded by family and friends as he peacefully slipped away and we are heartbroken to lose him. We would love for those who knew him to remember his life with us at [location] on [date].
Obituary Template for Grandmother
Grandma [name] is in heaven now. She passed away peacefully on [date of death]. She is survived by [loving family members]. We were blessed to have had her in our lives. The service is still being organized but it will be held at [location] sometime in [month]. In lieu of flowers please consider making a contribution to [charity], [first name] supported them all her life and they meant a lot to her.
******************
It is with regret that we announce our grandmother, [full name], has passed away aged [age] on [date of death] due to [cause of death]. She is survived by [surviving family members] and a celebration of life will be held. Details to be confirmed soon.
Obituary Template for Grandfather
My amazing grandfather [full name] took his final breath on [date of death]. He was the grand old age of [age] and lived a long and full life. He is survived by [surviving family members].
There will be a funeral service held on [date] at [location] for close family.
******************
We are devastated to announce that our grandfather [full name] lost his battle with [cause of death] on [date of death]. He was a man of warmth and love and will be missed dearly.
A memorial service is to be held on [date] at [location] and everyone is invited to come and pay their respects.
Obituary Template for Son
Our son tragically passed away on [date of death]. He leaves behind his devoted mother and father and 2 brothers who will never forget him. We will be holding a memorial service for him at [location] on [date], [time].
******************
We have lost the light of our life – our perfect son left us on [date of death]. He faced his final days with the strength and humor he was so well known for. We are asking anyone who feels they can to make a donation to [charity’s name] on behalf of [name].
Obituary Template for Daughter
We can’t begin to express our grief at the passing of our daughter. [full name] passed away peacefully on [date of death] aged [age].
She was the most lovely girl you could ever hope to meet and was adored by everyone.
There is going to be a memorial service on [date] at [location]. In lieu of flowers please make donations to [organization].
******************
Obituary Template for Husband
My darling husband left this world on [date of death] aged [age]. He was a beloved father, husband and friend. He leaves behind [surviving family members].
The funeral is scheduled for [date], [time] at [location].
******************
The light has gone from my world – my husband [full name] passed away on [date of death]. He leaves behind [family members] and was predeceased by [dead family members].
At his request there will be no service.
Obituary Template for Wife
My wife, [full name], died on [date of death] surrounded by family. She is survived by [surviving family members] and was predeceased by [dead family members].
She was loved by and a friend to everyone and I am heartbroken she is gone.
[names] funeral service will be held at [location] on [date] for invited friends and family.
******************
My wife of 20 years tragically died on [date of death]. [name] battled so bravely against [cause of death] and was with friends and family at the end. She is survived by [surviving family members].
I know she would have wanted to full funeral service and it will be held on [date] at [location]. Please come and pay your respects.
Obituary Template for a Coworker
We are filled with a deep sadness as we announce the death of our wonderful colleague [full name] who passed away on [date of death]. His/her professionalism and hard work were valued by everyone who had the opportunity to work alongside them. [first name] will be greatly missed.
There will be a funeral service at [location] on [date] at [time]. In lieu of flowers, pleas send donations to [charity or organization name].
******************
In sorrow we must announce that [full name], our treasured coworker, passed away on [date of death] aged [age]. They are survived by [surviving family members] and will always hold a special place in our hearts for their achievements and work ethic they had demonstrated whilst working for and with us.
Details of any funeral or memorial will be announced at a later date.
Obituary Template for a Pet
My beloved dog and best friend [name] passed away on [date of death] after a long and happy life. He/she was my best friend and by my side through the good times and bad.
I will always feel lucky to have had the years we did together and know that he/she is irreplaceable.
There will be a small memorial held at [location] on [date]. I would you to come and remember [name].
******************
My darling fur baby slipped away peacefully on [date of death]. It was a blessing [name] came into my life and I don’t know how I would have coped without him/her. My heart is broken but I am grateful for the [age] years we had together.
READ MORE: What to Say to Someone Whose Dog Died
For Inviting Donations
[full name] sadly left us on [date of death] at the age of [age]. They are survived by [surviving family members] and were surrounded by loved ones as they passed away.
We are inviting everyone to make a donation to charity in honour of [name] in lieu of sending flowers. Your donation would have been what [name] wanted.
Celebration of Life Template
The passing of [full name] on [date of death] has left us bereft. He/she was only [age of death] and leaves us far too soon.
So we can honor [names] memory please join us at a celebration of their life on [date] at [location]. Pay tribute to and remember [names] life with this celebration and please wear bright colors in keeping with the upbeat nature of the event.
******************
We are filled with grief at the passing of [full name] on [date of death]. He/she was only [age of death] and has left us far too soon.
We will be paying tribute to [names] life with a celebration of life at [location] on [date]. Please come along and celebrate the amazing person [name] was.
Ash Scattering Template
After the sad passing away of [full name] on [date of death] we want to pay tribute to their life and do as they requested in their will.
There will be a ceremony where [names] ashes will be spread at [location] on [date] at [time].
******************
We are announcing the ash spreading ceremony for [full name] on [date] at [location]. After [names] sad passing they requested their ashes be scattered over [location] and we want to honor that request.
So if you can please come to the ceremony and pay tribute to [names] life.
For more help try out guide of what to say when scattering ashes.
Conclusion
Hopefully these obituary templates will have helped you to write an obituary for a loved one and find the right words.
It’s always difficult to write something about the passing of someone so special, especially in a formal way. But obituaries are important so making the effort to do it right makes sense.
FAQs
How do you write a simple obituary example? ›
A simple short obituary template
[Full name], [age], of [where they lived], passed away on [date of death] from [cause of death]. They were predeceased by [list of family members who died before them], and they left behind [list of their family members who are still alive].
- The full name of the deceased, including nicknames.
- The age of the deceased at the time of death.
- The city or town of residence at the time of death.
- A list of immediate surviving family members.
- A brief summary of the deceased's life.
- Memorial or funeral details with the address and date.
Most obits are still written by funeral homes or family members, but an increasing number of people are penning their own.
What words do you start an obituary with? ›- “It is with great sadness that the family of (deceased name) announce (his/her) passing….”
- “(Deceased name) will be sadly missed by ….”
- “Fondly remembered by….”
- “Forever remembered by….”
- “Lovingly remembered by….”
- “Wife/husband and best friend of (number) years….”
The obituary should end by naming your loved one's surviving family members, then giving information about the funeral or memorial service, if the family is making those details public, as well as information about any memorial funds or charitable organizations that people should send donations to.
What is a typical obituary? ›An obituary tends to consist of three parts: first, name, age, date of death, cause of death [if appropriate], work, education; second, stories that celebrate their life; and third, the list of survivors (and relationship to the deceased).
What is obituary easy? ›: a notice of a person's death usually with a short biographical account.
How do you start an eulogy? ›- Introduce Yourself. You could start with something simple like: ...
- Start Your Eulogy With a Quote. One way to start your eulogy is with a quote. ...
- Address Friends and Family. ...
- Share Fond Memories During Your Eulogy. ...
- Address Their Career Achievements and Contributions To The Community.
Types of Word cover letter templates. Microsoft Word has several cover letter templates to choose from, depending on your needs and personal preferences.
How do you make an obituary pamphlet? ›- Photo of the deceased.
- Deceased's full name, including maiden name if applicable.
- Birthdate and death date.
- Time, date, and location of the funeral and burial.
- Names of surviving family members.
- Names of the pallbearers.
What is the cheapest way to publish an obituary? ›
Also, consider the deadline so you know when to send your finished obituary to the publisher. The cheapest way to submit an obituary to a newspaper is to submit a short death notice. This includes only the bare minimum information about your loved one's life, legacy, and death.
What can writing your own obituary and thinking about the end right now do for you? ›Some psychologists say the act of writing your obit can serve as a wake-up call and inspire people to make changes, to live more fully and intentionally. “Think of your obituary as an aspirational guide for the rest of your life,” writes David Evans, a counselor/mediator in an article for Psychology Today.
How do you write a life history of a dead person? ›Write A Brief Biography
This can include the deceased's early years, their family, significant family events, and any other important details. Next it can mention any other friends or family members the deceased was close to. Finally, you can talk about the deceased's spouse, children, and grandchildren.