How to Write a Death Announcement or Obituary

Writing an obituary is both a practical necessity and a meaningful tribute — a chance to capture who your loved one was in a few hundred words that will be read by hundreds or thousands of people. This guide walks through what to include, how to structure it, where to publish it, and the practical steps of submitting it.

The Purpose of an Obituary

An obituary serves three purposes: it announces the death to the community, provides funeral service information, and creates a brief but lasting record of a person's life. It doesn't need to be a literary masterpiece — sincerity and accuracy matter more than eloquence.

What to Include

Essential information

Full legal name (and common name if different)
Age at death or date of birth and date of death
City of residence
Cause of death (optional — family's choice; many obituaries say "peacefully" or "after a brief illness" rather than specifying)

Life summary

Where they were born and grew up
Education
Career and work life — not just job titles, but what they cared about professionally
Military service (branch, years, notable service)
Religious or faith community involvement
Hobbies, interests, passions, volunteer work, community involvement
What they were known for — their personality, their humor, their generosity

Survivors

Traditionally, obituaries list survivors in a specific order: spouse, children (with their spouses), grandchildren, siblings. The phrasing is typically "is survived by" followed by the list. You can also note those who preceded the deceased in death ("was preceded in death by his parents, Jane and John Smith").

Including or excluding specific people is the family's choice. Some families list all grandchildren by name; others group them ("seven grandchildren"). Estranged relatives may or may not be included — whatever feels right to the family.

Service information

Date, time, and location of the funeral or memorial service
Burial information (where, when)
Visitation/viewing information
Any livestream link for remote attendees

In lieu of flowers

If the family prefers charitable donations over flowers, specify the organization name and, if possible, a specific fund or address for donations.

What NOT to Include

The full home address of surviving family members — this is a security risk, as obituaries are read by scammers who target grieving families
Highly personal or controversial information without family consensus
Details about the estate or valuables — again, a security consideration

Obituary Structure: Two Common Formats

Traditional (third-person, formal)

"John Michael Smith, 74, of Portland, Oregon, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born January 15, 1952, in Denver, Colorado, John served in the US Army from 1971 to 1975 and spent 35 years as a high school history teacher..."

Personal/narrative (first or third person, more informal)

"Our dad loved the way morning light looked on the lake, strong coffee, and the Colorado Rockies, in that order. John Michael Smith didn't love talking about himself, but he'd want you to know about the students he mentored over 35 years in the classroom..."

Both formats are appropriate. The personal format is increasingly common and can be more meaningful to readers.

Practical Tips for Writing It

Don't write it alone if you don't have to. Sit with family members and collect memories, dates, and details together.
Check dates carefully. Errors in death certificates and obituaries are common and hard to correct retroactively.
Write it before you need it. If your loved one is terminally ill, drafting the obituary together — or with family input — is actually a gift. Some people write their own.
Length: Most obituaries run 200–500 words for print. Online obituaries can be longer.

Where to Publish

Funeral home website: Almost all funeral homes post obituaries on their own website as part of their services
Local newspaper: The traditional venue. Print obituaries typically cost per word or per column inch — prices vary widely. The funeral home can submit on your behalf.
Legacy.com: A major online obituary platform that partners with newspapers; obituaries submitted to newspapers often appear here automatically
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, and similar platforms allow friends and family to share memories in comments
Find A Grave / BillionGraves: Free memorial websites that create a permanent record, useful for genealogical purposes

About Obituary Scammers

Unfortunately, obituaries are monitored by scammers who target grieving families. Common scams include fake charity solicitations, contractors offering estate cleanout services, and social engineering attacks. Be cautious about providing personal information to anyone who contacts you in response to an obituary.

For the complete guide to who to notify after a death, see our full notification guide. For planning the funeral service, see our complete funeral planning guide.