Free Obituary Template

Three templates: a short notice, a standard obituary, and the survivor paragraph on its own, because that is the part people get stuck on. Everything in [brackets] is yours to replace.

Short notice template

For a paid newspaper notice, where length costs money.

[Full name], [age], of [city, state], died on [date] [optional: at home / after a long illness / unexpectedly]. [He/She/They] [is/are] survived by [closest survivors, by relationship]. A [service/memorial/graveside service] will be held at [venue], [address], on [day, date], at [time]. [Optional: In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to [organisation].]

Standard obituary template

Two hundred to four hundred words. This is the one for the program and the memorial page.

Announcement. [Full name, including nickname in quotation marks and maiden name if used], [age], of [city, state], died on [date] [optional: at [place]].

The life. [He/She/They] was born on [birth date] in [birthplace] to [parents' names]. [Education, military service, or the move that shaped where they ended up.] [He/She/ They] worked as [occupation] at [employer] for [number] years.

Who they were. [Two or three specific things. Not "loved gardening" - the variety she grew, the tool he would not replace, the phrase she said answering the phone. This is the paragraph people remember; give it the most room.]

Survivors. [He/She/They] is survived by [spouse]; [children and their spouses]; [grandchildren]; and [siblings]. [He/She/They] was preceded in death by [names].

Service. A [service type] will be held at [venue], [full street address], [city], on [day, date], at [time]. [Optional: A reception will follow at [location].] [Optional: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to [organisation].]

Survivor paragraph on its own

The order runs closest family outward, oldest to youngest within a generation. Delete any line that does not apply rather than writing "no surviving children".

[He/She/They] is survived by [his/her/their] [wife/husband/partner] of [number] years, [name]; [his/her/their] [son/daughter], [name], and [his/her/their] [wife/husband], [name]; [number] grandchildren; [number] great-grandchildren; and [his/her/their] [brother/sister], [name]. [He/She/They] was preceded in death by [his/her/their] [relationship], [name].

Phrases that work, by situation

Cause of death, if you mention it at all

• "died peacefully at home"
• "died after a long illness"
• "died unexpectedly"
• "died following a short illness"

All four are complete. None of them invites a follow-up question, and you are under no obligation to use any of them.

Openings other than "passed away"

• "died on [date]" — plain, and preferred by most newspapers
• "died at home in [city] on [date]"
• "[Name] died on [date], aged [age]"

Closing lines

• "The family is grateful to the staff at [place] for their care."
• "All who knew [him/her/them] are welcome."
• "In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to [organisation], where [he/she/they] [volunteered/was treated/spent thirty years]."

Worked examples using this structure, by relationship and length, are in the obituary examples. The reasoning behind each paragraph is in the step-by-step guide.