10 obituary examples, short and long, for a mother, father, grandparent, spouse and more
These ten sample obituaries cover different relationships, lengths and tones, from a 60-word newspaper notice to a fuller life story for a funeral home website. We wrote them for this page; none is about a real person. Use them for the shape, then fill it with the real facts and the details that were truly them.
On this page
1. A short newspaper obituary
Margaret Ann Collins, 84, of Dayton, died peacefully on October 12 at home. A retired schoolteacher, she taught third grade for 31 years and never forgot a student's name. She is survived by her sons, David and Paul, and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on October 19 at her church.
What it does: every essential fact in about 60 words, plus one detail that makes her a person, not a notice.
2. For a mother
Ruth Ellen Harper, 79, of Springfield, died on September 30 surrounded by her family.
Ruth was born in Decatur to Walter and June Mills and married her high school sweetheart, Frank Harper, in 1966. She ran the front office at the neighborhood elementary school for 27 years, where generations of children knew her as the person who always had a spare pencil and a kind word.
Nobody ever left Ruth's house hungry. Her Sunday dinners fed family, neighbors and whoever else showed up, and she kept a chair at the table for anyone who needed one.
She is survived by her children, Claire (Tom) Becker and James Harper; four grandchildren; and her sister, Ann. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank. A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on October 5 at her parish church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the local food pantry.
What it does: facts first, then one paragraph of who she was, ending with a donation that fits her.
3. For a father
Joseph "Joe" Rivera, 76, of Tucson, died on October 2 after a short illness.
Joe could fix anything with an engine and most things without one. He spent forty years running the garage his father opened, and half the town has a story about the night Joe stayed late to get them back on the road. He loved the Reds, his tomato garden and, above all, his wife of 52 years, Elena.
He is survived by Elena; his daughters, Maria and Teresa; and six grandchildren. A celebration of his life will be held at the family home on October 10 at 2 p.m.
What it does: leads with character instead of dates, which suits a warmer website obituary.
4. For a grandmother
Dorothy "Dot" Kim, 92, of Albany, died peacefully on September 18. Born in Seoul, Dot came to the United States in 1958 and raised four children while running the family dry cleaner for thirty years. She was known for her garden, her card games and her firm opinions on how to fold a shirt. She is survived by her four children, eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, all of whom learned to play cards at her kitchen table. Services will be private.
What it does: fits an immigrant story, a working life and a family into one paragraph.
5. For a grandfather
Walter James "Pop" Grant, 88, of Bend, died on October 8. Walter worked for the Forest Service for 35 years and spent his retirement teaching all eight of his grandchildren to fish, with mixed results and endless patience. He is survived by his children, Susan and Mark, and his grandchildren, who will tell his river stories, a little differently each time. A memorial will be held at the community hall on October 17 at 1 p.m.
What it does: a touch of gentle humor that sounds like the family talking.
6. For a husband
Mark Allen Pierce, 61, of Raleigh, died unexpectedly on October 14. Mark was an engineer, a youth soccer coach for twenty seasons and a man who made his wife coffee every single morning of their 34 years together. He is survived by his wife, Linda; his sons, Ben and Sam; and his mother, Carol. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on October 21 at the family's church, followed by a reception.
What it does: one small daily habit says more about the marriage than any adjective could.
7. For a wife
Anna Lucia Ferraro, 58, of Portland, died on September 27 after a long illness. Anna could walk into a room of strangers and leave with three new friends and a recipe. A nurse for 30 years, she cared for her patients, her neighbors and everyone in between. She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Paul; her daughters, Sofia and Gina; and her parents, Carlo and Rose. A memorial Mass will be celebrated on October 4 at 10 a.m. at her parish. Donations may be made to the hospice that cared for her.
What it does: names her work and her warmth, and thanks the hospice through the donation line.
8. For a veteran
Robert Lee Turner, 83, of Mobile, died on October 1. Bob served in the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1966, including a tour in Germany, and was proud of his service all his life. After the Army he worked as a lineman for the power company for 31 years. He is survived by his wife, Betty; his children, Karen and Steve; and four grandchildren. A funeral with military honors will be held at 1 p.m. on October 8 at the city cemetery.
What it does: gives the service dates and branch plainly, and notes military honors for those attending.
9. For someone who died young
Samuel "Sam" Okafor, 27, of Chicago, died on October 5. Sam laughed louder than anyone his friends had ever met, usually at himself. He was a high school art teacher whose students painted a mural in his classroom in the week after his death. He is survived by his parents, Grace and Daniel; his sister, Ada; and more friends than his family could count. A celebration of Sam's life will be held at 4 p.m. on October 12 at the school where he taught. All are welcome.
What it does: centers who he was rather than how he died, and opens the gathering to the many people he touched.
10. With a private service
Dana Lee, 61, of Portland, died on October 3 after a long illness. Dana spent a career in nursing and a lifetime looking after everyone else. A private service will be held for family. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the hospice that cared for Dana. Messages for the family may be left on the funeral home's website.
What it does: tells people clearly there is no public service, and gives them another way to respond.
Write your own
Every example above uses the same parts, in roughly this order:
- Full name, age, city, and when they died
- A few facts of their life: where they were from, their work, their marriage
- One or two details that were completely them
- Who survives them, and who died before them
- Service details, or a note that it will be private
- Donations, if the family wishes
How to write an obituary has a fill-in template, what to leave out and a checklist before it is published. If you are also speaking at the service, see how to write a eulogy.
Start here: write the first sentence with the facts, then finish this one: "[Name] was the kind of person who..."
Common questions
What is a good example of a short obituary?
A short obituary gives the full name, age, city, date of death, one or two sentences about the person, the closest surviving family, and the service details. Example 1 on this page shows one in about 60 words.
How do you start an obituary?
Most start with the announcement: full name, age, city, and when they died. "Margaret Ann Collins, 84, of Dayton, died peacefully on October 12." Some longer obituaries open with a line about who they were, then give the facts.
Can I copy an obituary example?
Use the structure, not the words. The examples here are invented to show different shapes and tones. Replace every detail with the real facts and one or two things that were truly them.
How do you write an obituary for a mother?
Give the facts first, then one or two details that were completely her: her kitchen, her work, the way she welcomed people. Name her children and grandchildren, and the people who died before her. Example 2 shows one.
Sources: all ten obituaries and the notes on them were written by Scribe Media for this page; the people, places and events in them are invented. Published by Scribe Media.