If you were very close with the deceased, you may already know the important details, like who their family members are and when the funeral is. Keeping this in mind may help alleviate some of the pressure you may feel while writing an obituary. While the obituary is about informing a public audience of their death, there will be other opportunities to share their stories, like eulogies, which may provide a deeper look into their personality and life story. That short length may feel constraining, but it’s important to remember that the obituary is just one way to honor a loved one’s memory.

To achieve this, it should include brief anecdotes that illustrate their personality or how they spent their time, and their accomplishments or contributions to their community.Īn obituary is typically limited to just a few paragraphs (or about two to three hundred words).

funeral or memorial details (date, time, and location)īeyond that, an obituary is meant to provide context about the deceased and help tell the story about who they were and the life they led.

their family members (for example, a partner or children).

the date they died and their age at that time.

the name of the deceased and their photo.

For example, it should contain information like:

But there are certain guidelines about what goes into an obituary that are universal. No two people are the same, especially as seen through the eyes of a loved one. Grammarly gives your work extra polish Write with Grammarly What to include in an obituary

Obituary format sample