A quick note before you start: I lost my grandfather a few years back and remember staring at a blank page, trying to fit three different versions of him — my cousins’ version, his coworkers’, my grandmother’s — into a few paragraphs. There’s no formula that makes that easy.
Below are 26 real-style obituary examples for every relationship and situation you might be writing for right now, a plain-language walkthrough for writing one from scratch, a comparison of short vs. long vs. modern formats, the mistakes that show up most often, and where to actually publish it once it’s done. If you’d rather skip the blank page entirely, Omuna’s free Obituary Writer turns your answers to a few simple questions into a complete first draft in minutes — every section below links to the exact step it can help with.
How to Write an Obituary, Step by Step
An obituary really only has five moving parts. Once you have these, the writing itself goes faster than most people expect.
- Start with the essentials. Full name (including a nickname or maiden name if relevant), age, hometown or current city, and date of death. This is the factual anchor everything else hangs on. Write this section in the Obituary Writer → You’ll want at least 10 certified copies of the death certificate for the newspaper and other institutions — here’s exactly how many and how to order them, or go straight to your state’s vital records office through the CDC’s official directory if you’re ordering directly.
- Tell their story. Not a resume — a story. Where they were born and raised, what shaped them, what they cared about, what made them laugh. One or two specific, small details (the terrible puns, the Sunday pancakes, the garden that took over the backyard) do more work than a paragraph of general praise. Draft this part with guided prompts →
- Recognize family and loved ones. List survivors by relationship, typically closest family first: spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents. It’s also common and kind to note family members who predeceased them (“preceded in death by…”). Open the Obituary Writer for this section →
- Highlight milestones and achievements. Career, military service, education, volunteer work, awards — but chosen selectively. Pick the two or three that actually mattered to them, not everything on a resume.
- Share service information. Date, time, and location of the funeral, memorial, or celebration of life, and whether it’s public or private. If you’d like guests to do something in lieu of flowers — a donation, a favorite charity — this is where it goes. See What to Do When Someone Dies: A Complete Checklist if you haven’t finalized these details yet. If a green burial is being planned, our green burial guide covers what that changes about timing and service details.
Tone Tips Before You Start
A few things worth keeping in mind before you write a single word:
- Write like you’d talk about them at dinner, not like a legal document. Warmth reads better than formality almost every time.
- Specific beats generic. “Loved spending time with family” could describe anyone. “Never missed a Tuesday phone call with his sister, even from three time zones away” describes one person.
- It’s okay to be honest about how they died without making that the whole story — most families give it a sentence, then move on to the life.
- Humor is allowed if it fits them. If they’d have wanted a joke in there, put a joke in there.
- You don’t have to do it alone or from scratch. A first draft from the Obituary Writer gives you something to edit instead of a blank page to stare at.
When I was writing my grandfather’s obituary, this is the rule I wish someone had told me: specific beats generic, every time. It’s the difference between an obituary that could describe anyone and one that could only be about him.
26 Obituary Examples by Category
Every example below is a composite, written to illustrate a structure and tone — adapt the details, not just the words, to the person you’re writing about.
For a Mother or Father
Example 1 — Mother
Margaret “Peg” Sullivan, 78, of Dayton, Ohio, passed away peacefully at home on June 3, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born in Toledo in 1948, Peg spent 32 years teaching third grade at Emerson Elementary, where she was famous for keeping a drawer of granola bars for any kid who came to school hungry.
Peg is survived by her husband of 54 years, Frank; her children, Denise (Mark) and Tommy (Ellen); five grandchildren who called her “Cookie” for reasons none of them can fully explain; and her sister, Ruth. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Jim.
Peg’s real gift was noticing when someone needed help before they asked for it. She organized meal trains for every new parent on her street for twenty years running, and never once wrote her name down as the organizer.
A visitation will be held Friday, June 6, from 4–7 p.m. at Miller Family Funeral Home, with a funeral Mass Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Emerson Elementary Backpack Program.
Example 2 — Father
Robert “Bob” Chen, 71, of Portland, Oregon, died on May 14, 2026, after a short illness. Bob grew up in San Francisco’s Sunset District, moved to Portland in 1979 to open a bike shop, and never left — the shop, Chen’s Cycles, is still on the same corner 45 years later.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; his children, Michael and Sarah (David); and his grandson, Theo, who Bob was teaching to true a wheel the week before he passed. Bob believed there was no problem a bike ride couldn’t at least improve, and he rode to work every day it wasn’t actively snowing until he was 68.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, May 24, at 2 p.m. at Chen’s Cycles, 1420 SE Hawthorne Blvd. — ride your bike if you have one. Memorial donations may be made to the Portland Community Cycling Center.
For a Grandparent
Example 3 — Grandmother
Dorothy “Dot” Nguyen, 89, passed away on April 2, 2026, at Willowbrook Senior Living in Sacramento, California, surrounded by three generations of family. Dot immigrated from Vietnam in 1975 and spent the next five decades running a family restaurant, Dot’s Kitchen, that fed half the neighborhood at one point or another.
She is survived by her four children, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, all of whom have a strong opinion about whose version of her spring rolls comes closest. She was preceded in death by her husband, Minh, in 2019.
“No leaving hungry” — Dot’s grandchildren remember her less for any single achievement than for that running rule, which applied to family and strangers equally, and which she enforced until the week she passed.
Visitation is Thursday, April 9, 4–7 p.m., with a service Friday, April 10, at 11 a.m., both at Sacramento Memorial Chapel.
Example 4 — Grandfather
Walter “Pop” Higgins, 84, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died peacefully on March 18, 2026. A career mechanic and self-taught fiddle player, Pop spent forty years fixing his neighbors’ cars for whatever they could afford and playing at every backyard gathering within driving distance.
He leaves behind his wife, Joan; three children; eight grandchildren; and a garage full of half-finished restoration projects that will need new owners. Pop’s rule of thumb — “if it still runs, it’s not broken yet” — applied to cars, fiddles, and, by his own account, himself.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, March 21, at 1 p.m. at Rose Hill Memorial Park, followed by a potluck at the family home.
For a Husband or Wife
Example 5 — Husband
James “Jim” Alvarez, 66, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed away on June 20, 2026, after a long battle with heart disease. Jim met his wife, Carla, at a community college night class in 1987 and told anyone who’d listen for the next 38 years that signing up for that class was the smartest thing he ever did.
He is survived by Carla; their children, Maria and Diego; and four grandchildren. Jim worked as a high school shop teacher for three decades and quietly paid for tools out of his own pocket for students who couldn’t afford them — something the family only learned about from former students at his retirement party.
Services will be private at the family’s request. A public celebration of life will be held later this summer; details will be posted on the funeral home’s website.
Example 6 — Wife
Elena Marsh, 59, of Burlington, Vermont, died at home on May 30, 2026, with her family beside her. Elena was a hospice nurse for 28 years and, in her husband Tom’s words, “spent her whole career making other families’ worst days a little more bearable, then came home and did the same thing for ours.”
She is survived by Tom; their three children; and two grandchildren she adored without a shred of impartiality. Elena asked, specifically and more than once, that no one wear black to her service.
A memorial will be held Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Burlington. Donations in Elena’s memory may be made to the UVM Home Health & Hospice program where she worked.
For a Sibling
Example 7 — Sister
Rachel Kim, 52, of Denver, Colorado, passed away on April 27, 2026. The middle of five siblings, Rachel was, by unanimous family agreement, the one who kept everyone talking to each other — she started the family group chat, organized the annual reunion for 15 years, and remembered every birthday without needing a reminder.
She is survived by her siblings, Daniel, Susan, Mark, and Lily; her nieces and nephews; and her longtime partner, Ana. Rachel worked as a physical therapist and, true to form, spent her last year of good health helping a neighbor recover from a stroke on her own time.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, May 4, at 3 p.m. at Cheesman Park Pavilion, Denver.
Example 8 — Brother
David Osei, 47, of Columbus, Ohio, died unexpectedly on June 9, 2026. The oldest of three brothers, David was the one who taught the other two to drive, negotiated every family disagreement, and never once let anyone leave a holiday gathering without leftovers packed for the road.
David is survived by his brothers, Kwame and Samuel; his parents; and a wide circle of friends from his twenty years coaching youth basketball at the Linden Community Center. The family has been overwhelmed, in the best way, by former players reaching out this week.
Visitation is Thursday, June 12, 5–8 p.m. at Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Home, with a service Friday, June 13, at 10 a.m.
For a Child
Example 9 — Adult Child
Michael Torres, 34, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away on May 9, 2026. Michael was a software engineer, a fiercely competitive Sunday-league soccer player, and — according to every one of his four younger cousins — the best uncle any of them had before they’d even had kids of their own.
He is survived by his parents, Rosa and Hector; his sister, Vanessa; and his partner, Jordan. Michael spent his last few years mentoring high schoolers through a coding nonprofit, a fact several of his students only shared publicly after his passing.
A service will be held Saturday, May 16, at 11 a.m. at Resurrection Cemetery Chapel, Phoenix. Memorial gifts may be directed to Code for Tomorrow, the youth coding nonprofit Michael volunteered with.
Example 10 — Young Child
Lily Bennett, 7, of Charleston, South Carolina, passed away on June 15, 2026, after a long illness bravely faced. Lily loved dinosaurs, the color purple, and reading the same three picture books roughly four hundred times each.
She is survived by her parents, Kate and Ryan; her older brother, Sam; and her grandparents on both sides. Lily’s kindergarten class made her cards every week she was in the hospital, and the family has kept every one of them.
A private family service will be held. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the pediatric unit at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Lily’s name.
For a Veteran
Example 11 — Veteran
Colonel (Ret.) George Whitfield, 81, of San Antonio, Texas, passed away on April 11, 2026. George served 26 years in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Vietnam, before retiring in 1994. After the service, he spent another two decades volunteering with the local VFW post, helping younger veterans navigate the benefits system he knew inside and out.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his children, Mark and Julie; and four grandchildren. George rarely talked about combat, but he talked often and proudly about the men he served with, several of whom remained lifelong friends.
A funeral with full military honors will be held Wednesday, April 16, at 10 a.m. at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The family requests memorial donations to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Example 12 — Veteran
Staff Sergeant Angela Ruiz (Ret.), 58, of Jacksonville, Florida, died on May 2, 2026. Angela served 20 years in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic, one of the first women in her unit to hold that role, and later spent a decade teaching aviation maintenance at a technical college.
She is survived by her husband, Carlos; her son, Diego; and her mother, Isabel. Angela mentored young women entering the trades long after she’d left the service herself, and the family has heard from a dozen of her former students this week alone.
Visitation will be held Friday, May 9, 4–7 p.m., with a service Saturday, May 10, at 11 a.m., both at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home.
For a Community Leader or Professional
Example 13 — Community Leader
Dr. Samuel Okafor, 69, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away on June 1, 2026. Sam practiced family medicine in the same Southwest Atlanta clinic for 38 years, treating three generations of some families, and was known for never turning away a patient who couldn’t pay.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce; his three children; and six grandchildren. In 2019, the clinic renamed its free wellness program in his honor — something Sam reportedly found “deeply embarrassing” and never stopped bringing up anyway, with obvious pride.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, June 4, at 11 a.m. at Cascade United Methodist Church. Donations may be made to the Okafor Family Wellness Fund at the clinic.
Example 14 — Professional
Patricia Long, 63, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died on April 20, 2026. Patricia spent 35 years as a public defender, taking on cases most attorneys avoided, and later trained a generation of younger public defenders through a mentorship program she started herself.
She is survived by her husband, Robert; her daughter, Emma; and her brother, William. Colleagues remember Patricia less for any single case than for a habit: she kept a running list of clients’ kids’ birthdays so she could ask about them by name.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, April 27, at 2 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis.
For an Everyday Hero
Example 15 — Everyday Hero
Carl Jefferson, 74, of Louisville, Kentucky, passed away on May 19, 2026. Carl drove a school bus route for 41 years, and in that time, by his own rough count, taught roughly two thousand kids to say “please” and “thank you” whether their parents had gotten to it yet or not.
He is survived by his wife, Doris; his children, Angela and Marcus; and five grandchildren. Carl kept a box of mismatched mittens on his bus every winter for kids who’d forgotten theirs, a habit that started with one cold kid in 1986 and never stopped.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, May 24, at 1 p.m. at Shively Community Center, where Carl volunteered on weekends for over a decade.
Example 16 — Everyday Hero
Bettina “Bett” Marsh, 67, of Omaha, Nebraska, passed away on June 8, 2026. Bett worked the front desk at Immanuel Medical Center for 22 years, and colleagues say she could calm down a frightened family in the ER waiting room faster than anyone on staff, doctors included.
She is survived by her husband, Paul; her son, Nathan; and her sister, Cheryl. After retiring, Bett spent her Tuesdays reading to kids at the children’s hospital, a routine she kept up until two weeks before she passed.
A service will be held Wednesday, June 11, at 10 a.m. at Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak Funeral Home.
After a Sudden or Unexpected Death
Example 17 — Sudden Death
Kevin Marsh, 41, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away suddenly on June 22, 2026. Kevin was, in the words of everyone who knew him, exactly the same person at work, at home, and on a Saturday morning at the coffee shop where he knew every regular’s order — no filter, no performance, just Kevin.
He is survived by his wife, Amanda; their two children, Grace and Owen; and his parents, Bill and Carol. The family is still absorbing the shock of his passing and asks for privacy as they navigate the days ahead, while deeply appreciating the outpouring of support already shown.
A visitation will be held Sunday, June 28, 2–5 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, with a funeral Monday, June 29, at 11 a.m.
If you’re writing this kind of obituary right now, you don’t have to find every word yourself — Omuna’s Obituary Writer can help you get a draft down so you have something to work from instead of a blank page.
Example 18 — Sudden Death
Yvonne Castillo, 29, of San Diego, California, died unexpectedly on May 27, 2026. Yvonne was a marine biology graduate student, halfway through fieldwork she’d been planning for three years, and the kind of person who could make anyone care about kelp forests within five minutes of meeting her.
She is survived by her parents, Miguel and Elena; her brother, Andres; and her partner, Jess. Her research advisor and cohort have set up a fund to complete the fieldwork in her name, which the family has asked to be shared in lieu of flowers.
A memorial gathering will be held Saturday, June 3, at 2 p.m. at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where Yvonne studied.
For a Friend
Example 19 — Friend
Tony Bianchi, 55, of Providence, Rhode Island, passed away on April 30, 2026. Tony wasn’t blood family to most of the people writing this, but he was family anyway — the guy who showed up with a truck on every moving day, remembered everyone’s coffee order, and never let a friend eat a holiday alone if he could help it.
He is survived by his sister, Maria, and by the wide, informal family of friends and neighbors he built over three decades in the same Federal Hill neighborhood. A gathering will be held Sunday, May 11, at 1 p.m. at DiMarco’s, his usual Sunday spot, where everyone who knew him is welcome.
Example 20 — Friend
Priya Sharma, 38, of Austin, Texas, died on June 4, 2026. Priya moved to Austin alone at 24 and, over the following fourteen years, built a friend group so close several people describe her apartment as “everyone’s real address, whatever the lease says.” She hosted a standing Sunday dinner for eleven years without missing more than a handful.
She is survived by her parents in Mumbai and by the friends who considered her their Austin family. In lieu of a traditional service, friends will gather for one last Sunday dinner at her favorite restaurant, Kerbey Lane Café, on June 14 at 6 p.m. — all are welcome, exactly as she would have wanted it.
Short-Form / Print
Example 21 — Short-Form
Harold Webb, 82, of Erie, Pennsylvania, passed away May 6, 2026. Beloved husband of the late Joan Webb, father of Steven and Karen, grandfather of four. Retired from GE after 34 years. Services private. Memorials to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Example 22 — Short-Form
Sandra Pike, 76, of Bangor, Maine, died April 24, 2026, at home. Survived by her children, Rebecca and Chris, and five grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held May 3 at 1 p.m. at the Bangor Elks Lodge. Flowers welcome or donations to the Bangor Humane Society.
Long-Form / Online Memorial
Example 23 — Long-Form
Eleanor “Ellie” Vance, 91, of Charlottesville, Virginia, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, closing out a life that touched four generations and, by her family’s rough estimate, several hundred former students.
Born in 1935 in rural Albemarle County, Ellie was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Longwood in 1957 with a degree in education at a time when few women in her town did. She taught high school English for 40 years, and in her retirement, tutored adult literacy students two mornings a week until she was 87.
Ellie married her husband, Charles, in 1958; he preceded her in death in 2011. Together they raised four children and hosted what became a legendary annual Fourth of July gathering that, in its peak years, drew over eighty people to their backyard.
She is survived by her children, Susan, Michael, David, and Patricia; eleven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; and her sister, Frances, age 94. Ellie was known for a handwritten letter tradition — she wrote to every grandchild and great-grandchild on their birthday, without exception, for as long as she was physically able, and the family is now collecting those letters into a keepsake book.
A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m. at Holy Comforter Catholic Church, followed by burial at Monticello Memory Gardens. A celebration of life reception will follow at the family home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Adult Literacy Council of Central Virginia, the program Ellie volunteered with for over a decade.
Example 24 — Long-Form
Marcus Whitfield, 68, of Seattle, Washington, passed away on May 22, 2026, after a two-year journey with pancreatic cancer that he faced, in the words of his oncology team, “with more grace and more jokes than anyone we’ve treated.”
Marcus grew up in Detroit, moved to Seattle in 1981 to work in the shipping industry, and spent the next four decades working his way from dockhand to terminal operations manager at the Port of Seattle. He met his wife, Diane, at a union meeting in 1985 — a story he never told the same way twice, each version funnier than the last.
He is survived by Diane; his children, Jasmine and Theo; his brother, Andre; and three grandchildren who called him “Papa Bear” for reasons that had less to do with his size and more with a habit of hugging everyone he met like they’d been gone for years. Marcus coached youth football for over twenty years at Rainier Beach, and several of his former players — now in their thirties and forties — have already reached out to say they still use his pregame speech before their own kids’ games.
In his final months, Marcus insisted on writing thank-you notes to every doctor and nurse who treated him, a project his family completed on his behalf after he became too tired to finish it himself.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, June 1, at 1 p.m. at Rainier Beach Community Center. Memorial donations may be made to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Marcus’s name.
Faith-Based and Cultural
Example 25 — Faith-Based
Ibrahim Al-Rashid, 77, of Dearborn, Michigan, passed away on June 5, 2026 (9 Dhul-Hijjah, 1447 AH). Ibrahim emigrated from Lebanon in 1968, helped found the Dearborn Islamic Community Center in 1979, and served on its board for over three decades.
He is survived by his wife, Fatima; his children, Yusuf, Layla, and Omar; and nine grandchildren. Ibrahim was known throughout the community for quietly covering the cost of Eid meals for families who couldn’t afford them, a practice his children only learned about after his passing.
Janazah prayers will be held Friday, June 6, at 1 p.m. at the Islamic Center of America, with burial immediately following at Islamic Memorial Gardens. In keeping with Islamic tradition, burial will take place promptly; a memorial gathering for extended family and friends will follow on June 14.
Example 26 — Cultural
Chen Wei “William” Lin, 85, of Flushing, New York, passed away on April 15, 2026. William came to the United States from Taiwan in 1965, worked as an engineer for 30 years, and remained active in Flushing’s Chinese-American community organizing lunar new year celebrations for over two decades.
He is survived by his wife, Mei; his children, Jennifer and Kevin; and four grandchildren. A traditional Buddhist funeral service will be held Sunday, April 20, at 11 a.m. at Flushing Buddhist Temple, followed by burial. The family will observe a mourning period in keeping with tradition and welcomes friends to pay respects at the temple.
Comparison Guide: Which Format Should You Use?
| Format | Typical Length | Best For | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-form (print) | 50–100 words | Local newspaper notices, quick community announcements | $85–$780+ depending on paper and market — small-town papers run far cheaper than major metros |
| Standard-length | 150–300 words | Most families — balances a full story with print-length practicality | $150–$500 typical for a mid-size paper; add $50–$200+ for a photo |
| Long-form / online memorial | 400–800+ words | Full life story, multiple milestones, large or blended families | Free to low-cost on most online memorial platforms; no per-word charge |
| Modern format (social/digital-first) | Variable | Younger audiences, geographically scattered families, sharing via text or social media | Free |
Newspaper obituary pricing varies enormously by market — a short notice can run under $100 in a small town and well over $700 in a major city, largely driven by per-line and photo fees. If cost is a factor, a common approach is a short paid print notice plus a full, free version published online or as a memorial page.
Common Obituary Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Burying the name and key facts. Readers — and search engines — should find the full name, age, and location in the first sentence, not paragraph three.
- Listing achievements with no story. A resume of job titles and degrees doesn’t tell anyone who the person actually was. Pair every achievement with one specific detail or memory.
- Forgetting service details entirely, or listing them without a location. Give a full address, not just a venue name — some readers won’t know where “the VFW hall” is.
- Leaving out how people can help. If you want donations instead of flowers, say so clearly, with the organization’s full name (and link, if publishing online).
- Writing it entirely alone under deadline pressure. Obituaries written in a single rushed sitting are where names get misspelled and relationships get left out. A second reader — or a first-draft tool like the Obituary Writer — catches what a tired writer misses.
- Using overly formal, distant language throughout. An obituary that reads like a legal notice from start to finish rarely reflects how the person actually lived.
- Getting relationship terms wrong or inconsistent. Double-check “survived by” vs. “preceded in death by,” and confirm titles like step-parent, in-law, or partner are used the way the family actually wants them represented.
- Publishing without a second set of eyes. Typos in an obituary — especially in a name — are painful and hard to undo once printed. Have at least one other family member proofread before it goes anywhere.
Where and How to Publish an Obituary
Newspaper (local or major metro)
Contact the paper’s obituary or classifieds desk directly — most publish submission instructions, word-count limits, and pricing on their own website. Major papers enforce strict same-day deadlines for text and photos, often the afternoon before the edition runs, so confirm your paper’s specific cutoff before you finalize a service date around a print publication.
Most major papers, including The Washington Post, publish their own submission steps and pricing directly — check the paper’s help page before you finalize wording or a service date.
Funeral costs and your rights
If you’re weighing a paid obituary against other funeral expenses, the FTC’s Funeral Rule spells out your legal right to an itemized price list and to buy only the goods and services you actually want — useful context before committing to any paid package.
Funeral home website
Most funeral homes will host the obituary on their own site at no additional cost as part of their service package — worth asking about directly, since it’s often the least expensive option and the one already expected by anyone searching the funeral home’s name.
Social media and modern formats
Increasingly common for reaching a geographically scattered family and friend group quickly — many families now post a shorter version on social media the same day, then publish the full version in print or as a memorial page once service details are confirmed.
A guided memorial page
If you want a single, permanent place that holds the obituary, photos, and a way for people to share memories or find service details — without a newspaper’s per-word cost or a print notice that disappears after a few days — Omuna’s Memorial Page does this specifically, and it’s free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an obituary include?
At minimum: full name, age, city, and date of death; a brief life story; a list of survivors; and service information if applicable. Beyond that, it’s entirely a matter of what the family wants to share.
How long should an obituary be?
There’s no fixed rule. Short newspaper notices run 50–150 words; a full life story published online often runs 300–800 words. Let the content, not a word count, decide — say what needs saying, then stop.
Can I write my own obituary in advance?
Yes, and many people do, particularly after a serious diagnosis or simply as part of broader end-of-life planning. A pre-written obituary can be updated by family later with final details like date of death and service information.
How do I submit an obituary to a newspaper?
Contact the paper’s advertising or obituary desk directly — most list submission instructions and pricing on their website. Confirm word count limits, photo requirements, and same-day deadlines before submitting; major papers in particular enforce strict cutoffs.
What is the cost to publish an obituary?
Costs vary widely by market and length — commonly $85 to $780 or more for print, driven by per-line and photo fees, with major metro papers at the high end. Online-only publication is typically far cheaper or free.
Should I mention cremation or funeral details in the obituary?
It’s optional. Many families include service details (date, time, location) directly in the obituary; others keep the obituary focused on the life story and share logistics separately with close family and friends.
What if I don’t want a public obituary?
That’s entirely your choice. Some families choose a private notice shared only with close family and friends, or skip a formal obituary altogether in favor of a private memorial gathering. There’s no requirement to publish anything publicly.
Can I generate an obituary automatically?
Yes — Omuna’s Obituary Writer asks a series of simple questions about the person’s life and generates a complete first draft you can edit and finalize, so you’re never starting from a truly blank page.
Omuna started, in part, because I didn’t want anyone else staring at that same blank page — this list of examples is the tool I wish had existed when I needed it.
Related guides: What to Do When Someone Dies: A Complete Checklist · The Ultimate Green Burial Guide · How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Publishing requirements, deadlines, and costs vary by newspaper and location.