What to Include in an Obituary: A Practical Writing Guide

Knowing what to include in an obituary matters most when you’re under emotional pressure and working against a publication deadline. A well-written obituary of a deceased person captures who they were, honors their relationships, and gives readers the information they need to pay their respects. This guide outlines the standard sections and the choices you’ll need to make along the way.

Obituaries appear in newspapers, on funeral home websites, and on memorial pages — and each venue may have its own obituary guidelines for length and format. Despite those variations, the core content stays consistent. Whether you’re writing a brief notice or a detailed tribute, following a clear structure keeps the process manageable during a difficult time.

Core Elements: What Every Obituary Should Contain

Full name and dates

Start with the person’s full legal name, including any nickname in quotation marks if they were widely known by it. Include date of birth and date of death. Some families add place of birth and place of death, particularly if the person lived in multiple cities over their lifetime.

A standard obituary almost always leads with this identifying information because it serves as the formal record. Newspapers use it for indexing, and family members searching archives years later depend on its accuracy. Double-check spelling — including middle names and suffixes — before submitting.

Surviving and predeceased family members

List immediate survivors: spouse or partner, children (with their spouses or partners), grandchildren, and siblings. When writing an obituary of a deceased person, note any family members who died before them if the relationship was significant. Parents, a child, or a long-term partner who predeceased the person often appear in this section.

Use consistent phrasing. “She is survived by her husband, James; her daughters, Claire and Nora; and three grandchildren” is cleaner than switching formats mid-sentence. Ask the family whether to include all grandchildren by name or as a count.

Life history and accomplishments

This is where the obituary becomes a tribute rather than a data entry. Cover education, career, military service, and community involvement. Mention hobbies and the things the person was genuinely known for. A retired teacher who coached little league for 20 years deserves both facts in the body of the text.

Obituary Guidelines for Tone and Length

Most newspaper obituary guidelines suggest keeping the text between 200 and 400 words for a standard submission, though online memorial platforms often allow longer tributes. Tone should be warm but factual. Avoid superlatives that ring hollow — “the best father who ever lived” tells readers nothing specific. “He attended every single one of his children’s school plays for fifteen years” tells them everything.

A standard obituary does not typically include the cause of death unless the family chooses to share it, particularly for illness-related deaths or deaths that raise public health awareness. Suicide and overdose deaths may include cause with a focus on advocacy if the family chooses, but this is entirely at their discretion.

Service Details and Contributions

Include funeral or memorial service information: date, time, location, and any livestream link if the service is accessible remotely. Note whether the service is open to the public or private. If the family prefers donations in lieu of flowers, name the specific organization and include donation instructions or a link.

For the obituary definition example of a complete notice: it starts with identity, moves through life narrative, lists survivors, and ends with service logistics and any memorial preferences. Following that sequence keeps you organized and ensures you don’t omit information that mourners need.

Final Review Before Submission

Read the obituary aloud before you submit it. You will catch awkward phrasing and missing commas that silent reading misses. Confirm all dates, name spellings, and survivor relationships with at least one other family member. Ask the funeral home or newspaper whether they will proofread for formatting before publication, or whether the submitted text runs as-is.

If you’re overwhelmed by the writing, most funeral homes offer obituary writing assistance as part of their services, or can connect you with a professional who handles this regularly. Obituary guidelines vary by publication, so always request the specific word count, photo requirements, and deadline before you begin.

Key takeaways: A complete obituary of a deceased person covers full name and dates, family relationships, a life narrative, and service details. Follow the publication’s obituary guidelines for length and format. When in doubt, a funeral home professional can help you meet both the practical and emotional demands of writing this final tribute.