An obituary, written with you
An obituary, written with you
An obituary is a short published notice that someone has died, with a brief account of their life, the family they leave, and service details. Funeral homes and newspapers usually need it within a day or two. Give us the facts and a few personal touches, and we'll write a short version (about 120 words, for print) and a longer one (about 350 words, for online), ready to send.
Tell us about their life, and we'll write it with you.
Free to start · your answers save as you go · read the opening before you decide
What an obituary usually includes
Full name (and maiden name if relevant), age, where they lived; date and place of birth and death; education and work; the things they loved; family members who survive them and those who died before them; service details; and where to send donations in lieu of flowers. You can skip any of these.
Getting the family list right
This is where most mistakes happen: a missing grandchild, a misspelled spouse's name, a step-relative left out. Enter names exactly as the family wants them printed. We never add a relative you didn't list, and the "survived by" and "preceded in death by" lists are kept separate and checked.
Print versus online
Newspapers often charge by length, so the short version keeps to essentials. Funeral home and memorial websites have room for the longer version, where a sentence about a favourite place or a habit everyone knew makes it feel like them.
Before you submit it
Check every name and date with one other family member, confirm the service time with the funeral home, and ask the newspaper about its deadline and word count. If you'd rather write it yourself, our guide walks through it step by step.
How it works
Three quiet steps
Tell us about them
A few gentle questions, one at a time. Leave anything blank. Your answers save as you go, so you can stop and come back.
Read how it begins
We write a short and a long version and show you how it opens.
Keep it if it feels right
Download it as PDF or Word, with a large-print copy for reading aloud. Ask for changes for seven days.
Questions
Can you publish it for me?
No. We write it; you or the funeral home submit it to the newspaper or website.
Can I mention how they died?
Only if you choose to. Many families leave it out; if you don't mention it, neither do we.
Is this available in the UK?
Our obituary product is written for US conventions. UK families usually need a death notice and an order of service.
Related
Take your time. We'll be here when you're ready.
Tell us about their life, and we'll write it with you.
Free to start · your answers save as you go · read the opening before you decide