The four-part obituary outline
You can use one paragraph for each section or combine sections for a short notice. If there is no public service, replace event details with a clear statement about a private remembrance or arrangements to follow.
- Announcement: full name, date of death, and optional age and city.
- Life story: meaningful interests, roles, work, relationships, or memories.
- Family: surviving loved ones and, if desired, people who died earlier.
- Arrangements: confirmed memorial details and optional remembrance wishes.
An annotated obituary format example
The first sentence gives the essential facts. The second paragraph describes a specific interest and the way the person related to others. The closing paragraphs separate family information from arrangements.
Fictional example
Celia Grant, 77, of Lancaster, died on April 12, 2025. Celia was a translator who loved bringing people and ideas together. Friends remember her weekend walking group and her habit of keeping a notebook of unfamiliar words. She is survived by her partner, Rowan, and her brother, James. Her family will hold a private remembrance. Friends are invited to share a favorite memory directly with the family.
What is optional?
Age, birthplace, education, religious wording, a cause of death, and a full career history are all choices rather than universal requirements. A publisher may have its own standards, so check before submitting.
If you include a birthplace or an exact birth date, consider whether the detail is necessary for the intended audience. An obituary should not become a collection of private identifying information simply because a template has room for it.
Formatting a newspaper obituary
Use readable sentences and follow the newspaper’s submission instructions. A basic text document is often easier to revise than a designed flyer, but the publisher decides which formats it accepts.
Ask whether the price is based on words, lines, or the size of the printed notice. Photographs and extra publication dates may be handled separately. No publication fees are included in these free templates.
Formatting a longer memorial tribute
A longer remembrance can begin with an anecdote and move between different periods of life. Keep the story coherent by choosing a few connected themes rather than trying to include every event.
Break long text into short paragraphs. Keep event instructions separate so readers do not have to search a personal story for a location or time. Read the tribute aloud to check its pacing.