Reading a few finished obituaries is one of the quickest ways to see what yours needs. These four follow the usual US order: the announcement, the life story, the family, the service details and donations. They differ in length and in the kind of life they describe, from a grandmother in California to a young man in Washington State.
All the names and families here are made up. If you'd like a structure to fill in, use the obituary template, and for advice on each part, including what to leave out for privacy, see how to write an obituary.
1. A mother and grandmother (about 300 words)
Maria Castillo raised five children in Fresno and was at the center of a large family. Her daughter wrote this for the funeral home website and used a shorter version in the newspaper.
Maria Elena Castillo, 88, of Fresno, California, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2026, at home, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.
Maria was born in 1938 in Sanger, California, the fourth of nine children, and spent her summers as a girl picking grapes with her brothers and sisters. She married Ernesto Castillo in 1957, and they settled in Fresno, where they raised five children in a small green house with a fig tree in the backyard that fed half the neighborhood.
For many years Maria worked at a fruit packing house during the season, and in 1979 she and Ernesto opened a small bakery on Belmont Avenue. Her conchas and empanadas de calabaza drew customers from across town, and she ran the counter herself until she was 72. She was a devoted member of her parish, where she arranged the altar flowers every Saturday for more than 30 years.
Maria was never happier than with a full table. Every Christmas Eve she led the family in making tamales, and every grandchild learned to spread the masa at her elbow. She kept a photo of each of them on her refrigerator and could tell you what every one of them was doing that week.
Maria is survived by her children, Rosa Martinez (Luis), Ernie Castillo (Diane), Teresa Castillo, Victor Castillo (Janelle) and Linda Ochoa (Sam); 14 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and her sisters, Josefina and Alma. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Ernesto, and by her parents and five of her brothers and sisters.
A rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, at Valley Oak Funeral Chapel, Fresno. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 2, at St. Anthony Church, followed by burial.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the parish food pantry, which Maria supported all her life.
Why it works: the life story moves in order, from Sanger to the bakery, so it is easy to follow. The bakery and the tamales are specific, and both tell you something about her without the writer having to say it. The donation goes to something she cared about, which ties the end back to her life.
2. A veteran and retired machinist (about 300 words)
Gerald Haskins served in the Navy and then spent four decades as a machinist in Dayton. His son wrote this obituary with help from the funeral director, who arranged military honors at the burial.
Gerald Wayne "Gerry" Haskins, 86, of Dayton, Ohio, passed away on September 20, 2026, at a hospice in Kettering, with his wife, Joan, at his side.
Gerry was born in 1940 in Hamilton, Ohio, and graduated from high school there in 1958. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy the same year and served for four years as a machinist's mate aboard a destroyer in the Pacific. He was proud of his service all his life and marched with his local VFW post in the Memorial Day parade for more than 40 years.
After the Navy, Gerry took a job at a tool and die shop in Dayton, where he worked as a machinist for 41 years. He could hold a tolerance of a thousandth of an inch by feel, and the younger machinists he trained still called him for advice long after he retired. He married Joan Parrish in 1964, and they raised two sons in Huber Heights.
In retirement Gerry kept a workshop in the garage, where he built birdhouses for the whole street and repaired lawnmowers for anyone who asked. He followed the Cincinnati Reds on the radio every summer evening, and he and Joan drove to Myrtle Beach every September for 30 years.
Gerry is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joan; his sons, Mark Haskins (Lisa) and Steven Haskins (Carol); five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his brother, Dale. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Patricia, and his brother, Roger.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 2, at Linden & Ross Funeral Home, Huber Heights. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, at the funeral home, followed by burial with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to his VFW post or to the hospice that cared for him.
Why it works: military service is given its own clear lines, with the branch, the years and his role, which matters to other veterans reading it. The detail about the thousandth of an inch shows he was good at his job without any boasting. The birdhouses and the Reds on the radio are small things people on his street will remember.
3. A short newspaper notice (about 150 words)
Opal Tuttle lived to 93 in Lubbock, Texas. The family kept the printed obituary short, as the newspaper charges by length, and gave the number of grandchildren instead of listing every name.
Opal Mae Tuttle, 93, of Lubbock, Texas, went home to be with the Lord on September 25, 2026.
Opal was born in 1933 near Slaton, Texas, and grew up on a cotton farm. She married Harlan Tuttle in 1952, and they farmed together for more than 40 years. She taught Sunday school at her church for five decades, and her quilts covered beds in every one of her grandchildren's homes.
Opal is survived by her daughters, Carolyn Birdwell (Jim) and Sue Ellen Pate (Rick); her son, Wade Tuttle (Kim); eleven grandchildren; and nineteen great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harlan, and her son, Dennis.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, at Cotton Road Baptist Church in Slaton, with burial to follow. Arrangements are in the care of Caprock Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church's missions fund.
Why it works: every sentence carries a fact readers need, and the one personal detail, the quilts, is enough to make it hers. "Went home to be with the Lord" reflects the family's faith, and they chose it because it is how they talk. Listing her son Dennis, who died before her, acknowledges him in a single line.
4. A young man whose death came too early (about 250 words)
Marcus Okafor was 29. His parents and sister wrote his obituary together. They chose not to say how he died, and focused on his work, his friends and the things he loved.
Marcus James Okafor, 29, of Tacoma, Washington, passed away on September 18, 2026. His family and friends are heartbroken, and he leaves a gap in many lives.
Marcus was born in 1997 in Tacoma to Chidi and Karen Okafor. He graduated from Stadium High School, where he played varsity soccer, and earned his degree in kinesiology from Western Washington University in Bellingham. For the past four years he worked as a physical therapist assistant at a clinic in Tacoma, helping patients get back on their feet after surgery. Several of them wrote to the family this week to say how much he had helped them.
Marcus was happiest outdoors. He hiked at Mount Rainier whenever he had a free weekend, and he coached an under-10 soccer team every fall. He was a loyal Seattle Sounders fan and rarely missed a home game with his dad. He was the friend who remembered birthdays and drove across town to help anyone move.
Marcus is survived by his parents, Chidi and Karen; his sister, Nneka; his grandmother, Grace Okafor; his partner, Jess Moreno; and his dog, Tully. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ifeanyi Okafor and Robert and Joyce Lindgren.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, at the Point Defiance Pagoda in Tacoma. All who knew Marcus are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, the family has set up the Marcus Okafor Youth Soccer Fund, which will help children in Tacoma pay for club fees and equipment.
Why it works: the opening says plainly that he has died and how his family feels, and then moves on to his life. Nothing is said about the cause of death, and the obituary doesn't need it. The letters from patients, the soccer team and the dog show a young man who was already doing a great deal, and the fund in his name gives people something to do with their grief.
Speaking at the service too?
An obituary is written to be read. If you have also been asked to speak, the eulogy guide and the eulogy examples will help you write something to say aloud.
Using these examples
Start with the facts, in order, and then go back and add one or two details that only people who knew the person would recognize. Check every name and date with another family member before you send it, and ask the funeral home for the newspaper's word limits and deadline. For a structure with gaps and wording options, go to the obituary template.
Common questions
Can I copy one of these obituary examples?
You're welcome to borrow the structure and any of the wording. The people in these examples are made up, so you'll need to replace every detail with your own. The parts that matter most are the specific details about the person you're writing about, which only you and your family can supply.
How long should an obituary be?
A short newspaper notice is usually 100 to 200 words, and a full obituary for a funeral home website is usually 300 to 600 words. Many families write the full version first and then cut it down for the newspaper, which usually charges by length.
How do you write an obituary for a young person?
Keep the same order as any obituary, and fill it with what they were doing and who they loved: their work or studies, their friends, their plans and their interests. You don't need to say how they died. Many families also set up a scholarship or fund in the person's name and mention it at the end.
Should an obituary mention a pet?
It can. Many families include a much-loved dog or cat among the survivors, or mention the pet in the life story. It is a small, warm detail that people who visited the house will recognize.