Obituary Templates: Free Fill-in-the-Blank Examples and Downloads

An obituary template is a fill-in-the-blank outline that puts the announcement, life story, family and service details in a standard order. Legacy.com offers free short, life-story and visual templates, and you can copy the three below into Word or Google Docs. Fill in the blanks, add one or two real details, then check every name and date.

Where can you find free obituary templates?

• Legacy.com offers a short announcement template, a life-story template, a visual template for a celebration of life, and templates for specific situations. It also has ObitWriter, an interactive tool that creates a draft from basic information. It may carry a charge, while the templates are free.
• Tributes.com (part of Legacy.com) publishes free short and simple templates.
• Funeral homes often give families a questionnaire. Many will write a draft and post it on their website.
• Word or Google Docs are the easiest way to draft and share with family. Copy one of the templates below, fill it in and send the link around.
• Our tools and kit. The free obituary structure generator builds a section-by-section outline. The Eulogy & Obituary Writing Kit includes editable obituary templates in a Word file.

Template 1: a short obituary or death notice

Use this for a newspaper, where you pay by the line, or when you only need to announce the death.

[Full name] "[Nickname]" [Last name], [age], of [city, state], died [day, month date, year] at [place or "at home"]. A [funeral/memorial/celebration of life] will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [place, address]. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to [organization]. Arrangements are by [funeral home].

Our guide on obituary vs death notice explains when a short notice is the right choice.

Template 2: a standard obituary

This adds a short life summary and the family.

[Full name] "[Nickname]" [Last name], [age], of [city, state], died [day, month date, year] at [place or "at home"].

Born in [city] on [year] to [parents' names], [he/she/they] [grew up in…, attended…, worked as…, served in…]. [He/She/They] was known for [one or two specific details: a hobby, a saying, a team, a recipe].

[He/She/They] is survived by [spouse or partner], [children and their partners], [grandchildren], and [siblings]. [He/She/They] was preceded in death by [names and relationships].

A [funeral/memorial/celebration of life] will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [place, address]. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to [organization].

Template 3: a life-story obituary for online use

For a funeral home site or memorial page, where there is no length limit. Legacy.com's life-story template lets you choose the sections that fit the person.

Announcement. [Full name], [age], of [city], died [date] at [place], [surrounded by family / peacefully at home / …].

Early life. [Born in…, raised in…, parents, childhood details.]

Education and work. [Schools, career, military service, awards.]

Family. [How they met their spouse or partner, children, grandchildren, pets.]

Interests and character. [What they loved, their sayings, favorite places and what people will remember.]

Community and faith. [Volunteering, church, clubs.]

Survivors and those who died before them. [Names and relationships.]

Service details. [Date, time, address, whether it is open or private, and a link to livestream if there is one.]

Donations. [Charity name and address or link.]

How do you make a template sound like the person?

A template gives you the order. The details make it a tribute. Legacy.com invites you to include or leave out details to suit the person, and its funny obituary template shows that humor can fit when it suits them.

• Swap general words for specific ones. "Loved cooking" becomes "made a pot of sauce every Sunday."
• Include a nickname if friends used it. People search for that name.
• Add one detail only a close friend would know.
• Read it aloud. If it sounds stiff, shorten the sentences.
• Ask someone who knew them well to read it before you publish.

What should you leave out of a template?

Templates have a blank for everything, but you don't have to fill every one. Legacy.com advises against complete home addresses, full birthdates, and email addresses or phone numbers for family members. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says scammers read obituaries and call relatives posing as debt collectors.

• Use the age or birth year, not the full date of birth.
• Use the city, not the street address.
• Leave out the mother's maiden name.
• Don't list young grandchildren with their ages and towns.

Naming the cause of death is optional. Legacy.com's templates say it may be included at the family's discretion.

How do you submit an obituary to a newspaper?

1. Finish the text and have two people check it.
2. Ask the funeral home whether it submits for you.
3. Call the paper or use its online form. Ask for the price, the deadline and any photo requirements. Many papers charge by the line or inch, and Legacy.com's 2025 examples for 150 words ranged from about $85 in Everett, WA to about $780 in New York City.
4. Expect the paper to verify the death. The New York Times placement guide on Legacy.com asks for the funeral home's or a representative's contact details.

Our guide on obituary cost covers prices and ways to pay less.

What to do next

1. Choose the template that matches where you will publish.
2. Fill in the facts first and the stories second.
3. Check names, dates and times with at least one other relative.
4. Publish, then share the link with family and friends.

If you also need printed programs for the service, see our funeral service order template and memorial card template guides.