Obituaries follow a standard format — a fixed order of sections that newspaper editors, funeral homes, and readers all expect. Following it is not a creative limitation; it is a kindness to readers, who scan obituaries for exactly these pieces in exactly this order. Here is the structure, section by section, followed by a copyable outline.
The five sections, in order
1. The announcement
Name, age, city, date of death — one sentence. Formatting conventions: nicknames go in quotation marks after the first name (“Walter ‘Walt’ Kowalski”); maiden names in parentheses, often with née (“Margaret Ellison, née Whitfield”). The verb is your choice — passed away, died, entered eternal rest — all are correct.
2. The life story
Birth date and place, then the shape of the life: education, work and its length, military service (branch and era), faith community, and what they loved. Chronological order reads most naturally. Two to five sentences is customary in print; online versions can run longer.
3. Survivors, then the departed
The customary order of survivors: spouse (with years of marriage), children in birth order (spouses in parentheses), grandchildren and great-grandchildren (named or counted), then parents, siblings, and others. “Preceded in death by” follows the survivor list. Semicolons separate the groups; commas stay inside them.
4. Service information
Type, time, date, and full location of each event — visitation, funeral or memorial service, and burial — in chronological order. If plans aren’t final: “services will be announced at a later date.”
5. The closing
Memorial wishes (“in lieu of flowers…”), any thanks to caregivers, and traditionally the funeral home handling arrangements.