Writing an online obituary can help family and friends share a loved one’s life story and find accurate information about a service or memorial.
A few thoughtful choices about what to include, where to publish, and how to review the draft can make the process easier.
What is an online obituary?
An online obituary is a notice or tribute published on a funeral home website, newspaper website, memorial platform, or personal page.
It may announce a death, summarize the person’s life, provide funeral or memorial details, and offer a place for visitors to share condolences or memories.
Online notices can be updated more easily than printed ones, although changes may depend on the publisher’s policies.
Before posting, check whether the page will be public, searchable, or shareable by link, and decide what information the family is comfortable making public.
Gather details before you begin
Collect essential facts and confirm spellings, dates, and locations with a reliable family source.
Writing from a short list can reduce the pressure to produce a polished story all at once.
- Name: The person’s full name and any nickname the family wishes to include.
- Dates and location: Birth and death dates, and a general place of residence if appropriate.
- Family: Relatives the family wants named, with correct names and relationships.
- Life details: Education, work, community involvement, interests, or meaningful milestones.
- Service information: Date, time, venue, access details, and whether the event is public or private.
- Memorial preferences: Any family-approved request about flowers, donations, or remembrance.
Not every detail needs to appear.
Consider privacy, family preferences, and whether sharing an address, schedule, or other identifying information could create concerns.
If relatives disagree about what to include, agree on the audience and purpose of the notice before revising the wording.
How to write an online obituary
- Start with the announcement. State the person’s name and the date of death in a direct, respectful way.
Families may choose wording that reflects their beliefs and traditions. - Describe the person’s life. Choose a few details that show what mattered to them: a long-held vocation, a creative pursuit, service to others, or a tradition shared with family.
Specific, verified details tend to be more meaningful than broad praise. - Name close family members if desired. Follow the family’s preferences about who is included.
Check names and relationships, and avoid implying that a family list is complete if it is not intended to be. - Add gathering information. Include the event’s date, local time, venue, and any practical instructions.
If the event is private, say so clearly rather than posting details that could lead to unwanted attendance. - Include a remembrance option. If the family has selected a charity or memorial fund, verify its official name and link before adding it.
You can also invite visitors to share memories through the platform’s available features. - Review before publishing. Read the draft aloud, verify factual details with family, and check the publisher’s formatting and editing process.
Keep the biography personal and accurate
A useful obituary does not need to cover every year of a person’s life.
Focus on details that help readers understand how they spent their time and what people may remember about them.
A sentence about a favorite craft, a regular volunteer commitment, or a treasured family gathering can make a biography feel individual.
Use only information the family has confirmed.
Do not add quotations, anecdotes, awards, or biographical claims simply because they sound fitting.
If you are unsure about a date or detail, leave it out until someone can verify it.
A shorter accurate notice is more helpful than a longer account with uncertain information.
Families may have different cultural, religious, or personal preferences about language.
Choose phrasing that feels appropriate to those closest to the person, and ask before including sensitive details about health, relationships, or circumstances of death.
Fictional example with placeholders
The following is a fictional example.
Replace bracketed details only with information the family has verified.
[Full name], of [city or region], died on [date] at the age of [age]. [Name] spent [number] years working as a [occupation or role] and especially enjoyed [verified interest or activity].
Friends and family remember [Name] for [specific, family-approved quality or contribution].A [funeral, memorial, or celebration of life] will take place on [date] at [time] at [venue and location]. [Add whether the event is public or private, or include other confirmed instructions.]
This sample is a structure, not a suggested account of any real person’s life.
Adapt or omit sections to suit the family’s wishes and the publisher’s requirements.
Where can you publish an online obituary?
Common options include a funeral home’s memorial page, a newspaper’s obituary section, and a dedicated memorial website.
The best choice depends on the intended audience, available features, privacy settings, and whether the family wants the notice to remain accessible over time.
Ask the funeral home or publisher about its submission rules, editing process, photo requirements, and whether the page can be updated after publication.
Newspaper rates and other publication fees vary by publisher and by the options selected; contact the newspaper directly for current pricing.
Do not assume that a website’s free memorial page and a newspaper notice include the same services.
Photos, links, and comments
A photograph can help visitors recognize the person and connect with the tribute.
Choose an image the family has permission to share, and check that it displays clearly when cropped on a phone.
If adding links to a livestream, charity, or service venue, open each link before publishing to make sure it goes to the correct destination.
Some platforms let visitors post condolences or photographs.
Review the site’s moderation and privacy settings, especially if the page will be public.
A family representative may want to monitor comments, report inappropriate posts, or ask the platform how to close or restrict them.
Final review checklist
- Names, dates, ages, and locations have been checked.
- The biography includes only confirmed details and family-approved language.
- Service information is accurate, and the public or private status is clear.
- Links and photos have been reviewed for accuracy and permission.
- The family understands where the obituary will appear and how it may be shared.
Once the details are checked, submit the draft through the chosen publisher’s process and save a copy.
Keeping the text and key dates in one place makes it easier to answer questions or request a correction if needed.