FREE OBITUARY WRITER
Write a beautiful obituary in about 15 minutes
Answer a few simple questions. We write the first draft, you make it yours. Free, no payment, no catch.
See sample obituaries and a fill-in templateWhat you get
A finished obituary
Copy it for the funeral home or newspaper, or download it.
A free online memorial
Friends can find it, read the service details and share memories.
A matching funeral program
Made from the same words in one click, ready to print.
How it works
- Answer simple questions, one step at a time: family, work, faith, service details. Skip anything you like.
- We write the first draft using only what you told us. Nothing is made up.
- Make it yours. Change any sentence, or ask for a paragraph to be rewritten or shortened.
- Save it free. Copy it, download it, send it to the funeral home, and share the memorial page.
Already have a Turning Hearts memorial? Start from it
How to write an obituary: common questions
How do I write an obituary?
Start with their full name, age, hometown and the date they passed away. Add when and where they were born, then a short story of their life: school, work, military service, faith, and what they loved to do. Next, list the family who survive them and those who passed before them. Finish with the service details, where to send flowers or donations, and any thanks the family wants to give. Our free writer asks about each of these one step at a time and writes the first draft for you. See our full guide.
What should an obituary include?
Most obituaries include the full name (with any nickname or maiden name), age, town, date of death, date and place of birth, a few sentences about their life, the surviving family, family members who passed before them, the funeral or memorial service time and place, and a note about flowers or donations.
How long should an obituary be?
A newspaper notice is often 150 to 200 words, because many papers charge by length. Online and on the funeral home website, 300 to 600 words is common. Our writer lets you pick short (about 150 words), standard (about 300) or full (about 650), and you can shorten any paragraph later.
In what order are family members listed?
The usual order is spouse, then children (with their spouses in parentheses), grandchildren, great-grandchildren, parents, and brothers and sisters. Family members who passed away before them are listed after that, often starting with "preceded in death by".
Should I include the cause of death?
That is up to the family. Many obituaries leave it out. Some say "after a long illness" or "unexpectedly", and some name the illness to raise awareness or ask for donations to a related charity.
Should the full birth date be in the obituary?
Most obituaries give the full birth date. Some families show only the month and year online, to help protect against identity theft. When you save the obituary you can choose either one, and the memorial page we make follows your choice.
Where do I publish an obituary?
Most families give it to the funeral home, which posts it on its website and can send it to the local newspaper (newspapers usually charge a fee). You can also share it on a free online memorial page that friends can find and add memories to. See where to publish an obituary.
Is the obituary writer really free?
Yes. There is no payment and no catch. You can save it, copy it, download it as a Word file, send it to the funeral home, and share the free memorial page we make for it.