This page is the checklist version. If you already know you need to write an obituary and want to make sure you have gathered the right information, use the sections below before you start drafting.

If you need help turning those facts into actual sentences, use our separate guide on how to write an obituary.

What information is usually included in an obituary?

Which details are optional?

Almost everything beyond the basic announcement is a family choice. Optional details can include:

How should you list family members?

Families often separate people who survive the deceased from people who died earlier. There is no required order. Choose a format that fits the family and use consistent names and relationships.

Remember stepfamily, chosen family, long-term partners, close friends, foster relationships, and others who mattered. Traditional labels do not always describe a real family accurately.

Do you need to include everyone by name?

No. Large families often name immediate relatives and summarize larger groups, such as "11 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren." You can also use wording such as "and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends."

The goal is not to prove completeness. It is to avoid careless omissions among the relationships the family considers important.

Should you include the cause of death?

Only if the family wants to. Some families value openness, especially when the death relates to cancer, addiction, suicide, dementia, or another condition they want acknowledged. Others prefer privacy.

You can also use broader wording or omit the cause entirely. Verify any medical information before publishing it.

What service information should be included?

Check the time, address, and spelling against the funeral home's or venue's confirmed information before publishing.

What should you say about flowers or donations?

If the family prefers charitable donations, name the organization clearly and provide enough information for people to find the correct one. If flowers are welcome, you usually do not need to say anything unless there are delivery instructions.

What should you leave out for privacy or safety?

Should an obituary include accomplishments?

Yes, when they mattered to the person. But accomplishments do not have to mean titles, awards, or degrees. Raising children, caring for family, rebuilding motorcycles, running a neighborhood garden, coaching Little League, or feeding half the block can be just as defining.

What personal details make an obituary memorable?

Look for details that would make someone who knew the person say, "Yes, that was them." Favorite sayings, habits, foods, hobbies, music, pets, routines, practical skills, stubborn opinions, and family jokes often do more than another adjective.

Obituary fact-check before publishing

Ask one other person to review only the facts. A fresh reader often catches the wrong year or misspelled grandchild's name faster than the person who has been staring at the draft for two hours.

What if you are writing your own obituary?

This checklist works for that too. You can leave a factual draft with names, relationships, work, hobbies, stories, and service preferences. Your family can update the date and circumstances later.

If you are planning ahead more broadly, add the draft to your end-of-life planning file.

Ready to turn the checklist into a draft?

Use the free obituary writer, or follow the step-by-step writing guide.

Start an obituary →