What Is an Obituary?
A Complete Guide to Understanding Obituaries
An obituary is a published notice announcing someone's death, typically including a brief account of their life and information about any funeral or memorial service. It has traditionally served as the formal, public record that someone has passed — distinct from a memorial, which is meant to preserve their story over time rather than simply announce their passing.
What an Obituary Typically Includes
Full Name & Age
The person's full name, sometimes including a maiden name or nickname, along with their age at the time of death.
Date & Place of Death
When and where they passed, and often their place of birth or residence for context.
Surviving & Predeceased Family
A list of immediate family members who survive them, and often those who predeceased them, such as a spouse or parent.
A Brief Biography
A short account of their life — career, education, military service, or accomplishments — usually just a few sentences.
Service Details
Date, time, and location of a funeral, memorial service, or celebration of life, if the family chooses to include this publicly.
Memorial Requests
Instructions for flowers, or a request that donations be made to a charity in lieu of flowers.
Obituary vs. Online Memorial
These two things are often confused, but they serve different purposes.
An obituary announces
It is a brief, formal, typically one-time notice: someone has passed, here are the essential facts, here is how to pay respects.
An online memorial preserves
It is an ongoing space that can grow indefinitely — photos, a full life story, contributions from many people, and a place others can visit and add to for years afterward. Many families create both: an obituary to announce the death, and a memorial to hold everything that follows.
A Brief History
Obituaries have appeared in newspapers for centuries, traditionally as a paid, space-limited notice — which is part of why they were kept short and factual rather than detailed. As publishing moved online, that space constraint largely disappeared. Many families now publish an obituary online only, through a funeral home website or a dedicated platform, often at no cost, and with far more room to actually tell someone's story.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an obituary and an online memorial?
An obituary is a brief, formal announcement of a death, traditionally published once in a newspaper, typically including biographical facts and service details. An online memorial is an ongoing, interactive space that can grow over time with photos, stories, and contributions from multiple people. Many families use both — an obituary to announce, and a memorial to preserve.
What does an obituary typically include?
A typical obituary includes the person's full name, age, date and place of death, a brief biography, names of surviving and predeceased family members, and details about the funeral or memorial service, if applicable.
Who writes an obituary?
Obituaries are usually written by a close family member, sometimes with help from a funeral home, which often provides a template or writing assistance as part of their services.
Do I need to publish an obituary in a newspaper?
No. While newspaper publication was traditional, many families now publish obituaries online only, through a funeral home website, a dedicated obituary site, or their own memorial page, often at no cost compared to paid newspaper placement.
How long should an obituary be?
Traditional newspaper obituaries are often short, partly because many papers charge by the line. Online obituaries have no such constraint and can be as long as the family wants, though most run a few paragraphs.
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While an obituary announces, a memorial page preserves — free, forever, and shareable with everyone who loved them.
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