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Obituary

Short obituary examples

A short obituary keeps only what readers need: name, age, city, date of death, closest family and service details, with one line about the person if space allows. Families often publish a short notice in the newspaper, where length is paid for, and the full version on the funeral home website.

Updated

The examples on this page were written for TributePen. The people, names and details in them are invented: use them as a starting point, never as someone's real story.

How to shorten a full obituary

Start from the full version, then cut in this order:

  1. The list of grandchildren and great-grandchildren becomes a number.
  2. The career becomes a phrase: "a retired teacher."
  3. Clubs, hobbies and places lived become one detail.
  4. Thanks to caregivers move to the funeral home website.
  5. Never cut: name, age, city, date, service time and place.

Examples

Minimal notice

traditional

Carl F. Jensen, 82, of Duluth, died September 27, 2026. Survived by his wife, Ingrid; children, Erik and Kari; and six grandchildren. Funeral 11 a.m. Saturday, October 3, at First Lutheran Church.

For a newspaper death notice, minimal · 32 words · 196 characters
Why it works: everything readers need in under forty words. Make it yours: abbreviations like "Survived by" without a subject are normal in paid notices.

One personal line

traditional

Dorothy "Dot" Simmons, 90, of Savannah, Georgia, passed away September 24, 2026. A retired nurse and a legendary baker of pound cake, she is survived by her daughters, Janet and Lorraine; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 1.

For a short obituary with one personal line · 55 words · 339 characters
Why it works: one line (the pound cake) makes a notice feel like her. Make it yours: choose the detail friends would recognize.

Sudden loss

simple

Ethan Cole Parker, 31, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died unexpectedly on September 23, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Kayla; his daughter, Lily; his parents, Mark and Debra Parker; and his brother, Ryan. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, October 4.

For a young man, sudden death · 45 words · 258 characters
Why it works: "unexpectedly" answers the unspoken question without detail. Make it yours: the family decides if and how to say more.

Private service

simple

Marion Hughes, 87, of Portland, Maine, died peacefully on September 29, 2026. She is survived by her son, David, and her granddaughter, Emily. A private family service will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to a local animal shelter.

For a private service · 40 words · 243 characters
Why it works: it tells people not to come and how they can help instead. Make it yours: name the charity exactly.

Online post

warm

With broken hearts, we share that our mom, Teresa Alvarez, died peacefully on Sunday, September 27, surrounded by family. She was 72. Mom loved her garden, her grandchildren and a good telenovela. Service details will be posted here soon. Thank you for the love you have already shown us.

For a social media post from the family · 49 words · 288 characters
Why it works: a social post can be warmer and more personal, and it promises details later. Make it yours: post only after the closest family and friends have been told personally.

Veteran notice

formal

James "Jim" Walker, 76, of Knoxville, Tennessee, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, died September 21, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Carol; three children; and seven grandchildren. Services with military honors will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 30.

For a veteran, newspaper · 43 words · 268 characters
Why it works: service is named in one phrase, and "military honors" tells veterans' groups. Make it yours: check branch and era against his papers.

Church bulletin

warm

Our longtime member and choir alto, Hazel Brown, 94, went home to be with the Lord on September 26, 2026. Hazel sang in our choir for over fifty years. Her homegoing service will be held here on Saturday, October 3, at 11 a.m. Please keep her family in your prayers.

For a grandmother, church bulletin · 50 words · 266 characters
Why it works: the faith language fits a church audience. Make it yours: "homegoing" is common in many Black churches; use the words your community uses.

Hometown paper

simple

Former Mason City resident Paula (Grant) Stevens, 68, died September 25, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. A 1976 graduate of Mason City High School, she is survived by her husband, Tom, and two sons. Services were held in Denver.

For a notice for a former hometown paper · 38 words · 223 characters
Why it works: the maiden name and school help old classmates recognize her. Make it yours: a hometown notice can be very short.

For full-length models, see obituary examples; to announce the death by email or text first, see death announcement wording.

Common questions

What is the shortest acceptable obituary?

A death notice of two or three sentences with the name, age, city, date of death and service information. Many newspapers distinguish this paid "death notice" from a longer obituary.

How do I shorten an obituary?

Keep the announcement, the closest survivors and the service details. Replace the list of grandchildren with a number, cut the career to one phrase, and keep a single detail about the person.

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