Short Obituary Examples and a Simple Template

A short obituary says what matters in 120 to 200 words: who died, a line or two about their life, who they leave behind and where to say goodbye. Families choose a brief obituary when a newspaper charges by length, when the person was private, or when there simply isn't time or energy for more. Below are two short obituary examples written by Toastful from fictional families' notes, a simple obituary template, and a clear guide to what to keep and what to cut.

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Length
120-200 words, about one short newspaper column
Must include
Name, age, town, date of death, family, service
Personal details
One or two lines, not a full life story
Good for
Print notices, private people, quick deadlines

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Short obituary examples

Each example below was written by Toastful from the answers shown under it, so you can see exactly how your own stories turn into a finished obituary. Names and details are fictional.

Example 1: Niece for her aunt, traditional, short

210 words

Agnes Louise Kerr, 97, of Spokane, Washington, died October 10, 2026, in Spokane.

Miss Kerr was born in 1929 in Colfax, Washington, to Hugh and Margaret Kerr. She worked for 38 years as a bookkeeper for a Spokane lumber company. She never married. For 50 years, she lived in the same apartment on Spokane's South Hill.

Known to her family as Aunt Agnes, she was a woman of steady habits. She walked to Mass every morning until she was 94. She kept meticulous ledgers of her own household, accurate down to the penny. For six decades, she sent a crisp two-dollar bill to every niece and nephew on their birthday. Her family will remember her faithfulness, her care with details, and her quiet generosity.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Jenna (Tom) Sullivan, Mark Kerr, Patricia Olsen and Daniel Kerr, and by many great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh and Margaret Kerr, and her brothers, Francis and Joseph.

A Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Spokane. Memorial gifts may be made to the St. Augustine food pantry.

Agnes Louise Kerr will be remembered with love by all who knew her.

What the writer told Toastful to get this letter
Writer
Jenna, niece
Basics
Born in 1929 in Colfax, Washington. Died October 10, 2026, in Spokane.
Life story
She worked 38 years as a bookkeeper for a Spokane lumber company and never married. She lived in the same apartment on the South Hill for 50 years.
Personality
Aunt Agnes walked to Mass every morning until she was 94, kept meticulous ledgers of her own household down to the penny, and sent a crisp two-dollar bill to every niece and nephew on their birthday for six decades.
Survivors
Her nieces and nephews, Jenna (Tom) Sullivan, Mark Kerr, Patricia Olsen and Daniel Kerr, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
Predeceased
Her parents, Hugh and Margaret Kerr, and her brothers, Francis and Joseph.
Service
Funeral Mass Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Spokane.
Donations
Memorials to the St. Augustine food pantry.
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Example 2: Grandson for his grandmother, warm and personal, short

163 words

Esperanza "Lupita" Morales, 88, of Tucson, Arizona, died at home on October 9, 2026.

Lupita was born in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. She moved to Tucson in 1958 and married Arturo Morales in 1960. They raised five children in Barrio Hollywood. She worked for 25 years in the cafeteria at a Tucson elementary school.

Known to her grandchildren as Grandma Lupita, she made hundreds of tamales every Christmas Eve, with the whole family crowded into her kitchen. She kept a rosary in one apron pocket and butterscotch candies in the other. Every grandchild knew that her porch light meant come in, there's food.

She is survived by her children, Rosa, Arturo Jr., Carmen, Luis and Teresa; 14 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arturo, in 2009.

A rosary and funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church on [date and time of service].

Her family will remember her generous table, her open door and her faith.

What the writer told Toastful to get this letter
Writer
Mateo, grandson
Basics
Born in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Died October 9, 2026, at home in Tucson.
Life story
She moved to Tucson in 1958, married Arturo Morales in 1960, and worked 25 years in the cafeteria at a Tucson elementary school. She raised five children in Barrio Hollywood.
Personality
Grandma Lupita made hundreds of tamales every Christmas Eve with the whole family crowded into her kitchen, and she kept a rosary in one apron pocket and butterscotch candies in the other. Every grandchild knew her porch light meant come in, there's food.
Survivors
Her children, Rosa, Arturo Jr., Carmen, Luis and Teresa; 14 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
Predeceased
Her husband, Arturo, in 2009.
Service
A rosary and funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church. Date and time to be announced.
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How to structure it

  1. 1

    One sentence to announce the death

    Full name, age, hometown and date of death. That's it. Skip the place of death and cause of death unless they matter to your family; in a brief obituary, every word has to earn its place.

  2. 2

    One or two sentences on their life

    Pick the single biggest chapter: the career they had for 40 years, their military service, the farm, the family business. Add where they were born if it matters to readers. Leave the rest for a eulogy or an online memorial.

  3. 3

    One sentence that sounds like them

    This is what keeps a short obituary from reading like a form. One specific detail is enough: "She never missed a Friday bingo night at St. Ann's" or "He grew the biggest pumpkins on Elm Street."

  4. 4

    The closest family, in one sentence

    Spouse, children, then a count of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, then siblings. Using a number instead of names, like "eight grandchildren," saves the most space. Add "preceded in death by" only for a spouse or child if space is very tight.

  5. 5

    Service details and one closing line

    What, when and where, in as few words as possible. Add a donation request if the family wants one. If there's no public service, say so in one line, such as "Services will be private."

Opening and closing lines

Ways to open

  • “[Full Name], [age], of [City], died [date].”
  • “[Full Name], [age], of [City], passed away on [date] at home.”
  • “[Full Name], [age], a lifelong resident of [Town], died on [date].”
  • “[Full Name] ([Maiden Name]), [age], of [City], died [date]. She was born in [Birthplace] in [year].”
  • “[Full Name], [age], retired [job] and longtime [City] resident, died on [date].”
  • “[First Name] "[Nickname]" [Last Name], [age], of [City], died on [date] after [number] years of [farming / teaching / making people laugh].”
  • “[Full Name], [age], [branch] veteran, died on [date] in [City].”
  • “[Full Name] of [City] died on [date]. [She/He] was [age].”

Closing lines

  • “Services will be private.”
  • “A memorial service will be held at a later date.”
  • “Visitation [date], [time], [funeral home]; funeral [date], [time], [place].”
  • “Memorials to [Organization].”
  • “In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to [Organization].”
  • “Arrangements by [Funeral Home].”
  • “[She/He] will be missed.”
  • “Rest in peace, [Nickname].”
  • “May [her/his] memory be a blessing.”

Fill-in-the-blank template

Prefer to write it yourself? Copy this and replace everything in [brackets].

[FULL NAME], [AGE], of [CITY, STATE], died on [DATE].

[SHE/HE] was born in [BIRTHPLACE] in [YEAR] and [ONE OR TWO KEY LIFE FACTS, E.G. WORKED 35 YEARS AS A RURAL MAIL CARRIER / SERVED IN THE ARMY IN KOREA / RAN THE FAMILY FARM ON ROUTE 4]. In [YEAR] [SHE/HE] married [SPOUSE'S NAME].

[FIRST NAME] [ONE SPECIFIC DETAIL PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE, E.G. NEVER MISSED A FRIDAY FISH FRY / KNEW EVERY BIRD AT THE FEEDER BY NAME]. [OPTIONAL SECOND DETAIL, ONLY IF YOU HAVE ROOM: A HOBBY, A TEAM, A CHURCH OR CLUB, OR A SAYING EVERYONE KNEW.]

[SHE/HE] is survived by [SPOUSE]; [HER/HIS] children, [NAMES]; [NUMBER] grandchildren; and [NUMBER] great-grandchildren. [SHE/HE] was preceded in death by [SPOUSE, CHILD OR PARENTS].

[A FUNERAL / A MEMORIAL SERVICE / VISITATION] will be held [DATE] at [TIME] at [PLACE]. [OR: Services will be private.] In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to [ORGANIZATION]. Arrangements by [FUNERAL HOME]. [OPTIONAL: Full obituary at [WEBSITE].]

[ONE SHORT CLOSING LINE, E.G. SHE WILL BE MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HER, OR REST IN PEACE, NICKNAME.]

Tips and mistakes to avoid

Do

  • Write the full obituary first if you can, then cut it down; it's easier to trim than to squeeze.
  • Ask the newspaper whether they charge by line, word or column inch, then shorten whatever costs the most.
  • Use numbers for grandchildren and great-grandchildren instead of names to save space.
  • Drop phrases like "it is with great sadness that we announce"; the obituary itself says that.
  • Keep one personal sentence even in the shortest version; it's the line friends will remember.
  • Post a longer version on the funeral home's website and add "full obituary at [website]" to the printed one.
  • Read it aloud once; short obituaries can sound abrupt, and one softer word can fix that.

Avoid

  • Don't cut the service details to save space; they're the reason many people read a short obituary.
  • Don't drop the hometown or age, since readers use them to confirm it's the person they knew.
  • Don't use abbreviations nobody understands just to save a few characters.
  • Don't leave out a spouse's or child's name while naming others.
  • Don't fill the space with general praise; one real detail says more in fewer words.
  • Don't forget to replace every [bracket] before you send it to the paper.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a short obituary?

A short obituary is usually 120 to 200 words, about the length of the examples on this page. A paid death notice can be even shorter, sometimes 50 to 100 words with just the name, age, town, date, family and service. Newspapers usually charge by the line or word and costs vary widely, so ask for a quote before you trim. Online versions can be longer at no cost.

What should a brief obituary include?

At minimum: full name, age, hometown and date of death; the closest family; and service details or a note that services will be private. If you have room, add one or two lines about their life, such as their work or service, and one personal detail. Everything else, from schools to hobbies, is optional in a brief obituary.

What's the difference between a short obituary and a death notice?

They overlap a lot. A death notice is a basic paid announcement, often placed by the funeral home, with only the essential facts and service times. A short obituary adds a sentence or two about the person's life and character, so it reads like a tiny story rather than a listing. Many families use a short obituary in print and a longer one online.

Who usually writes a short obituary?

A close family member, such as a spouse, child, grandchild, niece or nephew, often with the funeral director's help. For someone who outlived their spouse and siblings, it's common for a niece, nephew, friend or even a neighbor to write it. Whoever writes it, ask a second person to check names, dates and service details before it goes to the paper.

Should a short obituary mention the cause of death?

It doesn't need to, and most short obituaries leave it out to save space and protect privacy. If the family wants to mention it, a few words such as "after a brief illness" are enough. Never include a cause the closest family hasn't agreed to share, and don't guess.

Is a simple obituary disrespectful?

Not at all. A simple obituary is often exactly what the person would have wanted, especially someone private or modest. A short, accurate obituary with one true detail can say more than a long one full of general praise. If you'd like to say more, add a longer tribute on the funeral home's website or speak at the service.

How can Toastful help me write a short obituary?

Choose the Short length, which is sized like a newspaper notice at 120 to 200 words. Enter their name, age and hometown, answer a few questions about their life, family and any service, and Toastful writes a third-person draft from only your facts in about a minute, free to preview. The full obituary is $9.95, or $17.95 Complete with an even shorter newspaper death notice and a social media announcement. 30-day money-back guarantee.

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