The loss of a loved one can be devastating for everyone, but you can always pen down an obituary to tell others how much he/she meant to you. However, at the last minute, when you are already in grief, it is nearly impossible to design an obituary. This is when obituary templates come into the picture.
Having an obituary template you can rely on rescues you from composing a new one where you have to decide the text, align the margins, and design the entire poster so it looks appealing and receivers pay attention to it.
The ready-made obituary templates are meant to save you time while also still valuing your emotions. When choosing a template for the obituary, choose the one that can convey your situation and invite the receiver to take part in your event.
Table of Contents
General Obituary Template
To instantly arrange an invite for the obituary/funeral, you can use these formats.
Obituary Template
This is a sample format to understand how yours should look like. If you prefer to have a blank document so you can just fill the details and invite guests, the next document will be of real use to you.
Simple Format Obituary Template
Want an even simpler one? Here you go! This simple funeral format just needs you to fill in some basic information about your deceased loved one. It takes much of the guesswork out of creating the obituary ahead of the funeral.
Fill in the Blank Obituary Template
These fill in the blank formats can ensure that your announcement is complete. You can then send the finished obituary off to others without hesitation.
Also, do check out these printable Grocery List Template in case you are trying to organize some things for the funeral and memorial.
Funeral Program Obituary Templates
Arranged a funeral program? Need to invite guests on short notice? You should use our formats.
While this is an easy template to fill and share, some would prefer to use well-designed ones so the receivers can treasure it forever.
Don’t these look catchy and share your emotions with the receiver beautifully? However, before choosing the template of your choice, make sure to see if it is ready to print. Certain documents look different when they are actually printed.
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Fill in the Blank Obituary Template for Mother
The mother is the vital member of a family, and the passing of a mother so irreplaceable can be disheartening. You definitely need to tell others how much you value her while including the other details regarding the cause of death and the program that follows.
Here are some designs that you can use for your most loved and cherished.
Obituary Formats for Father Sample
The father is the pillar of strength and support to every family, and the loss of a father can be tragic to anyone. Soon after the death of the father, you may have to take over the responsibility of informing others about the obituary and invite them to the funeral program. Some also arrange memorial services yearly in memory of the father, as well.
There is also a PDF template for you to use.
Free Obituary Template for Child
An obituary for a child is something that is extremely hard to do. Losing a baby is shattering, but all you can do is send the baby off to heaven wholeheartedly.
You do not have to be formal when you create the poster for the child. It can be creative and colorful as children love colors and games.
Use these templates to create one for the baby:
The loss of a child affects dear ones significantly. It is a good idea to include the child’s photo with the obituary and recall how playful the baby was and how the loss affects you.
Understanding the Art of Obituaries
After having seen so many ready-made formats, it is important to understand the idea of how to better format an obituary. If you ask if the formats are always the same, they are definitely not. Some prefer to send a personal invite about the loss, and this is usually a closed circle, including family members and family friends.
When the circle is large, and it is impossible to announce the loss personally, others prefer to distribute posters or use newspapers to announce the obituary column.
In the first case, you can customize the design and make it look attractive, but in the latter case, you need to make it crisp but still convey all the essential information.
Some even go for a full-page obituary advertisement in order to pay tribute to the person. When you opt for a newspaper advertisement, you should keep the following points in mind:
- Use minimum words possible while writing but cover the personal and professional background of the deceased. You must include the death date of the deceased (along with age).
- Inform the place in writing where the funeral is set to happen along with the date and time
- You can also include a phone number so guests can reach you for directions to the funeral or memorial or to convey their grievances. Also, make sure you read the advertisement completely upon finalizing it.
If you want just to get the format for writing a newspaper obituary, here you go.
In the case of writing a full-page post, you can detail about his birth, progress in life, the cause of death, grieving family and funeral details.
The entire process has limited time, and you need to wrap things up by reaching out to the contacts and gathering essential information. This full-page content is usually issued for personalities who are popular, and their loss matters much to the readers.
For example, the loss of Steve Jobs from Apple had the whole world grieving, and the firm opted for full-page news.
Memorial Service Program Obituary Templates
With obituaries, a memory service program for the deceased becomes mandatory. In this poster, you need to include the basic information about the lost person, such as their age and the date of death followed by the family details. You can also get creative and pen poems that convey the mood to the readers.
Here are a few formats:
In this format, you notice that the information is crisp and details the plan for the day. It is good to design a schedule and then print it out and circulate the invitation in the city.
Here is one sample of a schedule usually followed for an obituary service program for the deceased.
This program schedule is commonly followed by the Catholic community. It begins with a choir and then a tribute/ prayer by important members who were closely associated with the person who passed away.
It is also a good idea to include the list of foreign dignitaries at the end as this can honor them and stress to other members to attend the program without fail.
The whole objective of this memorial program is to mourn together and to give a warm send-off to the individual who passed away. This can be a good memory for everyone.
One Year Memorial Formats Sample
Many people have the habit of organizing a memorial program every year on the death anniversary to keep the memory fresh and remind everyone about the warm association they have had.
If you have organized a program on the first year death anniversary of the deceased, include those details and welcome the guests. If you just wanted to remind others about the one year anniversary of the death of a special person, it is just enough to write a poem and include high-quality images of the person.
Obituary Thank You Notes Writing
People spend their precious time to attend the obituary program and they deserve respect for the same. It is necessary to send a thank you note as a symbol of courtesy and gratitude. This exchange of a thank you note can cheer them up during this very grievous time.
Drafting a thank you note can be time-consuming if you are unfamiliar with its structure and the type of content that should be included.
You can keep it simple by saying a thank you on behalf of your family for the time spent and the emotions shared on the occasion. Alternatively, you can express your heartfelt thanks to those who have been close to the lost person during a long term illness by mentioning their names. This can directly convey the emotions and also make the receiver feel special and included.
Thank you notes are always personal. So, spend some time to draft it correctly so it can be saved as a treasure forever.
How to Write an Obituary Template
On account of a person’s death, you need to have two documents – the obituary program and a thank you note.
An obituary program document sample should include a photo of the person, basic information about the person and the family, an order of service planned, and the obituary. In this document, you can also include any special message you want to convey about the person to others along with the service times.
The announcement of death has to be drafted carefully while writing an obituary. So, you should pay attention to three aspects – typography, alignment, and graphics. Choose a font that is neat and crisp, not stylish. Align it in such a way that the main points are highlighted. Ensure that the graphics are minimal.
The themes that are commonly used for designs are floral or classic or vintage. This is to give the obituary a more traditional touch. Also, check for your community guidelines during the creation of any obituary program.
Conclusion
Using a predefined document helps ensure that you include the correct information and speed up the announcement process. Our printable obituary templates can certainly enhance the overall professionalism of the creation process as well and can transfer the proper mood to the receivers.
Obituary FAQ
As you write the obituary, whether you use one of the above templates or not, you may have a few more questions along the way. Our FAQ will cover some of these questions and offer you even more assistance as you craft the perfect obituary for your loved one.
What should be included in an obituary?
When writing an obituary, you want to make sure to include the full name of the deceased and any nickname they may have had. You also want to include their city of residence, the place and cause of their death, the age, the date of death, and any other important information you think should be included when writing their obituary.
What should not be included in an obituary?
An obituary should never include the address of the deceased. This is because burglars may find the information and take it as an opportunity to break into an empty home. To avoid identify theft, you also never want to include the person’s birthdate.
How do you properly list family members (survivors) in an obituary?
When you are listing survivors, you should include the parents, spouses, children, siblings, and other close family members. When listing the adult survivors, you should give their full name as well as the name of their spouses.
How do you choose the right obituary photo?
When selecting the photo for the obituary, you want to find a high-quality image that clearly shows their face. You also want to determine the focus of the photo. You might have a good picture of the entire family, but it may be better to find a picture of the deceased person on their own.
The orientation of the photo also plays a significant role when choosing the right image for the obituary. Depending on how it will be published in print or online, you want to double-check on the compatible dimensions to ensure that no part of the photo is cropped wrong or distorted.
Color photos are more often used today in obituaries, but a simple black and white photo can also prove to be just as stunning. They hint at an era and the person’s youth in many cases. When choosing a black and white photo, it should be a clear image that will be recognizable.
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