Obituary Writing Tips

An obituary is an opportunity to share with the community an announcement of your loved one's passing, information about the life they lived and the legacy they left behind. We will be happy to post your loved one's obituary on our website at no charge, and help you place a notice in the newspaper if that is desired.


We've gathered a list of information that is commonly included in an obituary, and share some guidance on writing an obituary that honors your loved one's life.

Information to include

  • Full name
  • Nickname or preferred name
  • Dates of birth and death
  • Place of birth and death
  • Surviving family members
  • Family members who predeceased your loved one
  • Educational background, including schools, degrees or course of study
  • Type of career or employment
  • Military service, if applicable
  • Achievements and honors
  • Interests and hobbies
  • Life lessons or wisdom they shared
  • The legacy they left
  • A charity or organization for memorial contributions

Writing Their Story

Now you can assemble the information into a paragraph format. We've provided an example below with some sample information.


You can also use an AI tool such as ChatGPT to write the obituary. Simply ask it to "write obituary" and paste in the information you collected in the step above. The program will give you a starting point for the obituary text, which you can edit and add to as needed.

Example

Margaret "Meg" Fulbright, of Topeka, Kansas passed away after a short illness on November 6, 2023.


Meg was born in Marion, Kansas to Paul and Saundra Givens on June 29, 1942. Her early years were spent working on the family farm with her three older siblings and parents, and participating in the local 4-H program. She graduated from Center High School in 1960 and attended Emporia State Teacher's College, graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in Education.


Meg met her husband, Todd, shortly after moving to Topeka in 1966 for her first teaching position. They married in 1967 had three children, Frank (Sally), Diane (George) and Aubrey (Chet). Meg worked at several Topeka elementary schools in both full-time and part-time positions depending on the needs of the family. She retired in 2005 after a 40-year teaching career. Meg was known for her amazing baking skills, including her famous Christmas Cinnamon Rolls, which she shared with neighbors and friends. She also dearly loved the family pets and when you could find her sitting still, she would always have one on her lap.


Meg was predeceased by her husband, Todd, and siblings Phillip, John and Sharon. Left to cherish Meg's memory are her children, Frank (Sally), Diane (George) and Aubrey (Chet), eight grandchildren, six nieces and nephews, and her many friends. They will miss her gentle wisdom, wonderful hugs and of course, those cinnamon rolls! Memorial contributions may be made to the Helping Hands Humane Society in Meg's honor.

Next Steps

Please send us a message with your loved one's obituary text if you would like it added to our website.