15 Obituary Examples You Can Use as a Starting Point

💡 Tip

Every example below is fictional. The names, dates, places, and details were invented to illustrate the format. They are not real obituaries, so use them freely as structural models, then fill in the real facts of your own loved one.

Eleanor Whitfield Carraway, 86, of Maple Hollow, passed away peacefully on a spring morning with her family at her side. Born in the small town of Riverbend, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Grace Whitfield. Eleanor married Frederick Carraway and they shared 61 years together. She spent her career as a school nurse and her retirement tending an extraordinary rose garden. Eleanor is survived by her children, Annabelle (Marcus) Tate and David Carraway; five grandchildren; and her brother, Paul Whitfield. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick. A funeral service will be held at the Maple Hollow community chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a heart-health charity of the giver's choosing.

James "Jim" Hollowell, 74, of Cedar Junction, died this past week. A lifelong resident, Jim ran the family hardware store on Main Street for 40 years and never forgot a customer's name. He coached youth baseball for two decades and was a fixture at every parade and pancake breakfast the town held. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Barbara; three children; and eight grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Cedar Junction funeral home. The family suggests memorial gifts to the local youth baseball league.

Master Sergeant Harold Brightwater, U.S. Army (Ret.), 91, of Stonebridge, passed away this month. Harold served overseas and was decorated for his service. After the military he worked 35 years for the regional railroad and raised four children with his late wife, Dorothy. He is survived by his children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. A graveside service with military honors will be held at the Stonebridge memorial cemetery.

Margaret Ellsworth Pruitt, 83, of Fair Meadow, went home to her Lord surrounded by those she loved most. Margaret spent 32 years as a bookkeeper for the county and an equal number of years teaching the same Sunday school class, where she was known for her patience and her peppermint candies. She is survived by her husband, Raymond; her daughters, Susan and Diane; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Michael. A service of remembrance will be held at her longtime church. The family welcomes memorial gifts to the church's food ministry.

Robert "Bob" Castellano, 78, of Willow Creek, passed away after a courageous year of declining health. Bob spent his career as a regional sales manager and his happiest years on the golf course and at the lake with his grandchildren. After losing his first wife, Helen, he found love again with Patricia, his wife of the last 14 years. He is survived by Patricia; his children, Anthony and Gina; his stepchildren, Mark and Lisa; and eleven grandchildren and step-grandchildren who made no distinction between the two. A celebration of his life will be held at the Willow Creek clubhouse.

Carol Jean Marlowe, 80, of Brookfield, died this week. A devoted mother and grandmother, she loved her church and her crossword puzzles. She is survived by her two sons and four grandchildren. A private service will be held. Memorial gifts may be sent to her church.

Thomas Reed Aldridge, 68, passed away after a brief illness. A retired electrician and a devoted fan of his hometown team to the end, Tom is survived by his wife, Linda, and his daughter, Megan. Services are private.

Dorothy Klein Vanderpool, 94, of Cedar Junction, died peacefully this month. She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. A celebration of her long life will be held at a later date.

Frank Delgado, 71, of Stonebridge, passed away surrounded by family. A proud Navy veteran and lifelong fisherman, Frank never met a stranger. He is survived by his wife, Rosa, and his son, Daniel. A graveside service will be held privately.

Nancy Holloway Pierce, 77, of Fair Meadow, died this week after a long illness bravely borne. A retired librarian, she gave the gift of reading to three generations of children. She is survived by her husband, Glenn, and her two daughters. The family will hold a private remembrance.

Walter "Walt" Brennan Sr., 88, of Maple Hollow, passed away peacefully in his sleep. A carpenter by trade and a grandfather by his own happy admission first, Walt is survived by his five children and twelve grandchildren. A memorial gathering will be announced at a later date.

Patricia Anne Donleavy, 79, of Harborview, passed away surrounded by the family she built her life around. Pat was born in a working-class neighborhood to immigrant parents who taught her that work and family came before everything. She put herself through nursing school, met her husband Daniel at a hospital dance, and married him eight months later. Together they raised five children in a house that, by every account, was never quiet and never empty. Pat worked the night shift in pediatrics for 30 years so she could be home when her children left for school. She was known for her blunt honesty, her astonishing pie crust, and a laugh that could be heard two rooms away. In retirement she volunteered at the food pantry every Tuesday for 18 years. Pat is survived by her husband of 57 years, Daniel; her children, Mary, Sean, Bridget, Patrick, and Colleen; 14 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Michael. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at her parish church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you do something kind for a stranger, which is exactly what Pat would have asked of you herself.

Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Ferncliff, 82, of Stonebridge, died this month after a full and generous life. Larry began his working years as a high school science teacher, a job he loved and left only because he could not stop being curious. He returned to school in his thirties, earned his medical degree, and spent the next four decades as a family doctor whose patients became, over time, simply his friends. He delivered babies who later brought him their own babies. Larry is survived by his wife of 56 years, Eleanor; his children, Thomas, Rebecca, and Joseph; nine grandchildren; and the countless patients who still call him "Doc." He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ruth. A memorial service will be held at the Stonebridge community church. The family suggests donations to a scholarship fund for students entering the medical field.

Helen Marie Ashworth, 85, of Willow Creek, passed away peacefully with music playing, which is exactly how she would have wanted it. Helen was a pianist and a piano teacher for more than 50 years, and there is hardly a family in Willow Creek that did not send a child to her front parlor for lessons. She was patient with the reluctant and demanding of the gifted, and she remembered every recital, every wrong note forgiven, every student who later played at a wedding or a funeral. Helen is survived by her husband, George; her son, Christopher; her daughter, Patricia; and seven grandchildren, every one of whom can, to this day, play at least one piece by heart. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved sister, Margaret. A celebration of her life, with music, will be held at the Willow Creek arts center. Memorial gifts may be made to a community music program.

Arthur "Art" Penhallow, 93, of Brookfield, died peacefully this week, 21 years after the wife he never stopped missing. Art was a machinist by trade, a man who could fix anything and explain nothing, as his children fondly remember. After his wife, Jean, passed, he poured himself into his community: he drove neighbors to their appointments, kept three widows' lawns mowed without ever being asked, and was the first to arrive whenever anyone needed a hand. He did all of it quietly and would be mildly annoyed to see it written down here. Art is survived by his children, Susan, Robert, and Linda; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, and his son, James. A graveside service will be held at the Brookfield cemetery, where he will rest beside Jean at last. The family asks that you honor Art by quietly helping a neighbor.