Obituary Examples for a Spouse

You might include your spouse's full name, age, date of passing, family details and important moments from their life. You can also share their interests, personal qualities, achievements and memories that reflect the life you shared together. Details about family life, favourite activities or the things that mattered most to them can add a personal dimension. You don't need to include every detail — focus on what helps readers understand who they were and what mattered to them.

Yes. If you need help writing an obituary, you don't have to work everything out by yourself. With our Obituary Draft service, you share your key details and memories, and a real person shapes them into a clear, respectful first draft, ready for you to personalise. Your draft also includes Personalisation Guidance tailored to the information you've shared, helping you make any final adjustments in your own words.

An obituary usually follows a clear structure rather than a strict format. You might begin by introducing your spouse and sharing the key details of their passing, then describe important parts of their life, family relationships, interests and personal qualities. Include a few memories or details that capture the person you knew and the life you shared, before finishing with service information or a closing message. The aim is to bring the essential information and personal details together in a way that feels natural and respectful.

You can start an obituary by introducing your spouse by name, followed by their age and date of passing, if you wish to include them. Another approach is to begin with a short sentence that captures something important about their character or the place they held in your life and family. A simple, respectful opening is enough — you don't need to find elaborate words before you begin. You can develop the more personal details as the obituary continues.

The length depends on where the obituary will be published and how much you would like to share. A short notice might be around 80–120 words, while a fuller obituary may be approximately 150–300 words or longer. Newspapers and funeral homes may have their own word limits or publication costs, so it's worth checking before you begin. Choose a length that gives you enough space for the essential details, personal qualities and memories you want to share, without feeling that you must cover every part of their life.

An obituary can end with funeral or memorial service details, donation preferences or a short closing message. You might also include a final reflection on how your spouse will be remembered, what your life together meant to you or the difference they made to your family and those around them. The ending doesn't need to be elaborate — a few sincere words can bring the obituary to a thoughtful close.