Death is expensive. It's also incredibly loud, even in the silence of a funeral home viewing room. When someone dies, the sheer volume of paperwork, decisions, and digital notifications can feel like a secondary trauma. Somewhere in the middle of choosing between a mahogany casket and a simple pine box, you’re handed a template for standard funeral home obituaries. It’s basically a fill-in-the-blank form. Name. Date of birth. Survivors. Service time. It feels clinical. It feels short.
Honestly, most people look at these templates and think they're doing it wrong if they don't write a three-page memoir. But there is a reason the "standard" version exists. It’s the backbone of public record. It’s the notice that tells the bank, the social security office, and that one cousin in Poughkeepsie that life has changed.
What Actually Goes Into Standard Funeral Home Obituaries?
The anatomy of a standard obituary isn't a secret, but it is a bit of a lost art in the age of Instagram tributes. Most funeral directors, like those at Service Corporation International (the biggest player in the death care industry), use a chronological flow. It starts with the "Announcement." This is the "John Doe, 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday" bit.
Then comes the "Life Sketch." This is where things get tricky. In a standard obituary, this isn't a biography. It’s a highlight reel. You’ve got the birthplace, parents’ names, education, and career. Short sentences work best here. He worked at the mill. He loved his dog. He retired in 2012.
The "Family" section follows. This is the part that causes the most fights in funeral home offices across America. Who gets listed first? Does the estranged daughter count? Standard practice usually dictates a hierarchy: spouse, children, siblings, then grandchildren. If you’re using a standard funeral home obituary template, you’ll likely see a line for "preceded in death by" and "survived by."
Finally, the "Service Details." This is the functional heart of the text. If you leave out the zip code of the cemetery, people will get lost. It happens more than you’d think.
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Why the "Standard" Format Is Winning Over Digital Tributes
You might think that in 2026, everyone would just post a TikTok and call it a day. That's not happening. The standard funeral home obituary serves a legal and archival purpose that a Facebook post simply can't touch. According to data from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), families still value the "permanent" feel of a structured notice.
There’s a comfort in the formula. When you are grieving, your brain basically turns into mush. You can't be expected to be Hemingway. Following a standard structure provides a "safety rail" for the grieving process. It ensures you don't forget to mention the memorial fund or the fact that the service is "casual attire only."
The Cost of Being "Standard"
Let’s talk money. This is the part funeral homes don't always lead with. Most standard funeral home obituaries are hosted on the funeral home’s website for free as part of their service package. But if you want that same text in a local newspaper? Prepare to pay.
In some major metropolitan areas, a standard obituary with a photo can run upwards of $500 to $1,000 for a single day’s print. That’s why the writing is so tight. You are literally paying by the line. Every "and," "the," and "but" costs you. This financial constraint is actually what created the "standard" style—brevity wasn't just a stylistic choice; it was a budget necessity.
Common Misconceptions About the "Standard" Look
One big mistake people make is thinking that "standard" means "boring." You can still have personality. I’ve seen standard obituaries that mention a person’s love for the Philadelphia Eagles or their legendary bad cooking. The structure stays the same, but the flavor changes.
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Another misconception? That you have to include the cause of death. You don't. Unless it’s a matter of public health or the family wants to raise awareness for a specific disease, the cause of death is rarely a requirement for standard funeral home obituaries. It’s a private choice.
Writing Your Own: The Practical Reality
If you’re sitting at a desk right now trying to draft one of these, stop overthinking it. Start with the facts. Get the dates right first. Check the spelling of every name. Then, add one—just one—specific detail that makes the person sound human.
- "She never met a stray cat she didn't feed."
- "He was a mediocre golfer but a world-class storyteller."
- "She famously hated the color lime green."
These small touches fit perfectly within a standard format without turning it into a novella.
Next Steps for Families
If you are currently working with a funeral director, ask for their specific house template. Every home has one.
Verify the digital footprint. Ask the funeral home how long the obituary will stay on their website. Some remove them after a year; others keep them up indefinitely.
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Check the newspaper deadlines. If you want the obituary to appear before the service, you usually have a very tight window—often before 10:00 AM the day before publication.
Proofread for "Survivors." This is where errors live. Read the list of names out loud. If you miss a grandchild, you’ll hear about it for the next twenty years.
Consider the "In Lieu of Flowers" section. If the deceased had a favorite charity, have the exact URL ready. It makes it easier for people to donate immediately while they are reading the notice on their phones.
The standard obituary isn't a cage; it's a map. Use it to get the hard work done so you can get back to the actual act of remembering the person you lost.