How to Write an Obituary for My Husband

An obituary allows survivors to let others know about the death of a loved one and summarize some of the main highlights of the life of the deceased. Most obituaries, including one you would write for your husband, have a standard format, such as ones you see in community newspapers. The obituary for your husband should be several paragraphs and contain information on his profession, family, burial arrangements and any special clubs or organizations.

Write a short opening paragraph that includes his name, city, and date of death. For example, write, "Joe Smith, a longtime resident of Brooklyn, New York, passed away on January 1, 2011." You can also include where and how he died and his age separated by a comma after his name.

Begin the next paragraph by giving his birthdate. For example, write, "Joe was born on January 1, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, to (name of parents)." This paragraph should go on to list his biographical information and personal accomplishments, such as education, profession, hobbies, clubs, military service or anything else you would like the reader to know about your husband.

List the names of close relatives that preceded him in death. You can begin a new paragraph by stating, "Joe was preceded in death by his parents, (name); brother, (name); and sister, (name)." This information should stand alone in a separate paragraph.

List the names of all surviving family members. Write, "Joe is survived by his wife, (name); daughter, (name); and son, (name)." You can also add the geographic location of each relative. Write, "daughter, (name), of Naples, Florida." Again, this information should be in its own paragraph.

Inform readers about the funeral arrangements in the last paragraph. You can state, "Funeral arrangements were entrusted to (funeral home, city, state). Visitation will take place on (date and time). A funeral mass (if applicable) will take place at (location, city, state, date, time). Burial will follow at (location)."