Key Takeaways
Family and friends will look at an obituary to remember the person they have lost and always cherish the time they shared with him.
Mention those your husband loved and who loved him in return, including immediate family and close friends.
Describe his life’s milestones — education, career, hobbies, volunteer work — and meaningful relationships.
Include details about the memorial or celebration of life and donation preferences.
Speak from the heart with personal reflections. Let your tone reflect your shared love and memories.
The loss of a spouse is an indescribably difficult experience. One of the most challenging tasks during the grieving process is to write a heartfelt obituary for your husband.
The responsibility can seem daunting, and knowing where to begin may be hard. To help you through this process, we've prepared this guide and some inspiring examples to help you craft a heartfelt obituary.
How to Begin Writing an Obituary for Your Husband
Q: How do you communicate your husband’s death to family and friends?
A: The first purpose of an obituary is to notify family and friends of your husband’s passing and give them time to prepare for funeral services or memorial gatherings.
Before publishing, let close family and friends know personally so they aren’t learning the news unexpectedly.
Before you begin writing, gather as much information as possible. Family members and close friends can help confirm dates, names, and other details to ensure accuracy in the initial announcement.
Important details often included in this first section are:
Your husband's full name.
Age at the time of passing.
Date of birth and birthplace.
Optional additions such as the cause or time of death.
Trustworthy provides a secure, organized place to store these essential details and documents, making them easy for family members and trusted advisors to access when needed.
Structuring the Obituary
Q: What should the opening statement of your husband's obituary include?
A: It introduces your husband and leads into the recap of his life that will inspire and touch those who read. However, we’re not all literary geniuses, and creating an artful masterpiece of writing is no easy task.
Writing the opening statement after you finish can help you create a fitting intro that sets up the later parts. This is why some people hold off on writing it until the body of the obituary is complete.
Q: How do you decide what details to include in the obituary?
A: Before writing the main body, it helps to think through a few key decisions: what you want to include, the overall theme, and where the obituary will be published.
Publication choices matter. Newspaper obituaries often have word limits and costs, while online or private postings offer more flexibility. Your choice of platform can influence both the length and tone of the obituary.
The theme and audience also help determine whether the obituary will be shared publicly or only with close family and friends.
Highlighting Your Husband's Life and Legacy
Q: What life events should you focus on?
A: An obituary is best thought of as a highlight reel rather than a full biography. Unlike a eulogy, which may tell a longer story, an obituary focuses on meaningful milestones and defining moments.
Choose the events, accomplishments, or experiences that best reflect who your husband was and what mattered most to him. There are no strict rules — the moments you include are a personal choice.
As Samuel Stewart from Honor You notes: “We start any story with a beginning, and the beginning of the story is where and when they were born. This is where you list their parents and also their siblings.”
Q: How do you include family, hobbies, and character traits?
A: Including details about family relationships, hobbies, and personality helps readers understand your husband as a person, not just a list of dates and facts.
You might share stories about what he loved, how he spent his time, or qualities that defined him. There are no requirements about what must or must not be included — these choices are entirely yours and your family’s.
Q: How can you express how your husband will be remembered?
A: Many obituaries include a section describing how you, your family, and the broader community will remember your husband. This may include personal reflections, shared values, or the ways his presence will continue to be felt.
You can also acknowledge communities, organizations, or groups he was part of, especially if they played an important role in his life.
Trustworthy can help families collaborate on obituary details and manage shared responsibilities by providing secure, controlled access to important information and documents during the grieving process.
Sharing Service and Memorial Information
Q: What funeral or service details should be included?
A: The final section of an obituary typically includes information about funeral or memorial services, such as the date, time, and location, along with any special requests or instructions for attendees.
If you’re planning a private ceremony, it’s perfectly acceptable to mention that services will be held privately or to omit details altogether. Even a brief acknowledgment can communicate how you plan to honor your husband’s memory.
5 Obituary Examples for Your Husband
Writing an obituary for your husband will be difficult no matter how much preparation or time you have. Every person is different, and no two obituaries are the same. You will have to draw from your experience with your husband, but to help you get started, here are a few different obituary examples.
Classic Obituary
This obituary follows a very traditional structure, introducing the deceased and his roles in his family’s lives. Next are some highlights and fond memories that family or friends might know and be able to relish. Following that is how the family will remember the deceased and, finally, the funeral information.
“Thomas Quiero was a loving husband, father, brother, son and friend. With no prior warning, Thomas passed away on July 15, 2023, in his residence in Dallas.
"Throughout his lifetime as a Cowboys fan, Thomas had some of his best memories at all the home games he could attend at the AT&T Stadium. His smile and cheer at every touchdown brought life to any game, and he was more passionate than anybody.
"Nobody could ever dislike Thomas. He was there when we needed him most. We will always carry him in our hearts and continue his helping, caring spirit. His children, Tommy and Drew, will always look up to their father as their hero.
"Thomas’ funeral will be held on October 10, 2023, at the church he attended his whole life. We hope to see all the friends and family who can attend to help us remember Thomas and the great man he was.”
With more straightforward obituaries, you can keep people’s attention and relay all the necessary information in fewer words. People will be more likely to read the entire obituary, and you won’t have to spend as much to publish. There are also several templates and examples of more traditional obituaries online to draw from.
Heartfelt Obituary
This obituary follows an almost identical structure to the classic obituary. However, instead of focusing on the deceased’s personal hobbies, the highlights and memories relate more to heartfelt, touching traits of his personality.
“Nobody can ever deny that Thomas Quiero was a saint. He was a father, brother, husband, and son who truly embodied what it meant to care for others and be there when it really mattered. Our hero sadly fought his last battle on July 15, 2023, in his beloved hometown of Dallas.
"Family and friends, his children Tommy and Drew, all looked up to him while he lifted the world's weight off their shoulders. Nobody was there more than Thomas if anybody had a problem or something they were struggling with.
"His family was the only thing Thomas loved more than football and the Cowboys. Oftentimes, even more than himself, Thomas never put anything above family. Nobody can fill Thomas' shoes, but we know he will always be with us, watching over us.
"We will remember Thomas with love and fondness at his funeral on October 10, 2023, held at the church he attended his whole life. We hope to see all the friends and family who can attend to help us remember Thomas and the phenomenal man he was.”
A heartfelt obituary will allow family and readers to connect to your husband’s memory emotionally and allow you to capture the person he was through deep expression.
Hopeful Obituary
The next example also follows a structure similar to the classic obituary with a few key differences. First, it introduces the deceased and how he impacted the lives of those close to them.
“To remember the man that Thomas Quiero was is to remember the hope and positivity he had in any situation. We lost a father, a son, a brother, and a husband on July 15 of this year, but we will never lose the hope he instilled in all of us.
"Thomas never gave up in any situation, and no matter what, he looked out for his family and those closest to him when they needed him. He tried to see the light in any situation even when they couldn’t.
"Even when it came to his own life, after the Cowboys had the worst regular season performance in years, he never gave up. Sure enough, they went on to win the Super Bowl. Tommy and Drew, his children, will surely learn from their father’s example and never give up in the face of adversity.
"We ask that you join us in remembering Thomas on October 10, 2023, at his local church. We will grieve and miss but never lose hope and take solace in knowing Thomas is always here with us, picking us up and reminding us never to give up.”
The key difference in this example is how the highlights of your husband's life resemble a beacon of hope rather than a memory. Family can look at your obituary and be inspired by your husband’s story and the person he is.
Comical Obituary
Although obituaries only come after tremendous loss, for some families, the fitting obituary for their loved ones is not as serious. A comical obituary can feature jokes, funny memories, and your husband’s life highlights. That way, you and your family can remember your husband in the way you deem best.
“The Thomas Quiero we all knew had bad jokes and even worse taste in music, but the only thing that could top those was how bad he was at letting those close to him down. Our loud, sometimes obnoxious Thomas was a handful, but as a father, a son, a husband, and a brother, he never ceased to make this earth a better place.
"We all remember how serious he got when the Cowboys were on their fourth down in front of the end zone. But that was the only time. His lighthearted and kind nature radiated and filled our lives with fun that could only come from him.
"I know our boys, Tommy and Drew, always considered him as the cool parent, and I’m OK with it. After all, if it weren’t for me, they would be stuck eating the only dish he knows how to cook for the rest of their lives: instant ramen.
"I want to invite you all to join us in remembering Thomas and the fun-loving person he was on October 10, 2023, at his local church. Family and friends know he would never want a serious funeral, so please bring all the smiles you can to help us send Thomas off in the only way he would approve of.”
This obituary's structure does not feature some of the concrete details, such as the date or place of death. If your goal is to make your family, friends, and loved ones smile while reading, you can utilize a more lighthearted, comical obituary.
Minimalist/Factual Obituary
A minimalist obituary seeks only to relay information about the deceased and funeral information. This structure removes some of the more personal details or memories and focuses on time, date, cause, and place of passing, as well as facts about the deceased and his surviving family.
“Thomas Quiero passed away on July 15, 2023, in Dallas. He was a husband and a father to two sons, Tommy and Drew. He unfortunately passed away in a traffic accident where an out-of-control vehicle ran into him on his way to work.
"Thomas was 54 years old and lived a successful life as a banker and long-time Dallas Cowboys fan. Some of his hobbies included football, hiking, and fishing. He always cherished his little brother Samuel, and they frequently spent their days enjoying the outdoors together.
"Thomas is survived by his two sons, brother, wife and close friends. Thomas always said the happiest moments of his life were when his family was all gathered together. We will carry on his will and continue to stay strong and united as a family.
"Thomas’ funeral will be held at his local church on October 10, 2023. We welcome all willing to pay their respects and help us remember Thomas.”
You can write a more factual obituary if you do not wish to use the obituary as the primary way to remember your husband. For example, if you want to save personal stories and memories for a eulogy or simply use the obituary to notify family and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I write a good obituary for my husband?
A: There is no correct answer for what makes an obituary good. However, you can try to include information about any funeral services you have planned, your husband’s passing, and any surviving family.
Q: How do you write a meaningful obituary?
A: To write a meaningful obituary, always remember your loved one who has passed. Remember the person they were and recall your most cherished memories with them. You can use the obituary to capture them as a person and tell their story to make it as meaningful as possible.
Q: How do you write an uplifting obituary?
A: To write an uplifting obituary, focus on the positive energy and love your loved one left behind. Although their loss is devastating, an uplifting obituary will always focus on staying hopeful and remembering the deceased in an inspirational light.
Q: What is a beautiful grieving quote?
A: An example of a famous grieving quote is an old Chinese proverb: "You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair."
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