Sending out the funeral details after a loss can seem like the easy part. Bit it isn’t.
A funeral announcement isn’t quite the same as telling people someone has died, and it isn’t the same as a formal invitation either. It’s the message that tells people where to be, when to be there and what the family would like them to know before they arrive.
And it has to be clear enough that nobody gets lost while still sounding like it came from people who loved the person.
So below you’ll find funeral announcement wording for every situation: traditional services, private and family only funerals, livestreams, graveside services, workplace notices, newspaper notices, text messages and what to say when the plans change. Copy them or make them your own.
What Is a Funeral Announcement?
A funeral announcement shares the details of a funeral or memorial service with the people who might want to attend or pay their respects. It usually includes the name of the person who died, the type of service, the date, the time and the location, plus any extra information like visitation hours, a reception or the family’s wishes about flowers.
It often gets mixed up with two other pieces of writing:
- A death announcement lets people know that someone has died. It may or may not include service details. If that’s what you need try our death announcement examples.
- A funeral invitation is a more personal request for someone to attend, often sent to a specific person or a small group. You’ll find lots of those in our funeral invitation wording examples.
- A funeral announcement is in between. Its main job is getting the practical details out to everyone who needs them.
In real life these overlap a lot and lots of families send one message that does all three. The examples below are more on the practical side because that’s usually where people get stuck.
What to Include in a Funeral Announcement
You don’t need every item on this list. Pick what applies to your service and leave the rest out. A shorter, clearer announcement is always better than a long one.
- The full name of the person who died. Include a nickname if that’s what most people knew them by such as Robert “Bobby” Hall.
- The type of service. Funeral, memorial service, graveside service, celebration of life or visitation.
- The day, date and time. Writing the day of the week as well as the date cuts down on confusion more than you’d think.
- The full name and address of the venue. People will copy and paste it into their maps app so give them all of it.
- Visitation or viewing details if there are any.
- Burial or committal details if the burial is open to everyone.
- Reception or gathering details afterward.
- A livestream link or a note saying one will be shared.
- The family’s wishes about flowers, donations or dress.
- A contact name for questions so the grieving spouse or parent isn’t dealing with lots of phone calls.
A Simple Funeral Announcement Template
If you just want something to fill in then the structure here works for almost any service. Change the brackets for your own details and get rid of any line you don’t need.
It is with great sadness that we share the funeral arrangements for [Full Name].
A [funeral / memorial service / celebration of life] will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue Name], [Full Address].
[Visitation will take place from (time) to (time) before the service.]
[A reception will follow at (location). All are welcome.]
[In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to (charity).]
For any questions, please contact [Name] at [phone or email].
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Funeral Announcement Wording Examples
These samples are grouped by the type of service and the situation, so you can find whichever one fits your situation. All of them can be shortened for a text or made longer for a printed card.
Traditional Funeral Announcements
These are good for a printed notice, a funeral program insert or an email to a wide circle of family and friends. They’re formal without feeling cold.
With heavy hearts, we announce the funeral of [Full Name], who passed away peacefully on [Date] at the age of [Age].
The funeral service will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [Address]. Burial will follow at [Cemetery].
Family and friends are invited to a visitation on [Day] from [Time] to [Time] at [Funeral Home].
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The family of [Full Name] invites you to join them as they say goodbye.
Funeral Service
[Day], [Date] at [Time]
[Venue Name]
[Full Address]
A gathering will follow at the family home. Please come share a story and a cup of coffee.
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It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved [mother / father / husband / wife], [Full Name].
Services will be held at [Time] on [Day], [Date] at [Venue], with visitation one hour prior. Interment will take place immediately afterward at [Cemetery].
Thank you for the love and support you have shown our family.
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[Full Name]
[Year of Birth] to [Year of Death]
Funeral services for [First Name] will take place on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [City]. Pallbearers will be [names, optional]. Arrangements are being handled by [Funeral Home].
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Short and Simple Funeral Announcements
Sometimes you just need the facts in as few words as possible. These work well when you’re writing on a sign, a small card, the bottom of a longer message etc.
The funeral for [Full Name] will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. All are welcome.
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Please join us in remembering [Full Name]. [Day], [Date], [Time], [Venue].
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Service for [Full Name]: [Day], [Date] at [Time], [Venue], [Address]. Reception to follow.
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We will say goodbye to [First Name] on [Day] at [Time] at [Venue]. We’d love for you to be there.
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Memorial Service Announcements
A memorial service usually happens without the body present, sometimes weeks or even months after the death. That delay is worth mentioning so nobody wonders whether they missed the funeral.
A memorial service to honor the life of [Full Name] will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [Address].
[First Name] was cremated privately, and the family wanted to give everyone time to travel and gather together. We hope you can join us.
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Please join us for a memorial service for [Full Name] on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue].
There will be time during the service for anyone who would like to share a memory. Light refreshments will be served afterward.
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We will be holding a memorial service for [Full Name] this spring so that family from out of state can be with us. It will take place on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. More details will follow closer to the date.
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If the gathering is meant to be more upbeat than somber our celebration of life invitation wording might suit you better.
Graveside Service Announcements
Graveside services are often shorter and held entirely outdoors so it helps to mention things like parking, the weather and where exactly people should go once they arrive at the cemetery.
A graveside service for [Full Name] will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Cemetery Name], [Address].
Please gather at [section or landmark, such as “the chapel near the main entrance”] a few minutes before the service begins.
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We will lay [First Name] to rest on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Cemetery]. The service will be brief and held outdoors, so please dress for the weather. Chairs will be available for older guests.
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Graveside services for [Full Name] will take place at [Time] on [Day] at [Cemetery], followed by a luncheon at [Location]. All who knew and loved [First Name] are welcome to attend both.
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Private or Family Only Funeral Announcements
You want people to know what’s happening but you don’t want them turning up. The trick with this is to be clear and kind at the same time and, if you can, give people another way to show their support so they don’t feel like they’re being shut out.
[Full Name] passed away on [Date]. In keeping with [his / her / their] wishes, a private funeral will be held for immediate family only.
We are so grateful for your love and understanding. Cards may be sent to [Address].
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The family of [Full Name] will be holding a small, private service. We know many of you would have liked to be there, and we hope to gather with friends at a memorial later this year. Details will be shared when plans are made.
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Funeral services for [Full Name] will be private. Those wishing to honor [First Name]’s memory are invited to make a donation to [Charity] or simply to raise a glass to [him / her / them] wherever you are on [Day] at [Time].
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We have decided to keep [First Name]’s funeral to close family. It isn’t that we don’t want you there. It’s that we need a quiet day to say goodbye. Thank you for respecting that, and for all the kind messages you’ve already sent.
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Funeral Announcements With a Livestream
Livestreamed services are now a normal part of funerals especially for families that are spread out across different states or countries. Give the time zone and say clearly whether the link is public or will be sent on request.
The funeral of [Full Name] will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] [Time Zone] at [Venue].
For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed at [Link]. The recording will remain available for [number] days afterward.
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We know many of [First Name]’s friends live far away. The service on [Day] at [Time] [Time Zone] will be streamed online. If you’d like the link, please message [Name] at [phone or email] and we will send it the day before.
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Join us in person or online as we celebrate [Full Name].
In person: [Venue], [Address], [Day], [Date] at [Time]
Online: [Link] (the stream will start about ten minutes early)
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Funeral Announcements by Text Message
A text is often the quickest way to reach family and close friends. Keep it short, put the key details on their own lines and don’t send the full announcement as one long block. People are reading this on a phone, sometimes in shock.
Hi, it’s [Your Name]. The funeral for [First Name] will be this [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [Address]. We’d love for you to be there.
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Funeral details for Mom:
[Day], [Date]
Visitation [Time], service [Time]
[Venue], [Address]
Lunch afterward at [Location]. Love you all.
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Hi [Name], I wanted to let you know personally that [First Name]’s service is on [Day] at [Time] at [Venue]. No pressure if you can’t make it. I just didn’t want you to hear about it secondhand.
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Update from the family: [First Name]’s funeral is confirmed for [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. Please share with anyone we may have missed.
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Quick reminder that [First Name]’s service is tomorrow at [Time] at [Venue]. Parking is behind the building. See you there.
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A reminder text the night before saves a people asking “what time was it again?” on the morning of the funeral which is when you won’t want to be answering them.
Funeral Announcements for Social Media
On Facebook or a community group you’re usually reaching people who knew the person less well so it’s worth adding a line or two about who they were. If you’d like more help with the post itself we have a guide on how to announce a death on Facebook.
Many of you have asked about arrangements for [Full Name]. The funeral will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [Address]. Everyone who knew [First Name] is welcome. Thank you for all the messages and memories you’ve shared here.
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Service details for our [dad / mom / sister / friend], [Full Name]:
[Day], [Date] at [Time]
[Venue], [City]
[First Name] never met a stranger, so please come and bring your stories. We’ll be reading them out at the reception.
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We will celebrate [Full Name]’s life on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. The service will also be streamed live on this page for those who can’t travel.
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Our family is grateful for the outpouring of love since [First Name] passed. A public memorial will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to [Charity].
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Funeral Announcements by Email
Email works well when you need to reach a long list of people at once like a church group, a club or an extended family. Use a clear subject line like “Funeral arrangements for [Full Name]” so it doesn’t get missed. There are more samples in our death announcement email examples if you need to share the news of the death as well.
Subject: Funeral arrangements for [Full Name]
Dear friends,
I’m writing to share the details for [First Name]’s funeral.
Date: [Day], [Date]
Time: [Time] (visitation from [Time])
Location: [Venue], [Address]
Reception: [Location], immediately after the service
The family has asked that, in place of flowers, donations be made to [Charity]. If you have any questions, please reply to this email or call me at [phone].
With thanks,
[Your Name]
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Subject: Service for [Full Name] on [Date]
Dear members of [Group Name],
It is with sadness that we let you know our longtime member [Full Name] passed away on [Date]. [His / Her / Their] funeral will take place on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. Members are warmly welcome to attend.
[Name], on behalf of [Group Name]
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Subject: [First Name]’s memorial and livestream link
Hi everyone,
Here are the details for [First Name]’s memorial on [Day], [Date] at [Time] [Time Zone] at [Venue]. If you can’t be there in person, you can watch at [Link].
Thank you for being part of [his / her / their] life.
[Your Name]
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Workplace Funeral Announcements
When a colleague or a colleague’s family member dies a manager or HR contact usually shares the service details. Stick with the facts, check with the family first that the details can be shared and make it clear that attending is a personal choice. If you’re writing to the grieving coworker directly these condolence messages for colleagues may help.
Dear team,
It is with great sadness that we share the news that our colleague [Full Name] passed away on [Date]. The family has shared that the funeral will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], [Address].
Anyone who wishes to attend is welcome to take the time. Please speak to your manager to arrange coverage. A card will be passed around the office this week for anyone who’d like to sign it.
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Hi all,
[Coworker’s Name]’s [father / mother / spouse], [Full Name], passed away last week. The funeral is on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. [Coworker’s First Name] has said that colleagues are welcome.
[He / She / They] will be away until [Date]. Please keep messages kind and give [him / her / them] space when [he / she / they] return.
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Dear colleagues,
The family of [Full Name] has asked that the funeral be private. They have kindly shared that a memorial gathering will be held on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue], and that all of [First Name]’s friends from work are welcome there.
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Newspaper Funeral Notices
A newspaper funeral notice is usually paid for by the word or line so these are written to be short and concise. Most funeral homes will place the notice for you if you give them the wording. If you’re also writing a full life story, start with these obituary templates.
[LAST NAME], [First Name] [Middle Initial]., [Age], of [City], passed away [Date]. Visitation [Day] [Time] to [Time] at [Funeral Home], [Address]. Funeral service [Day] [Time] at [Venue]. Burial at [Cemetery]. In lieu of flowers, memorials to [Charity].
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[Full Name], beloved [wife / husband] of [Spouse’s Name] and [mother / father] of [Children’s Names], died [Date]. Services will be held at [Time] on [Day], [Date] at [Venue]. Arrangements by [Funeral Home].
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[Full Name], [Age], of [City]. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of [Funeral Home], where online condolences may be left at [Website].
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When Funeral Plans Change
This is the announcement nobody plans to write. Weather, illness, a delayed death certificate or a venue mix up can all shift the date. When it happens make it clear the plans have changed, give the new details in full and, if you can, apologize once and leave it there. Don’t make people compare two messages to work out what’s different.
Please note an update to [First Name]’s funeral arrangements. The service has moved to [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Venue]. Everything else remains the same. We’re sorry for any confusion.
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Due to [weather / unforeseen circumstances], the funeral for [Full Name] scheduled for [Original Date] has been postponed. We will share the new date as soon as it is confirmed. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Updated details for [First Name]’s service:
NEW TIME: [Time] (not [Old Time])
Day and venue are unchanged: [Day], [Date] at [Venue]
Please pass this on to anyone who may have seen the earlier message.
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Because of [reason], [First Name]’s funeral will now be a graveside service only on [Day], [Date] at [Time] at [Cemetery]. The reception at [Location] has been canceled. We hope to hold a larger gathering in the coming months.
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Putting the new detail in capitals or on its own line, like in the third example, is one of the few times shouting in a message is a good idea.
When There Will Be No Service
Some people ask for no funeral at all and some families aren’t ready to plan one yet. Either way people still want to know, if only so they can stop wondering.
In keeping with [First Name]’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. [He / She / They] asked that we remember [him / her / them] in our own way, and we hope you will do the same.
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[Full Name] has been cremated privately. There are no services planned at this time. If the family decides to hold a memorial in the future, we will let everyone know.
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We won’t be holding a formal funeral for [First Name]. Instead, we’ll be at [Place] on [Day] from [Time] to [Time]. Drop by if you’d like to share a memory with us. No need to RSVP.
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Extra Lines You Can Add to Any Funeral Announcement
These short lines cover the questions people ask most often. Add whichever ones apply to the end of your announcement.
Flowers and Donations
- In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to [Charity].
- Flowers may be sent to [Funeral Home] by [Time] on [Day].
- The family kindly requests no flowers.
- Memorial contributions may be made to [Charity] in [First Name]’s name.
There’s more on how to phrase this politely in our guide to in lieu of flowers etiquette.
What to Wear
- [First Name] loved color, so please feel free to wear something bright.
- Casual dress is welcome. [He / She / They] never owned a tie and wouldn’t want you to wear one either.
- Please wear [team colors / a favorite color] in honor of [First Name].
- The service will be outdoors, so please wear comfortable shoes.
If nothing is mentioned most guests will go with dark and simple clothing. Here’s a guide on what to wear to a funeral.
Receptions and Gatherings
- All are welcome to join the family for lunch afterward at [Location].
- A reception will follow in the church hall.
- Family and close friends are invited back to the house after the burial.
- Please join us afterward at [Restaurant or Bar], [First Name]’s favorite spot, to share a drink and a story.
RSVPs and Questions
- To help us plan for the reception, please let [Name] know if you’ll be attending by [Date].
- For directions or questions, please contact [Name] at [phone or email].
- Please direct any questions to [Funeral Home] at [phone] so the family can rest.
- No RSVP needed. Just come as you are.
That third line will be a big help to immediate family. Letting the funeral home or a nominated friend take the calls means the people closest to the loss aren’t repeating the same information all week.
Tips for Writing a Funeral Announcement
- Get the details confirmed before you send anything. Check the date, time and address with the funeral home or venue first then announce. One correct message is much preferable than three corrections.
- Put the logistics on their own lines. People skim. If the date and time are hidden in the middle of a paragraph someone will miss them.
- Write the day and the date. “Saturday, March 14” is much harder to get wrong than “the 14th.”
- Use the full address. Including the zip code means maps apps find it the first time. If the venue is tricky to find add a quick note about parking or which entrance to use.
- Say who’s welcome. If you want everyone to come say “all are welcome.” If it’s family only, say so plainly. Vague wording leaves people unsure and a little anxious.
- Choose one person to handle questions. Name them in the announcement.
- Send a reminder the day before. Especially by text. It’s helpful.
- Keep the tone matched to the person. If they were formal and private, a formal announcement fits. If they’d have laughed at anything too stiff, it’s okay to let a little warmth or humor in.
- Ask for help. Writing and sending these while grieving is hard. A friend or relative can draft, send and deal with replies for you.
Funeral Announcement FAQs
How soon should you announce a funeral?
As soon as the date, time and location are confirmed. For most funerals that’s within a few days of the death, and often about a week before the service. If the service is further out, such as a memorial a month or two later, send a “save the date” style announcement early and follow up with the full details closer to the time.
What is the difference between a funeral announcement and an obituary?
A funeral announcement is short and practical. It tells people the service details. An obituary is a longer tribute that tells the story of the person’s life, names their family and often includes the service details at the end. Many families publish both, or combine them into one.
Who usually writes the funeral announcement?
Usually a close family member, the executor or a friend who has offered to help. Funeral homes will often write or tidy up the wording for newspaper notices and their own websites if you give them the details.
Is it okay to announce a funeral by text?
Yes. Text is now one of the most common ways families share service details, especially with close friends and relatives. For people you’re less close to, or older relatives who might not check their messages, a phone call or email may be kinder.
How do you announce a private funeral without upsetting people?
Be clear that the service is for immediate family, thank people for their understanding and, if you can, give them another way to take part. That could be sending a card, making a donation, watching a livestream or coming to a memorial at a later date. Most people are relieved to know what’s expected of them. And if someone can’t come for other reasons, they may find these ideas for what to say when you can’t attend a funeral helpful.
Should you include the cause of death in a funeral announcement?
No, it isn’t needed and most families leave it out. If you’d like to mention it, for example to encourage donations to a related charity, that’s entirely your choice.
Once the service is over, you may want to thank the people who came, sent flowers or helped out. When you’re ready, these funeral thank you notes can make that part a little easier.
I hope these funeral announcement examples take some of the pressure off. You don’t have to get the wording perfect. You just have to get the details right and let people know they’re welcome to come and remember someone they loved too.
