My neighbor lost her daughter a few years ago and at the time she showed me a notepad full of crossed out lines as she was struggling to write the obituary. She’d been trying for days and not making any progress.
Not because she didn’t have anything to say but because she had years of things to say and no idea how to fit it all into a few short paragraphs.
That’s the impossible bit about an obituary. You to sum up a life and when that life belongs to your daughter it feels almost cruel to try.
So if you’re struggling then below you’ll find obituary examples for a daughter of all ages – short ones, longer ones, an example for an adult daughter, an only daughter, a daughter who was also a mom. I’ve included tips on how to write your one too including some opening lines you can borrow and words to use when you can’t think of anything.
What to Include in a Daughter’s Obituary
There’s no set things you have to include. But most obituaries have a few of the same details and having them written down before you start makes the writing part easier.
- Her full name, including a maiden name or nickname if it fits – lots of families add the name only she was called at home
- Her age and her date of birth and date of passing
- Where she was born and where she lived
- A line or two about how she died, only if you want to share it – don’t feel like you’re obliged to
- The people she leaves behind – parents, siblings, a partner or spouse, her own children, grandparents, close friends
- Anyone who went before her, if you’d like to mention them
- Her school, work, passions, faith, the things that made her her
- Funeral or memorial details – date, time, place
- Any charity or cause the family would like donations sent to in place of flowers
You won’t use every one of these . A baby’s obituary and the obituary of a woman who lived to eighty will be very different.
One thing worth saying early – a daughter can be any age. If your daughter was a baby or a young child you may find our dedicated guides to obituary examples for a baby and obituary examples for a child are more fitting to your situation. The examples on this page are for daughters of all ages, from little girls to grown women.
How to Start a Daughter’s Obituary
The opening line is the one people get stuck on. It sets the tone for everything after it.
It doesn’t need to be something clever though. The most moving obituaries usually start without anything special and let the love do the work.
A few ways families begin:
- [Full name], age [age], of [place], passed away on [date]. – simple and traditional
- With hearts heavier than words can hold, we say goodbye to our beloved daughter, [name]. – warmer and more personal
- [Name] left us far too soon on [date], and the world is quieter for it. – for a sudden or early loss
- Our darling girl, [name], slipped away peacefully on [date], surrounded by the family who adored her. – gentle and tender
Whichever you choose, write it and move on. You can always come back and change the first line last, once the rest is on the page. Sometimes the right opening only shows up after you’ve written everything else.
Short Obituary Examples for a Daughter
A short obituary is perfect for a newspaper notice, a funeral program an online announcement where space is tight etc. These are simple and heartfelt. Put in your own details wherever you see brackets.
[Full name], age [age], of [town], passed away on [date]. A cherished daughter, sister and friend, [first name] had a laugh you could hear across a room and a heart that made space for everyone. She is survived by her parents [names], her brother [name] and countless friends who will carry her with them always. A celebration of her life will be held on [date] at [place].
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It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of [full name], beloved daughter of [parents’ names], on [date] at the age of [age]. [First name] loved fiercely, lived brightly and left far too soon. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Details of her service to follow.
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[Full name], [age], of [place], went to rest on [date]. Our girl was kind, funny and stubborn in all the best ways. She leaves behind a family who loved her beyond measure and a hole nothing will ever quite fill. Funeral arrangements will be shared by the family.
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[First name] [last name], aged [age], passed away peacefully on [date] with her mom and dad by her side. A daughter, a sister and a friend to so many, she brought light wherever she went. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to [charity].
A Full Obituary Example for a Daughter
When you have room for more – a funeral program, a memorial page, a longer newspaper notice – a fuller obituary lets you tell her whole story.
[Full name], age [age], of [town, state], passed away on [date] after [brief cause, if you wish to share]. She was born on [date of birth] in [place] to [parents’ names], the [first, second, only] of their children and the light of their lives from her very first breath.
From the start [first name] was [a word or two – curious, headstrong, gentle]. She [a childhood detail – loved the water before she could walk, never met an animal she didn’t try to bring home]. She attended [school] and went on to [college, career, calling], where she [an achievement or passion].
But numbers and dates never really capture a person, and they don’t capture [first name]. Ask anyone who knew her and they’ll tell you about [her laugh, her cooking, the way she remembered everyone’s birthday, how she’d drop everything to help a friend]. She loved [interests – hiking, painting, terrible reality TV, her nieces and nephews] and she loved the people in her life loudly and without reservation.
[First name] is survived by her parents [names], her [siblings and their names], [her partner or spouse], [her children], and a wide circle of friends who were lucky to call her theirs. She was preceded in death by [names, if applicable].
A service to celebrate her life will be held on [date] at [time] at [place]. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to [charity] in her memory.
We were so blessed to have you, [first name]. Rest easy, sweet girl.
Obituary Example for an Adult Daughter
[Full name], [age], of [place], passed away on [date]. Born [date of birth] to [parents’ names], [first name] grew into a woman who was equal parts strength and softness.
She built a career as a [profession] and was known by colleagues for her [quality]. But those who loved her best knew her as a devoted [wife, partner, mother, sister, friend]. She married [spouse] in [year] and together they raised [children’s names], the great joy of her life.
[First name] had a gift for making ordinary days feel like something. A Sunday dinner, a phone call that ran two hours long, a text just to say she was thinking of you. She never let the people she loved wonder where they stood.
She is survived by her husband [name], her children [names], her parents [names], her siblings [names] and so many friends who became family. A funeral service will be held on [date] at [place].
To know [first name] was to be loved by her. We will miss her every single day.
Obituary Example for an Only Daughter
[Full name], our only daughter and the heart of our family, passed away on [date] at the age of [age]. From the day she was born [first name] was our whole world, and she spent her life making it a brighter place.
She was [a description – fiercely independent, impossibly kind, the peacemaker and the ringleader all at once]. As our only girl she was doted on by her [brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles] and she returned that love tenfold.
[First name] loved [interests] and dreamed of [a hope or ambition]. She leaves an emptiness that only an only child can leave – complete and echoing – but also a lifetime of memories we will hold close forever.
She is survived by her parents [names] and [any other family]. A celebration of her life will take place on [date] at [place].
There was only ever one of you, [first name]. There will only ever be one of you.
Obituary Example for a Daughter Who Was Also a Mother
[Full name], [age], beloved daughter, wife and mother, passed away on [date] in [place]. Born [date of birth] to [parents’ names], [first name] carried her mother’s warmth and her father’s laugh, and she passed both on to her own children.
She married [spouse] and became mom to [children’s names], a role she wore more proudly than any other. She was the kind of mother who showed up – to every game, every recital, every scraped knee and broken heart. Her children were her greatest achievement and she told them so, often.
Beyond motherhood [first name] was [interests, work, faith]. She [a detail that shows her personality]. She loved deeply and was loved deeply in return.
[First name] is survived by her husband [name], her children [names], her parents [names] and her siblings [names]. A service will be held on [date] at [place]. Her family asks that you hug your own a little tighter in her memory.
Rest now, [first name]. We’ll look after your babies.
Obituary Example for a Daughter Lost Suddenly
[Full name], age [age], of [place], was taken from us far too soon on [date]. Though our hearts are shattered by the suddenness of her loss, we choose to remember the life she lived rather than the way it ended.
[First name] was [a bright, alive description]. In her [number] years she packed in more laughter, love and living than most manage in a lifetime. She [passions, achievements, small daily joys].
We are heartbroken. We are angry at how little time we got. But we are also so grateful she was ours at all.
She leaves behind [family and friends]. A service to remember her will be held on [date] at [place]. Please come and help us celebrate a life that mattered so very much.
Opening Lines You Can Use
Sometimes all you need is that first sentence to help get you started. These opening lines are written especially for a daughter’s obituary.
- It is with broken hearts that we share the passing of our beloved daughter, [name].
- [Name], our beautiful girl, left this world on [date] and took a piece of our hearts with her.
- The world lost a little of its light on [date] when our daughter [name] passed away.
- We are devastated to announce that our darling [name] has gone too soon.
- [Name], cherished daughter and sister, passed peacefully on [date] surrounded by love.
- Our hearts are heavy as we say goodbye to [name], the daughter who gave us so much joy.
- With love that will never fade, we announce the passing of our daughter [name].
- [Name] lived [number] beautiful years and every one of them was a gift to us.
Words to Describe a Daughter
When you’re grieving the words just won’t come. It helps to have a list to you can go to for help. These are some to describe the daughter you’re honouring.
- Her spirit: bright, spirited, gentle, fierce, funny, tender-hearted, brave, free, full of life
- Her heart: loving, generous, loyal, compassionate, warm, selfless, devoted, kind to her core
- Her presence: radiant, magnetic, unforgettable, a force of nature, the life of every room, quietly steady
- Her role: beloved, treasured, cherished, adored, precious, our whole world, the heart of the family
- Her mark: a light, a gift, one of a kind, irreplaceable, deeply loved, sorely missed, never forgotten
You can string a few of these together for a beautiful line – our bright, tender-hearted girl or a fierce and loving daughter, one of a kind.
Tips for Writing Your Daughter’s Obituary
A few things that can help families through this:
- Write badly first. Get every messy thought onto the page and tidy it up later. A rough draft is not the obituary you’re going to use. It’s just the start of one.
- You don’t owe anyone the cause of death. You definitely don’t have to share it. “Passed away peacefully” or simply “passed away” is enough.
- Read it aloud. An obituary is meant to be read at a service and heard by people who loved her. If it sounds like her when you say it out loud, you’ve got it right.
- Let others in. Ask her siblings, her friends, her partner etc. for a memory or something they’d like to include. You’ll be amazed what they know that you didn’t.
- Double check the facts. Names, dates, the spelling of a grandchild’s name and so on. When you’re grieving these can easily be got wrong and they matter to the people reading.
- Keep a copy for yourself. Years from now you’ll be grateful to have these words.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a daughter’s obituary be?
There’s no set length. A short newspaper notice might be 50 to 100 words while a full obituary for a memorial program is often 300 to 500. Write what feels right – a long life may need more room and there’s no rule that says a short one has to be short on love.
Do I have to say how she died?
No. You are under no obligation to share the cause of death. “Passed away” or “passed away peacefully on [date]” is very common and acceptable. Share only what you’re comfortable making public.
Can I write the obituary myself or should the funeral home do it?
Either works. Funeral homes will draft one for you and many families prefer that when they’re struggling with grief. But no one knew her like you did and an obituary written by family is usually more warm and real than a template. Even if you do get someone else to do it for you getting down your own memories first gives them something they can work from.
What if I can’t find the words at all?
Then borrow them. That’s exactly what the examples on this page are for. Take parts that fit, change the name and let it help until your own words come back. There is no shame in getting a little help when you’re writing the hardest thing you’ll ever write.
Final Thoughts
My friend did finish her daughters obituary in the end. It wasn’t long and it wasn’t fancy. But when she read it back she cried, but she also smiled, because it sounded exactly like her daughter.
That’s all an obituary needs to do.
Whatever you write for your daughter if it comes from love it will be right. Take your time.
If you need more help putting your feelings into words you might find comfort in our loss of daughter quotes. For the more practical side of things our collection of obituary templates will help.
