Not every death has a funeral. More and more families are choosing to skip a formal service.
But that leaves a question when it comes to the obituary – how do you tell people someone has died without the usual “services will be held at..” line?
It can feel strange writing it. A lot of people worry it will look like the family didn’t care or that friends will be upset there’s nowhere to go and say goodbye.
If you word it well that won’t be an issue. Something that is clear and kind is all it takes to let people know there won’t be a service and what (if anything) they can do instead.
So below you’ll find the wording you need for every situation. There are examples fo when there’s no service at all, a private one for close family or a celebration of life planned for later and you can use as they are or adjust them to fit your circumstances.
Why Some Families Choose No Service
Very often it’s down to what the person who died wanted. Some people are very clear that they don’t want any fuss.
Other times it’s because of the cost, maybe family living far apart or the person having outlived most of their friends. Sometimes the family just need to grieve privately.
Whatever the reason is you don’t have to explain it in the obituary. You can give one if you’d like to, and the examples below include some that do, but it’s completely fine to just say there will be no service and leave it at that.
How to Word an Obituary With No Service
The obituary itself is written just like any other. You still include the usual details about the person’s life and family (our obituary templates walk through these if you need a starting point). The difference is the part at the end where service details would normally go.
That’s where you let people know there won’t be one. You can word it something like:
- At her request, no services will be held
- In keeping with his wishes, there will be no funeral service
- No public services are planned at this time
- A private service for immediate family will be held
- Cremation has taken place and no services will be held
- A celebration of life will be held at a later date
- The family will gather privately to remember him
- Per her wishes, there will be no visitation or service
- Services will be announced at a later date
- Arrangements are private
After that line it helps to give people something they can do. Maybe make a donation, sending a card to the family or simply sharing a memory. People want to show they care and if there’s no funeral to go to they’ll be looking for another way.
Obituary With No Service Examples
These examples are split by situation so you can find the one closest to yours. Add in your own names, dates and details.
Short and Simple
If you’re putti g a paid notice in a newspaper then keeping it short will help with the cost. There are more ideas in our short obituary examples.
Margaret “Peggy” Ellis, 84, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2026. She is survived by her children, Paul and Linda, and five grandchildren. At her request, no services will be held.
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Robert James Carter, 71, died on June 12, 2026, at home surrounded by his family. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and a lifelong Cubs fan. In keeping with his wishes, there will be no funeral.
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Donna Kay Price, 66, passed away on January 20, 2026. She will be dearly missed by her husband of 44 years, Gary, her sons and her beloved dog, Rosie. No services are planned.
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Frank Delgado, 90, of Tucson passed away on October 1, 2026. Frank is survived by his daughter, Maria, and his many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place and there will be no service.
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At the Request of the Deceased
When it was the person’s own choice not to have a funeral saying so can be a good idea as it lets friends know the decision came from them and often it says something about who they were too.
Harold “Hal” Bennett, 79, of Asheville, North Carolina, passed away on August 9, 2026. Hal spent 35 years teaching high school history and never lost his love of a good argument about the Civil War. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, and is survived by his son, Mark, and three grandchildren. Hal was a private man who never liked a fuss, and at his request there will be no funeral or memorial service. Instead, he asked that you raise a glass to him next time you’re with people you love.
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Janet Louise Morrow, 73, died peacefully on May 2, 2026. Janet was a nurse for over 30 years and cared for hundreds of families in her time at St. Luke’s. She is survived by her sister, Carol, and her nephew, Ben. Janet made it very clear she didn’t want a funeral, so in keeping with her wishes no services will be held. Those who wish to remember her may make a donation to the American Red Cross.
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Walter Kim, 88, passed away on February 14, 2026. Walt was a Korean War veteran, a carpenter and a devoted grandfather. Typical of Walt, he left very clear instructions: no funeral, no fuss and no tears. We’re doing our best with the first two.
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Our mom, Sharon Lee Hughes, 69, passed away on April 18, 2026, after a long illness. She loved her garden, her grandchildren and a strong cup of coffee, in roughly that order. Mom asked that there be no service. She wanted us to remember her as she was, and we will.
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Cremation With No Service
Direct cremation (where the cremation happens without any service beforehand) is a common choice too. You can mention it if you’d like, though you don’t have to. If the family plans to scatter the ashes our guide on what to do with ashes after cremation might help later on.
Thomas Allen Reed, 81, of Spokane, Washington, passed away on July 7, 2026. Tom was born in Boise, Idaho, and worked for the railroad for 40 years. He is survived by his wife, Judy, his daughters, Amy and Kate, and four grandchildren. Cremation has taken place. There will be no service, and the family will scatter his ashes privately at his favorite fishing spot.
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Evelyn Ruth Kowalski, 92, passed away peacefully on December 2, 2026. Evelyn was the last of nine children and outlived all her brothers and sisters. She is survived by her niece, Teresa, and many great-nieces and nephews. Evelyn has been cremated and, as she wished, no services will take place.
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David Paul Hart, 58, died suddenly on September 23, 2026. Dave was a mechanic, a musician and the first person anyone called when something broke. He is survived by his partner, Lisa, and his son, Jake. Dave has been cremated. No service is planned, but the family welcomes cards and memories sent to the address below.
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Private Service for Family Only
Sometimes there is a service it’s just not open to everyone. If that’s the case it’s important to say so clearly so friends don’t turn up or feel left out without knowing why.
Catherine Anne Walsh, 76, passed away on March 29, 2026. She was a loving wife to the late Michael Walsh and a proud mother to Sean, Erin and Kevin. A private funeral service will be held for immediate family. The family thanks everyone for their kindness and understanding.
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George William Hayes, 84, died at home on November 4, 2026. George served in the US Navy and later ran Hayes Hardware on Main Street for 30 years. A private family service will be held. The family is grateful for all the support and asks for privacy at this time.
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Linda Marie Fox, 62, lost her battle with cancer on June 1, 2026. Linda is survived by her husband, Dan, her daughters, Megan and Chloe, and her mother, Jean. The family will gather privately to say goodbye. Cards may be sent to the family at the address below.
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Joseph “Joe” Russo, 87, passed away on January 9, 2026. Joe was a husband, father, grandfather and the best cook any of us ever knew. Graveside services were held privately for the family. We’ll be sharing more about Joe’s life, and a few of his recipes, in the coming weeks.
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Service or Celebration of Life at a Later Date
A lot of families wait to hold a gathering as they might be waiting for warmer weather or to give relatives time to travel or just get through the first few weeks. If that’s your situation you can say no service is planned right now. Our celebration of life invitation wording will help when you’re ready to invite people.
Richard “Rick” Olsen, 67, of Duluth, Minnesota, passed away on February 3, 2026. Rick loved the lake, his boat and his grandkids. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and his children, Erik and Anna. There will be no funeral. A celebration of Rick’s life will be held at the lake this summer, and details will be shared closer to the time.
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Barbara Jean Collins, 80, passed away on October 15, 2026. Barbara was a retired schoolteacher, a devoted volunteer and a mother of four. No services are planned at this time. A memorial gathering will be held in the spring, and the family will announce the date in this paper.
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Anthony “Tony” Marshall, 55, died unexpectedly on April 30, 2026. Tony is survived by his wife, Michelle, and their sons, Tyler and Jordan. The family is not holding a funeral, but there will be an informal get-together to celebrate Tony’s life later in the year. Friends who would like to be invited can contact Michelle.
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Patricia “Pat” O’Neill, 74, passed away on December 20, 2026. With family spread across three countries, a celebration of Pat’s life will take place in the summer when everyone can be together. Details to follow.
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No Service With Donations in Lieu of Flowers
With no funeral there’s nowhere to send flowers. A lot of families point people toward a charity instead. See our guide to in lieu of flowers wording and etiquette for more ways to phrase this.
Gerald Lee Simmons, 77, passed away on May 19, 2026, after a long fight with Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, and his son, Craig. At Gerald’s request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
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Helen Grace Murphy, 85, passed away on August 27, 2026. Helen adored animals and rescued more cats than any of us could count. No services will be held. Those wishing to honor Helen may make a donation to their local animal shelter.
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Kenneth Ray Dixon, 70, died peacefully on March 11, 2026. Ken is survived by his wife, Sue, and his three children. As per his wishes, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to hospice care, who looked after Ken so well in his final weeks.
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For a Pet
Some people write a short obituary or death notice for a much loved pet and there’s very rarely a formal service. Our pet death announcement examples have more ideas.
Max, our loyal and very spoiled golden retriever, passed away on July 2, 2026, at the age of 13. He loved tennis balls, car rides and anyone holding a sandwich. There will be no service, but we’ll be taking his favorite walk this weekend in his honor.
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Bella, beloved cat of the Morgan family, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2026, aged 18. She ruled the house with an iron paw for almost two decades. She will be buried in the garden she loved to nap in, with just family present.
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What to Include Instead of Service Details
When there’s no funeral the end of the obituary can feel a bit empty. These are some of the things families include in that space instead:
- Where to send cards: a mailing address (or a funeral home address if you’d rather not share your own) so people can still send their condolences
- Charity donations: the name of a charity the person cared about or one connected to their illness
- An online memorial or guestbook: a lot of funeral homes host these and newspaper obituary sites often have one too. Its somewhere people can share memories
- A small request: something personal like “Hug your loved ones a little tighter” or “Go for a walk somewhere beautiful in her memory”
- A thank you: to carers, a hospice, doctors or neighbors who helped
- A note about a later gathering: even if it’s not planned yet saying “details to follow” lets people know they’ll still get the chance to come together
Tips for Writing an Obituary When There’s No Funeral
- Be clear. Don’t leave people guessing whether there’s a service or not. One sentence that sets it out is better than something vague that has friends calling the family to ask.
- You don’t have to explain why. “No services will be held” is enough on its own.
- If there’s a private service say “private” or “for immediate family”. That way people understand they’re not being left out by mistake.
- Give people a way to respond like a donation, a card or a memory all help friends feel they’ve been able to do something.
- Keep the rest of the obituary as warm and personal as any other. No service doesn’t mean the obituary has to be short or cold. See our obituary examples for ideas on telling their story.
- If the family is planning a gathering later then put a short notice in the paper or online when it’s arranged. Our guide on how to submit an obituary to a newspaper goes through the practical part of it.
- Expect some people to ask anyway. A few friends might still want to know if there’s anything happening. It’s fine to politely repeat that there’s no service and thank them for thinking of you.
Is It Okay Not to Have a Service?
Yes, absolutely. You don’t have to hold a funeral and lots of families find other ways to remember someone that suit them better. A quiet family meal, scattering ashes somewhere special, planting a tree or just sharing stories at home can all mean just as much.
The obituary still does its job either way. It tells the world this person lived, who they loved and that they’ll be missed.
Choosing not to hold a funeral is a personal decision and there’s no right or wrong answer. Whatever the reason a few clear words in the obituary are all you need.
Hopefully the examples here have given you the wording you were looking for. Take what’s useful and change what isn’t and make it sound like the person you’re remembering.