Obituary examples

Obituary Examples for a Mother

Five complete obituaries for a mom, from a short newspaper notice to a full life story, plus opening and closing lines you can borrow. Copy one and change the details, or answer a few questions and the free obituary writer will draft one for her.

What to include

  • 1

    Her full name

    Include her maiden name, so old friends recognize her.

  • 2

    Dates and places

    Where she was born, where she lived, and the date she died.

  • 3

    Her story

    Work, faith, the things she made, the places she loved.

  • 4

    What she was like

    One or two details only her family would know.

  • 5

    The people she loved

    Her husband, children, grandchildren and siblings, and those who died before her.

  • 6

    Service details

    Viewing, funeral or celebration of life, burial, and where to send donations.

5 obituary examples

A classic obituary for a mother

A general example that fits most moms: her life, her family and the service, in about 200 words. Start here if you are not sure which style you want.

206 words

Margaret Ann (Hughes) Wilson, 76, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away peacefully on October 6, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Margaret was born on May 14, 1950, in Joplin, Missouri, to Frank and Helen Hughes. She married the love of her life, James Wilson, in 1971, and together they made a home where everyone felt welcome. She worked for twenty-five years as a bank teller, where she was known for her patience and her bowl of butterscotch candies, but her greatest joy was her family.

She was a devoted mother who never missed a school play or a ball game, and later a proud grandmother who knew every grandchild's favorite meal. She loved her flower garden, Sunday phone calls with her children, and a good mystery novel with a cup of coffee.

Margaret is survived by her husband of 55 years, James; her children, Karen (Steve) Miller and Brian (Lisa) Wilson; five grandchildren; and her brother, Robert Hughes. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, October 10, at 11 a.m. at Maple Grove Funeral Home, with visitation one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice in Margaret's memory.

A long life and a big family

A traditional obituary for a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, with the full service details.

276 words

Dorothy Jean (Shirk) Albright, 89, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully at home on October 3, 2026, with her children at her side.

Dorothy was born on April 11, 1937, in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, the youngest of six children of Harold and Edna Mae Shirk. She married her high school sweetheart, Walter Albright, in 1956, and together they ran Albright's Hardware on Main Street for thirty-four years. Dorothy kept the books, knew every customer by name, and kept a jar of peppermints on the counter for the children who came in with their fathers.

Her real work, she always said, was her family. She raised five children in a house where the back door was never locked and there was always room for one more at the table. She sewed every Halloween costume, never missed a ball game, and later did the same for fourteen grandchildren. She belonged to Grace Valley Mennonite Church for more than sixty years and quilted with the Tuesday circle until last spring.

Dorothy is survived by her children, Linda (Mark) Kauffman, David (Karen) Albright, Susan Albright, Thomas (Jill) Albright and Mary Beth (Ryan) Groff; fourteen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and her sister, Ruth Herr. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Walter, and by four brothers and sisters.

A viewing will be held Friday, October 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Maple Grove Funeral Home in Lancaster. The funeral will be Saturday, October 10, at 10 a.m. at Grace Valley Mennonite Church, with burial to follow at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to the hospice that cared for her.

A short obituary for the newspaper

Newspapers charge by the line, so this one keeps to the essentials in under 100 words.

85 words

Rosa María Delgado, 78, of San Antonio, Texas, died peacefully on September 28, 2026. Born in Laredo, she worked as a seamstress for forty years and was the heart of every family gathering. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Ernesto; her children, Elena, Marco and Lucía; and eight grandchildren. A rosary will be prayed Thursday, October 1, at 7 p.m., and the funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, October 2, at 10 a.m., both at St. Anthony Catholic Church, followed by burial.

A mother of faith

For a mother whose church was at the center of her life, with a homegoing service.

222 words

Mother Evelyn Louise Carter, 83, of Memphis, Tennessee, went home to be with the Lord on October 1, 2026.

Evelyn was born on March 2, 1943, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, to the late Reverend James and Mattie Ware. She moved to Memphis in 1961, married Charles Carter in 1963, and joined New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for forty years and served as a church mother until her final days.

She worked for thirty years in the cafeteria at Hamilton Elementary, where she slipped extra rolls to the children who needed them most. At home, her answer to every trouble was the same: "Don't worry about it. Pray about it." Her grandchildren called her Big Mama, and her kitchen was the first stop after every graduation, every new baby and every hard day.

She leaves to cherish her memory her daughters, Gloria (Ronald) Hayes and Denise Carter; her son, Charles Jr. (Monique); eleven grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; her brother, Willie Ware; and a host of nieces, nephews, church family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, and her son, Michael.

A homegoing celebration will be held Saturday, October 10, at 11 a.m. at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, with viewing from 9 a.m. until the hour of service. Repast will follow in the fellowship hall.

A single mother

For a mom who raised her children on her own, told by the sons she raised.

209 words

Angela Marie Brooks, 61, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away on October 4, 2026, after a short illness.

Angela was born in Dayton on February 9, 1965. She became a nurse at twenty-three and spent most of her career working nights in the emergency department, a job she chose so she could be home when her boys got off the school bus. She raised her sons on her own, never missed a parent-teacher conference, and somehow found the time to coach Little League for six seasons.

Her sons will tell you that she was strict about homework and soft about everything else. She sang along to Motown in the car, could fix a leaky faucet with a butter knife, and never let anyone leave her house hungry. When her first grandson was born, she retired the same year and became his favorite babysitter.

Angela is survived by her sons, Marcus (Tanya) Brooks and Jordan Brooks; her grandson, Elijah; her mother, Bernice Brooks; and her brothers, Kevin and Darnell. She was preceded in death by her father, Leonard.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 17, at 1 p.m. at Maple Grove Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to a nursing scholarship fund.

Opening and closing lines

Starting is often the hardest part. Borrow a first or last line and replace the highlighted parts.

To begin

  • Full name, age, of city, passed away peacefully on date, surrounded by her family.

  • With heavy hearts, we share that our mother, full name, died on date at the age of age.

  • Full name, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, went home to be with the Lord on date.

  • Our mom, first name, left this world on date the way she lived in it: with her people around her.

  • Full name (née maiden name), age, died on date after a long illness, which she faced with the same grace she brought to everything.

To close

  • Her love lives on in her children, her grandchildren and everyone who ever sat at her table.

  • We will carry her kindness with us, and try to give it away as freely as she did.

  • She married into our family when we were young and never once treated us as anyone’s but hers.

  • In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you call your mother, or do something kind in first name’s name.

  • Rest easy, Mom. We’ve got it from here.

Or let the writer draft it

Answer a few guided questions and get a finished, editable obituary in about a minute.

  • Free with no account, no credit card and no watermark.
  • Rewrite, shorten, lengthen and edit the text as many times as you like.
  • Publish it to a free memorial page and share the link, or copy the text.
Write my mom’s obituary free

Questions families ask

How long should an obituary for a mother be?

Newspapers charge by the line, so a printed obituary is often 100 to 200 words. Online, on a memorial page or in a funeral program, 200 to 400 words gives room for her story and the people she loved.

Should I include my mother’s maiden name?

Yes. Friends from her school years or hometown may only know her by it. Write it in parentheses before her married name, as in Dorothy Jean (Shirk) Albright, or add "née Shirk" after it.

In what order do I list the family?

Usually her husband first, then her children in birth order with their spouses in parentheses, then grandchildren and great-grandchildren (by name or by number), her parents if living, and her brothers and sisters. Those who died before her come last, after "preceded in death by".

Do I have to mention how she died?

No. Many families leave it out or say "after a long illness" or "unexpectedly". If you do name an illness, a plain phrase such as "after living with cancer for three years" is enough.

Who usually writes a mother’s obituary?

Most often one of her children or her husband, sometimes with help from the funeral home. It helps to ask brothers, sisters and grandchildren for one memory each before you start.

Can I publish her obituary online for free?

Yes. The FuneralFolio obituary writer is free, and you can publish the obituary to a free memorial page with a link to share by text, email or social media. Newspapers charge separately for a printed obituary.