Write the obituary in 10 minutes, not 10 hours.
Stillwith drafts the obituary in two lengths at once. A longer version for the funeral program. A shorter version for the newspaper. Both ready in minutes.
Five parts, in the order newspapers expect.
You will not have to remember the order. Stillwith walks you through each part in the sequence that funeral homes and newspapers want. Skip what you do not have. Come back to it.
- Full name, including maiden name if relevant
- Date and place of birth, date and place of death
- Two or three life chapters, in plain language
- Surviving family, predeceased family
- Funeral service details, plus a line for in lieu of flowers
Two lengths, one draft.
Most newspapers charge by the line, and many families do not learn this until the day of submission. Stillwith always produces both versions, so you submit the short one without rewriting from scratch.
Helen Marie Brennan, of Worcester, Massachusetts, passed away on April 22, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was 84. Helen was born in Worcester on March 14, 1942, the second child of Margaret and Daniel Brennan. She trained as a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital and worked night shifts in the pediatric ward for thirty-one years, where she was known for remembering the names of every child she cared for. She married Thomas Brennan in 1965 and together they raised three children, Patrick, Maeve, and Colleen. Helen loved Sunday dinners, hand written letters, and the Worcester Public Library. She is survived by her husband Thomas, her three children, six grandchildren, and her sister Margaret. She was predeceased by her brothers, John and Michael. A funeral mass will be held at St. Vincent's Church on Saturday, April 27, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the pediatric ward at St. Vincent's.
The funeral version, the newspaper version.
Helen Marie Brennan, of Worcester, Massachusetts, passed away on April 22, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was 84. Helen was born in Worcester on March 14, 1942, the second child of Margaret and Daniel Brennan. She trained as a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital and worked night shifts in the pediatric ward for thirty-one years, where she was known for remembering the names of every child she cared for. She married Thomas Brennan in 1965 and together they raised three children, Patrick, Maeve, and Colleen. Helen loved Sunday dinners, hand written letters, and the Worcester Public Library. She is survived by her husband Thomas, her three children, six grandchildren, and her sister Margaret. She was predeceased by her brothers, John and Michael. A funeral mass will be held at St. Vincent's Church on Saturday, April 27, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the pediatric ward at St. Vincent's.
Helen Marie Brennan, 84, of Worcester, passed away April 22, 2026. Born March 14, 1942 in Worcester. A pediatric nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital for 31 years. Survived by her husband Thomas, children Patrick, Maeve, and Colleen, six grandchildren, and sister Margaret. Funeral mass at St. Vincent's Church on April 27 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Vincent's pediatric ward.
The pieces come together in one place.
Your obituary lives inside a full memorial page, alongside the photos, the eulogy, the guestbook. Newspaper-ready when you need it. Family-ready forever.
The obituary intake
Stillwith walks you through a small set of questions, in the order most newspapers and funeral homes expect. You can skip any question and come back. We never demand a detail you do not have yet.
Obituary template, in plain terms
A standard obituary opens with the full name, age, and date of death. It then names the place of residence and the cause of death, if the family chooses to share it. The middle paragraphs cover the life: where they were born, who raised them, the work they did, the people they loved. The end lists the surviving family, the funeral arrangements, and any requests for donations.
Submitted by families to papers in 47 states this month.
The first paragraph is the hardest.
We start it for you. Both lengths, ready in minutes.
Begin