Funeral Announcement Examples for Every Situation

When arranging a funeral, there are so many different aspects to consider and many more small yet important decisions to make, and it can be an awful lot to take in. A funeral announcement or death notice, for example, is one such admin task that brings with it various options to make decisions on, as well as various factors to be aware of during the funeral planning process. 

Here at Aura, we’ve created a short guide to help you, including some helpful funeral notice examples for you to use as a guide when writing your own. We’re also here to assist with any aspect of your direct cremation so that you can pay your respects in a way that feels right. 

Key takeaways:

• Funeral announcements are essential for informing people about a passing and the arrangements for the funeral service.
• Announcements should include key details such as the name of the person who has died, date of death, and the time and location of the funeral.
• The tone of an announcement should be polite and sensitive, respecting both the loved one and those who will read it.
• Announcements can be tailored to be formal (e.g., for newspapers) or more informal (e.g., for social media or text messages).
• It’s important to specify whether a funeral is public or private, and any preferences regarding dress code, flowers, or donations.

Understanding funeral announcements

Without a funeral announcement, few people outside the nearest and dearest of the person who has died would know when or where it is taking place – or even that the individual in question has passed away in the first place. This makes it a very necessary aspect of planning a funeral, ash scattering ceremony, or memorial. An informative funeral announcement is also a useful way of ensuring any requested dress code—such as traditional British funeral attire—is shared, as well as the family’s wishes around funeral flower etiquette or donations. Some funerals are kept private, and if this is your wish, then the funeral announcement is the right place to communicate this.

The purpose of a funeral announcement

Understanding how to announce a death to friends and family and the funeral arrangements you have put in place involves sharing the date, time, and location of the ceremony to all those you wish to attend. Secondary to that, but still important, is to inform mourners of other information about the funeral, such as:

• Whether the funeral is a private, invitation-only event or a public funeral
• Where the wake, memorial or celebration of life will be, and whether it is open to all or close family only
• Whether there is a particular dress code or colour code and, if so, what it is
• The individual’s or family’s wishes in terms of funeral flowers or donations to a charity and how this should be done

It is most appropriate to word the announcement in a polite, sensitive manner, both out of respect to the person who has died and to those reading it, who may find it upsetting. Those wishing to attend the funeral in any capacity will appreciate clarity around the arrangements, so making it simple for them to understand exactly what is required of them is important. And of course, this brings with it the added bonus of ensuring as few questions and demands as possible being made of those closest to the person who has died, allowing them to grieve in peace.

Key elements to include in a funeral announcement

It can be tricky to make sense of all the information given to you when planning a funeral, and knowing which pieces of information to pass on to others is even trickier. The most important details to include in a funeral announcement are:

• Full name of the person whose funeral it is
• Date of their death
• Time and date of the funeral service
• Location of the funeral service
• Location of the wake
• Funeral attendance etiquette, and whether the funeral is a private or public event

Other details that are useful to relay include:

• Funeral dress code can also be included, whether mourners are expected to wear traditional black or something more colourful. Some families may request florals or a particular shade that held meaning to their loved one, so it’s helpful to clearly state what colours to wear if there’s a preference.
• Where flowers should be sent or, if donations are preferred, which charity or organisation they can be made to
• Any other family requests
• A brief tribute to the person who has died, perhaps discussing their passions, their qualities, and their family left behind

Traditional & formal funeral announcement examples

Where and how a funeral announcement should be posted depends largely on where the friends and family of the person who has died spend their time and where they will be looking. If those places are the newspaper or their email inboxes, then a formal, traditional announcement may be most appropriate.

Newspaper death announcement example

Newspaper death notices are perhaps one of the most traditional ways to pass on the news of a funeral and tend to call for a fairly formal approach and tone. A typical funeral announcement in a newspaper might look something like this:

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Caroline Grace Thomas, who passed away peacefully on 2nd April 2025 at the age of 81. Caroline was a keen gardener and talented choir singer who is survived by her loving husband, Percy, two children, Daniel and Heather, and a grandchild, Holly, as well as her two sisters, Jennifer and Diane.

Caroline’s funeral will take place at Davidston Crematorium in Hove at 11 am on Monday, 14th April. This will be followed by a wake at The Red Lion in Hove, to which all are welcome to join to celebrate Caroline’s life. Please wear a splash of red, big or small, as it was Caroline’s favourite colour. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to Hope Hospice in Hove, where Caroline used to work tirelessly as a volunteer and so was a cause very close to her heart.

Caroline was a warm and kind lady, full of life, and she will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and local community. May she rest in peace.

Death announcement sample for emails

A death announcement for sending via email, a method often used for colleagues or long-distance friends, might be slightly less formal than a newspaper announcement, but still bear in mind that it may reach a wide range of contacts with different expectations. An announcement of a colleague’s death may look like this:

Dear All,

It is with deep regret that we share the news of the passing of Thomas Smith, who passed away unexpectedly on 2nd April 2025, at the age of 41. Thomas leaves behind his wife, Samantha, and their three young children, Thomas, Daisy, and Cara. 

As many of you will be aware, Thomas loved to play golf, as well as being a keen cyclist. He was an invaluable member of staff at our company, and will be greatly missed, not only for his talent and work ethic, but also for his generous and fun-loving character. 

Thomas’s funeral service will take place at Davidston Chapel in Hove at 11am on Monday 14th April, followed by a wake at Hove Golf Club, to which family plus close friends and colleagues are invited. The family have requested donations in Thomas’s name to the RSPCA and that mourners wear any colour except black. 

With heartfelt condolences,

Gareth & the Management Team

Alternatively, if writing to distant family and friends, you may choose wording of a similar nature to this:

Dear Family & Friends,

It is with deep regret that I share the sad news of the death of my brother, Thomas Smith, who passed away unexpectedly on 2nd April 2025 at the age of 41. As you will know, Thomas was a loving husband to his wife, Sam, and a devoted father to Thomas, Daisy, and Cara. They are all devastated by his passing, as are the rest of his family.

Thomas loved to play golf, and I know this will be reaching some of his golf buddies, old and new. He was also well-liked at his office and throughout his wide friendship circle. Many people will feel the loss of him keenly.  

Thomas’s funeral service will take place at St Giles’ Chapel in Milton Keynes at 11am on Monday 14th April, followed by a wake at Hove Golf Club, to which all are welcome. Please wear whatever you feel most comfortable in and, should you wish to donate flowers, daisies were Thomas’s favourite.

Kindest regards,

David Smith

Modern funeral announcements

If you’re planning a funeral that is more modern in tone or style, it makes sense to reflect that in how the announcement is shared. With so much of our communication now happening through smartphones—via text, WhatsApp, or social media platforms like Facebook, X, or Instagram—you may choose to share the details online. For a modern funeral, this approach often feels more fitting than using traditional printed notices, and it allows you to tailor the tone to match the more personal, informal nature of the service.

Facebook funeral announcement sample

Below is a Facebook funeral announcement sample; you’ll notice that it takes a slightly more casual tone than the previous samples we’ve provided. It would usually be posted on the person’s profile and perhaps shared in local community groups:

I’m sorry to tell you all that my lovely aunt, Rachel Sampson, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, 14th April. I cannot express the grief that we are feeling at the loss of such a wonderful member of our family. Knowing that it was coming has not eased the pain of losing her; all we can comfort ourselves with is the thought that she is no longer in pain.

Rachel’s funeral will be kept private for close family and friends only, at her own request. However, all are welcome to join us at the wake for a celebration of her life at The Red Lion in Hove on Monday 21st April at 2 pm. As many of you will know, my aunt was passionate about mental health, so if you would like to make a donation in her name, please do so to Mind.

It may be worth noting that depending on your Facebook privacy settings, fewer – or more – people than you would like may see your announcement, so it would be wise to check that these are set as you wish. You may deem it appropriate to tag certain individuals in the post. Bear in mind that many will comment on the post to offer their condolences, and it would be appropriate to respond if you feel able. 

Text message funeral announcement sample

For text or WhatsApp messages, death announcements need to be brief and concise while maintaining a sense of empathy and sensitivity. It can feel like a difficult balance to strike:

Hi All,

I’m sorry to announce that David passed away on Monday. It is a huge shock to all. His funeral will be at 11 am at Hove Crematorium on Monday 21st April, and the wake will follow at The Red Lion. We request a traditional dress code of black. No flowers, only donations to Hove Youth Club in his name, please.

Thanks,

Beth

Funeral notice wording for different situations

Death, funerals, and memorials are sensitive topics to navigate, and certain information needs to be conveyed in a way that is both clear and kind. A key part of writing a funeral announcement is communicating who is welcome to the funeral, i.e., whether it is a private or public funeral.

Announcement for a private funeral

The announcement of a private funeral should ideally be part of the larger funeral announcement. It could be worded like this:

At the family’s request, the funeral service will be an intimate occasion by invitation only. Please feel free to pay your respects by donating in his name to RSPCA.

Or:

David wished for his funeral to be a private occasion, and so it will be reserved for family and close friends only.

Announcement for a public funeral

As with a private funeral, details of a public funeral would be most appropriate alongside other details about the individual concerned and their death: 

Samantha’s funeral will be held at 11 am on Monday, 20th May at Chester Crematorium, followed by a wake at The Queen’s Hotel. All friends and family are welcome to join us in celebrating her life.

Common mistakes to avoid in funeral announcements

Mistakes happen in all aspects of life and can be even easier to make when one is grieving. But the last thing a person who has just lost a dear friend or family member wants to do is spend their time correcting mistakes they have made when announcing a funeral service. Below are some common mistakes made in funeral announcements and death notices and how to avoid them.

Omitting key details

To miss a loved one’s funeral or cremation ceremony would be devastating, so it is important to ensure that all the details are not only included but also clear and correct. Here is a handy checklist of key details to include in your funeral announcement:

• Time and date of the service
• Location of the service
• Location of the wake, memorial or celebration of life
• Who is invited? Is the funeral private and invitation-only, or is everyone welcome?
• Dress code
• Family requests, e.g., flowers or donations

It may be worthwhile to proofread the announcement before posting or sending it, looking for incorrect details, spelling errors, and any other typos.

Using an inappropriate tone

Tone can make all the difference when on the receiving end of bad news, so it is worth ensuring that your announcement conveys the appropriate levels of emotion, compassion, and respect. After all, many people reading a funeral announcement may be learning of the person’s death for the first time, so sensitivity is key. Depending on the form the death notice is taking, it may be appropriate to be formal and traditional or slightly more casual, as you see fit. 

Warmth is always appropriate and can make the reader feel included in the grieving process. However, an overly casual tone may unwittingly come across as disrespectful to both the person who has died and the loved ones to whom the news is being announced to. Getting the balance right is about thinking about what the person who has died means to you and how they would like to be remembered. 

Aura is right here 

We sincerely hope you have found some words of support and comfort in this guide. We are always here to help if and when you need our services, whether you are arranging a cremation for a loved one who has died, or planning ahead for yourself with a prepaid funeral plan.