Writing an obituary is a labor of love and one that can feel overwhelming to tackle. How do you sum up a person’s life in just a few sentences? How can you think straight when grief is so fresh to write a fitting tribute? If you need to write an obituary for a daughter, you’re probably asking yourself the same questions.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What Should You Include in an Obituary for a Daughter?
- How to Write an Obituary for a Daughter
- Example Obituaries for a Daughter
- Where Can You Post an Obituary for Your Daughter?
We know this won’t be an easy task, but we hope our step-by-step guidance will help you through the process.
What Should You Include in an Obituary for a Daughter?
Summing up a daughter’s life is a difficult task in the best of times. When you need to write an obituary, it can seem like an impossible task. However, try to work your way through the following sections one step at a time.
Biographical information
Most obituaries contain biographical information including the person’s name, age, date of death, who predeceased them, and who survives them. Other biographical information you can write about includes major milestones such as schooling, career accomplishments, marriage, children, hobbies, and volunteer work.
For this section, consider what they’d want the world to know about their life and include those elements.
Poems, quotes, and song lyrics
To personalize the obituary a bit more, you can include elements such as a short poem, quote, or set of song lyrics. We’d encourage you to think about which of these would best encapsulate your daughter’s life and choose that. You don’t need to find more than one of these options to include unless you want to and have the room.
Poems and quotes
Funeral poems for a daughter or quotes about a daughter can help you express feelings and thoughts that you can’t say any other way. Consider lines from poems like these:
- “Nothing gold can stay.” — Robert Frost
- “Just like moons and like suns / With the certainty of tides / Still I'll rise.” — Maya Angelou
- “Warm summer sun/ Shine kindly here/ Warm southern wind / Blow softly here / Green sod above / Lie light, lie light. / Good night, dear heart / Good night, good night.” — Mark Twain
Song lyrics
Song lyrics can describe a person or their journey with just a few words. Here are just a few songs to consider gathering lyrics from.
- “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten
- “Sweetest Devotion” by Adele
- “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
- “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw
- “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole
Information on services
At the end of the obituary, include information on funeral and memorial services. If services are private, you can mention this. If services are public, include the day, time, and location.
How to Write an Obituary for a Daughter
Learning how to write an obituary can feel overwhelming at the beginning. We hope these steps will help make the process simpler.
Gather information
Jot down all the basic biographical information you’re planning to include from the section above. Write down names of surviving and predeceased members of the family, important milestones, major events, and a poem or quote if you plan to use one.
Start with the first lines
The first several lines include your daughter’s name, her age, when she died, and the cause of her death if you want to include it. Then follows the names of those who survived and predeceased her.
Include a short biography
The next section is where you write about her personality, hobbies, important events in her life, and other special things that made her unique.
Add a poem or quote
Next, add a few lines from a poem or quote that makes you think of her life.
Include service information
Finally, end the obituary by including information about funeral, memorial, or celebration of life services.
Example Obituaries for a Daughter
Now that you know how to write an obituary and what to include, here are several obituary examples so you can see how it all fits together.
Example obituary for a teenage daughter
Gabby Anderson, 16, passed away on May 5, 2021, after a long battle with cancer. True to her fighting spirit, she gave us five more years with her than doctors expected. She is already tremendously missed by surviving members of the family including her father and mother, George and Bea Anderson, her sister, Jeannette Anderson, her brother, Beau Anderson, and both sets of her grandparents. Gabby was greeted in heaven by her great grandparents and other relatives who predeceased her.
Gabby loved her family, cherished her friends, and fought hard. She was a proud member of the Madison High JV cheer squad. Her crowning moment came when she lead her squad to become state champions. Even when her cancer returned the final time, she went to practice and gave her all. She lived out the words of her favorite song,
“Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care
If nobody else believes
Cause I've still got
A lot of fight left in me.”
Her fighting spirit, fierce love, and tender concern for those around her will be dearly missed.
A private graveside service is scheduled for May 7th. A public memorial service will take place on May 10th at 1:00 pm in the Madison High gymnasium. All are welcome to attend.
Example obituary for a daughter-in-law
Gene Alice Anderson, 32, left this world on October 16, 2021. She was a much-beloved wife, daughter-in-law, and mother. She leaves behind her husband of ten years, Dave Anderson, her in-law “parents” David and Bethany Anderson, and her little girl, Dee Anderson.
Gene was a vivacious woman who loved others and enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom. She was a shining example of motherhood to all who knew her. Her death is the embodiment of Robert Frost’s words, “Nothing gold can stay.” She was truly taken too soon.
Funeral services are scheduled for October 19, 2021, at 12:00 pm at Forest Lake Funeral Home.
Example obituary for a daughter who is a mother
Elaina Steele, beloved daughter, mother, and friend to all, died Friday, June 8, 2021, at Fort Collins General Hospital. She leaves behind a precious 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, grieving parents, and grandparents on her mother’s side. She was predeceased by grandparents on her father’s side and a cousin.
Elaina was a devoted mother and worked incredibly hard to give her children the best life possible. She started her real estate business to provide for her kids and stay at home when they were home from school. Though a successful businesswoman, she was most proud of her children and getting to raise them.
A graveside service is held for June 11, 2021, at 11:00 am at Fort Collins Cemetery. Attendees should gather outside the chapel shortly before 11:00 for the procession.
Example obituary for a daughter who is a wife
Katie Walsh, 45, died on Saturday, January 5, 2021, surrounded by her family. She leaves a devoted husband of fifteen years, Bill Walsh, her parents, Henry and Erica Curtis, her parents-in-law, Chris and Joann Walsh, her brother-in-law, Scott Walsh, and her grandparents, Dale and Denise Curtis. She was predeceased by her grandparents, James and Nicole Kerry.
Katie was loved by all who knew her and made friends everywhere she went. She enjoyed meeting people through her side business as a hairstylist in addition to her regular job as a financial coach. More than anything, Katie loved being married to her best friend and husband.
Though we will not say goodbye, for now, we say, “Good night, dear heart. Good night, good night.”
Katie’s funeral service will be held at Crestlawn Mortuary on January 8, 2021, for invited friends and family.
Example obituary for a daughter without a partner or children
Janice Tyler, 26, passed away on September 15, 2021, after a short battle with illness. She leaves behind grieving parents, Bob and Grace Tyler, two brothers, Dylan and Jered Tyler, her grandparents, Robert and Betty Tyler and Kent and Karen James, and her beloved corgi named Princess.
Janice was born and raised in Tyler, Texas, and was a devoted Aggie fan. She graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in land management and enjoyed spending her days working on neighboring farms and ranches. She spent every waking moment on the back of her horse, Dixie, and enjoyed teaching the youth at her church how to ride.
A celebration of life service is planned for June 14, 2021, at Rolling Hills Cemetery in the Hall of Memories. All are welcome to attend. In Janice’s honor, please come wearing Aggie colors, if possible.
Where Can You Post an Obituary for Your Daughter?
While newspapers are still a popular place to post an obituary, there are several other methods you can choose instead of or in addition to a newspaper post. Here are the four places we recommend for posting obituaries.
Newspaper
Newspapers have traditionally been the one place where obituaries and death notices were posted to alert friends, family, and community members of a loved one’s death. Today, this is still a popular option, and newspapers of all sizes and readerships offer the service.
To post an obituary in a newspaper, you’ll need to contact the editorial department and ask about your specific newspaper’s guidelines. Newspapers typically charge in one of three ways: by the word, by the line, or by section. The more space you use, the more you’ll be charged.
Online memorial website
Online memorial sites have grown in popularity thanks to the budget-friendly option they provide for families who want to create a tribute for their loved one. Most memorial sites allow you to post an obituary with unlimited words, a featured picture of your loved one, a photo and video gallery, and a digital guestbook that friends and family members can sign.
Social media
Much of the world is turning to social media in order to get the word out quickly regarding a loved one’s death. If most of your friends and family utilize social media platforms like Facebook, this could be an excellent option for posting an obituary or a partial obituary and providing a link to a memorial website.
Funeral home website
Many funeral homes offer free or add-on obituary hosting services. These services are similar to online memorial websites and offer a full-length webpage to post an obituary, a featured picture, a photo and video gallery, and a digital guestbook to connect friends and family from far away. Some also offer live stream hosting of your loved one’s funeral directly on the memorial website for those unable to attend.
Honoring the Life of Your Daughter
No matter where you post your daughter’s obituary or whether you include lines from a poem, song, or quote, writing an obituary that comes from the heart will honor her life. Take your time, think about what she would want to say, and know that you’ll make her proud as you complete this labor of love.