Jake passed away peacefully at his home in South London and will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 45 years, Mary, his son James (Lisa) and his two grandchildren, Thomas and Lucy.

Joe taught history at South London Secondary School and was a lifelong Chelsea FC fan and season ticket holder.

Obituaries take time and knowledge to write well, since you’re usually given a small amount of space and a large life to work with. With a memorial website, you’re given extra space, but you’re still tasked with delivering important information about the entirety of a life someone lived. This is no small feat and can feel like an overwhelming task. Reading through obituary samples can sometimes feel formulaic or cold and can be difficult to envision when filling in for someone you love. Below are some great obituary examples of well-written, well thought out obituaries that do a wonderful job at describing the person who passed away and highlighting what made them unique and special.

Before you get started, here’s an obituary sample that outlines the typical obituary format. When reading through the obituary examples, notice how the obituary format is still there in some form, but how many of these obituaries expand on information you’d find in a typical obituary and include additional information that describes the personality and unique life lived by that individual.