The Tribute Journal
Obituary for a Grandfather: 8 Examples to Copy
An obituary for a grandfather usually covers a long life: where he grew up, his work and service, his marriage, and a family that may run to three or four generations. It is often written by one of his children or grandchildren. Below are eight complete examples, plus how to handle the two things that make a grandfather's obituary harder: a large family and military service.
For the general method, see how to write an obituary; for more styles, our obituary examples.
Listing grandchildren and great-grandchildren
- Up to about eight grandchildren: name them. It means a great deal to each of them to see their name.
- A larger family: give the number, "14 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren", and name them in the funeral program, where space costs nothing.
- Grandchildren's spouses: usually not listed, to keep the line readable.
- Step-grandchildren: include them with the others if he was part of their lives.
As always, survivors come first and those who died before him follow: "He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Helen, and his son, Thomas."
Writing his military service
Many of today's grandfathers served, and families want to get it right. Give the branch, the era or conflict, and his rank if he was proud of it: "a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam" or "Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, Retired." If you are unsure of a detail, leave it out rather than guess; veterans and their friends notice.
What to leave out
AARP advises leaving out "the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name," and never printing a home address. The examples below use a birth year at most and a town, not a street.
1. Short obituary for a grandfather
Eugene Walter Schmidt, 91, of Madison, Wisconsin, died peacefully on October 1, 2026. He is survived by his children, Mary and Robert; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Ruth. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, October 7, at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church.
2. For a Vietnam veteran
Staff Sergeant Leonard Ray Johnson, U.S. Army (Ret.), 79, of Augusta, Georgia, died on September 28, 2026.
Leonard served two tours in Vietnam and twenty years in uniform, then spent another twenty driving a school bus, where he knew every child by name and every parent by their kids. He never boasted about the medals in his drawer, but he stood for every flag that passed.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bernice; his children, Leonard Jr., Sharon and Michael; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral service with military honors will be held on Saturday, October 3, at 11 a.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church.
3. For a farmer
Harold Dean Peterson, 88, of Ames, Iowa, died on October 3, 2026, on the farm where he was born.
Harold farmed the same 300 acres for sixty years, through drought, flood and every price swing in between, and he never once missed a sunrise. He taught all eleven of his grandchildren to drive a tractor before they could drive a car.
He is survived by his children, Gary (Linda) Peterson, Carol (Dale) Olson and Steven Peterson; eleven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 8, at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, with burial to follow in the church cemetery.
4. Written by his grandchildren
Our grandfather, Frank Anthony DeMarco, 86, of Providence, Rhode Island, died on September 30, 2026, and we are writing this because he always said we told his stories better than he did.
Pop was a barber for fifty years. He gave every grandchild their first haircut, slipped us five-dollar bills when Nonna was not looking, and taught us that a good joke is always worth a second telling.
He is survived by his children, Michael, Lisa and Anthony; his eight grandchildren, Nicholas, Sophia, Marco, Julia, Luca, Gianna, Matteo and Ella; and his great-grandson, Leo. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosa.
A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony's Church.
5. For a great-grandfather of a large family
Reverend Samuel Lee Washington, 94, of Montgomery, Alabama, went home to be with the Lord on October 2, 2026.
Reverend Washington pastored the same congregation for forty-one years, married hundreds of couples, and baptized three generations of the same families. At home he was simply Big Daddy, the head of a family that filled the church on its own.
He leaves to cherish his memory five children, Samuel Jr., Ernestine, Gloria, James and Ruth; twenty-three grandchildren; thirty-one great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and a host of church family. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Mother Lula Washington.
A homegoing service will be held on Saturday, October 10, at 11 a.m. at the church he loved.
For a homegoing, our funeral resolution examples cover the tributes churches and organizations often present.
6. For a widower
Albert James Fischer, 90, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died on September 26, 2026, ten years after his beloved wife, Dorothy.
Al was an accountant who could add a column in his head, a crossword devotee and a gentleman who wore a tie to the grocery store until the very end. After Dottie died, he took up painting, and his grandchildren each have a watercolor of the house on Maple Street.
He is survived by his daughters, Janet and Ellen; his son, Richard; and six grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 2, at 1 p.m. at Hillcrest Funeral Home, followed by burial beside Dorothy.
7. Faith-filled
Jose Luis Hernandez, 84, of El Paso, Texas, died peacefully on October 4, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Don Jose came to El Paso as a young man with nothing but a strong back and a stronger faith. He worked construction for forty years, built the house where his family still gathers every Sunday, and never missed Mass in his life.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Maria; his children, Luis, Carmen, Rosa and Miguel; fourteen grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
A rosary will be prayed on Thursday, October 8, at 7 p.m., and a funeral Mass celebrated on Friday, October 9, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
8. For a celebration of life
Charlie "Grandpa Chuck" Wilson, 82, of Asheville, North Carolina, died on October 5, 2026.
Chuck was a carpenter, a banjo player and the grandfather who built a treehouse for every one of his nine grandchildren, each one a little bigger than the last. He never met a porch he could not fix or a story he could not stretch.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; his sons, Dale and Roger; and nine grandchildren.
Instead of a funeral, Chuck asked for a party. Family and friends are invited to celebrate his life on Saturday, October 17, at 2 p.m. at the family farm, with music, food and, of course, banjos.
Tips for writing it
- Ask the oldest relatives first. Where he grew up, how he met his wife, what he did in the service: these are the details that disappear with a generation.
- Check military details with his papers. Rank, branch and dates of service should come from his discharge papers, not memory.
- Choose pallbearers early. Grandsons and granddaughters are often asked. Our guide to pallbearers covers who to ask and how to list them in the program.
- Know the cost. Newspapers run family-written obituaries as paid notices, which Wikipedia notes are "usually run as classified advertisements." The program version can list every grandchild by name at no extra cost.
Common questions
How do I write an obituary for my grandfather?
Open with his full name, age, city and the date he died. Add a short paragraph on his life: where he grew up, his work, any military service, his marriage. List the family he leaves, then those who died before him, and finish with the service details.
Should all the grandchildren be named in the obituary?
If there are about eight or fewer, yes. For a larger family, give the number in the newspaper version ("14 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren") and name them all in the funeral program, where space costs nothing.
How do I write military service in an obituary?
Give the branch, the era or conflict, and his rank if he was proud of it, for example "a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam." Take the details from his discharge papers rather than memory, and leave out anything you are unsure of.
How do we arrange military funeral honors?
Ask the funeral director. The VA says funeral home directors or a personal representative should request military funeral honors, ideally at least 48 to 72 hours before the service. The ceremony includes the playing of Taps and the folding and presentation of the flag.
Who usually writes a grandfather's obituary?
Usually one of his children, often with help from grandchildren who add memories. An obituary written in the grandchildren's voice, as in example 4, is a warm option when the family wants it.
What should not be included in an obituary?
AARP advises leaving out the full date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name, which identity thieves use, and never including a home address.
