The Tribute Journal
Obituary for a Sister: 8 Examples to Copy
An obituary for a sister follows the usual shape: her name, age and the date she died, who she was, the family she leaves, and the service details. What is different is the name question, married and maiden, and how the siblings are listed. Below are eight complete examples and the answers families need.
Siblings often carry their grief quietly. The Compassionate Friends notes that surviving siblings "are often referred to as the 'forgotten mourners,'" because "attention and words of comfort are usually aimed at the parents, spouse and children." Helping to write her obituary is one way to take your place in it. For the general method, see how to write an obituary.
Her married and maiden names
If your sister married and took her husband's name, her maiden name is your family name, and leaving it out can feel like erasing her from her own family. But AARP advises leaving out "the deceased's date and place of birth, middle name, maiden name and mother's maiden name," because identity thieves combine them.
A safe middle path that many families use:
- Use her married name in the headline: "Karen Ellis, 58, of Dayton."
- Show the family connection through the siblings instead: "She is survived by her brothers, Michael and David Carter." Readers who knew her as a Carter will recognize her.
- If you do include her maiden name, leave out her full date of birth and your mother's maiden name, so the combination a thief needs is not all in one place.
How to list her siblings
- Order: oldest to youngest is most common. Choose one order and keep it consistent.
- Spouses go in parentheses: "her brother, Michael (Susan) Carter."
- Half- and step-siblings: many families list them simply as her brothers and sisters. Follow how she saw them.
- Siblings who died first: "She was preceded in death by her sister, Joan."
Our obituary for a brother covers sibling order, half-siblings and complicated relationships in more detail.
1. Short obituary for a sister
Margaret Anne Walsh, 67, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, died on October 18, 2026. She is survived by her husband, Thomas; her son, Kevin; her sisters, Kathleen and Mary; and her brother, Joseph. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 23, at 10 a.m. at their parish church.
2. For an older sister
Barbara Jean Mitchell, 74, of Kansas City, Missouri, died peacefully on October 15, 2026.
Barbara was the oldest of six, the one who braided everyone's hair before school and checked everyone's homework after it. She went on to teach first grade for 34 years, and she never really stopped mothering her younger brothers and sisters, who called her first with every piece of news.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Ronald; her daughters, Lisa and Karen; five grandchildren; her sisters, Joyce and Carol; and her brothers, Gary and Dennis.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, October 21, at 11 a.m. at the church where she taught Sunday school.
3. For a younger sister who died young
Olivia Grace Bennett, 31, of Denver, Colorado, died on October 12, 2026, after a two-year fight with ovarian cancer.
Liv was a veterinary nurse, a trail runner and the baby of the family, who never let her two big brothers forget that she was the fastest of the three. She adopted every animal no one else wanted and filled every room with noise and color.
She is survived by her parents, Robert and Jennifer; her brothers, Ethan and Lucas; her partner, Sam; and her dogs, Moose and Pepper.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, October 24, at 2 p.m. at the community center near the trailhead she ran every morning. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to ovarian cancer research.
4. For a sister who was a mother
Teresa Marie Gonzalez, 52, of Phoenix, Arizona, died on October 9, 2026.
Teresa was a school secretary, a devoted mother and the sister who organized every family birthday, reunion and holiday. Her children were her whole heart, and her nieces and nephews knew her house as the one where there was always room at the table.
She is survived by her husband, Carlos; her children, Daniel, Sofia and Marco; her mother, Elena; her sisters, Angela and Rosa; and her brother, Miguel.
A rosary will be prayed on Thursday, October 15, at 7 p.m., and a funeral Mass celebrated on Friday, October 16, at 10 a.m. at her parish church.
5. For a single sister and devoted aunt
Dorothy "Dot" Kowalski, 79, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, died on October 14, 2026.
Dot never married, and she would tell you she never missed it. She worked 40 years as a bookkeeper, traveled to 30 countries, and was the aunt who sent a card with a dollar in it for every birthday, every graduation and every lost tooth, for three generations.
She is survived by her sister, Helen (Frank) Nowak; her brother, Stanley; fourteen nieces and nephews; and twenty-two great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Edward.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 20, at 10 a.m. at the parish church where she was baptized.
6. For a twin sister
Rebecca Lynn Foster, 45, of Nashville, Tennessee, died on October 10, 2026.
Becca was one half of a set of twins, and for 45 years she and her sister, Rachel, finished each other's sentences and argued about who was born first. Becca was a nurse in a children's hospital, a singer in her church choir and the funniest person at any table.
She is survived by her husband, Jason; her daughters, Ella and Grace; her parents, Michael and Linda; and her twin sister, Rachel (Andrew) Price.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 16, at 1 p.m. at her church, followed by a reception in the fellowship hall.
7. After a long illness
Linda Sue Harper, 63, of Louisville, Kentucky, died on October 16, 2026, after a long journey with multiple sclerosis.
Linda was diagnosed at 35 and spent the next three decades refusing to let it define her. She finished her degree from a wheelchair, volunteered at the library for twenty years, and kept the sharpest sense of humor in the family to the very end.
She is survived by her husband, Gary; her son, Matthew; her sisters, Debbie and Sharon; and her brother, Richard. The family is grateful to the caregivers who helped her stay at home.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 24, at 11 a.m. at her church.
8. For a celebration of life
Jennifer "Jenny" Morales, 49, of San Diego, California, died on October 13, 2026.
Jenny was a surfer, a photographer and the sister everyone called when they needed courage. She lived in flip-flops, laughed at her own jokes before she finished them, and never met a sunset she did not stop to photograph.
She is survived by her daughter, Maya; her parents, Luis and Carmen; and her sisters, Isabel and Lucia.
There will be no funeral. Instead, family and friends are invited to a paddle-out and celebration of her life on Sunday, October 25, at 4 p.m. at the beach where she taught her daughter to surf. Wear something bright.
Tips for writing it
- Use her name, not "my sister." The obituary introduces her to everyone.
- Include a sibling detail. The braided hair, the shared bedroom, the argument about who was born first. Siblings hold memories no one else does.
- Agree the sibling list with the family before it prints. Names, spouses and order are where hurt happens.
- Know the cost. Newspapers usually run family-written obituaries as paid notices, which Wikipedia notes are "usually run as classified advertisements." The program version costs nothing extra.
Common questions
How do I write an obituary for my sister?
Open with her full name, age, city and the date she died. Add a short paragraph on who she was, with a detail only a sibling would know. List the family she leaves, then those who died before her, and finish with the service details.
Should I include my sister's maiden name in her obituary?
It is your choice. AARP advises leaving maiden names out because identity thieves use them. A safe middle path is to use her married name and show the family connection by listing her siblings with their surnames. If you include her maiden name, leave out her full birth date and your mother's maiden name.
How do you list siblings in an obituary?
Usually oldest to youngest, with each sibling's spouse in parentheses: "her brother, Michael (Susan) Carter." Siblings who died before her go in the "preceded in death" line.
Who should write a sister's obituary?
If she had a spouse or children, they usually lead and her siblings contribute. If she was single, a sibling or parent usually writes it. Drafting it with a second family member helps catch errors.
How long should an obituary for a sister be?
Usually 150 to 400 words. A newspaper death notice can be as short as 50 words, while the version in the funeral program is often longer and more personal, because there is no charge per line.
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, and never including a home address, because burglars use funeral times to find empty houses.
