Free obituary template
Obituary Template for a Brother
A free obituary template for a brother, with sibling-voice wording, short and long examples, and guidance on humor, honesty, and family listings.
An obituary written by a sibling sounds different from one written by a parent or spouse, and it should. Siblings knew the version of him that existed before anyone was being careful — the arguments, the running jokes, the things he was ridiculous about.
That knowledge is an advantage. A brother's obituary can carry dry humor and unvarnished detail in a way that other notices cannot, as long as the humor is affectionate and nothing in it embarrasses someone still living.
Fill-in-the-blank template
Replace every bracketed prompt with your own details. Delete any line that does not apply. Nothing here is required.
[Full name], [age], of [city, state], died on [date of death] [optional circumstance].
He was born [birth date] in [birthplace] to [parents' names], the [first / second / youngest] of [number] children. [He served in the [branch] from [year] to [year].] [He worked as [occupation] for [number] years.]
[Brother's first name] was [one specific and true characterization, not an adjective]. [Add a concrete example: what he always did, said, drove, fixed, argued about, or refused to do.]
[Optional: He married [spouse] in [year], and they had [children's names].]
He is survived by his [siblings and their cities]; [parents, if living]; [spouse and children]; and [nieces and nephews]. He was preceded in death by [names].
[Service type] will be held [date, time, location]. [Donations may be made to [organization].]
What to include
- His full name, nickname, age, city, and date of death
- Birth date, birthplace, and parents' names
- Military service, trade, work, or business
- Marriage and children, if applicable
- What he did with his time and what he was known for
- One specific, recognizable detail only family would know
- Surviving siblings, parents, and other family
- Service details and donation preference
Completed examples
Both examples below are fictional. They do not describe real people, and they are written to show length and structure rather than to be copied word for word.
Curtis Lane Bowman, 57, of Chattanooga, died on June 11, 2026.
Born March 2, 1969, in Cleveland, Tennessee, to Roy and Betty Bowman, he was a diesel mechanic for 30 years, most recently with Harmon Freight.
He is survived by his brothers, Dale Bowman and Roy Bowman Jr.; his sister, Tanya Ellis; and seven nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A graveside service will be held June 17 at 2 p.m. at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
Curtis Lane Bowman, 57, of Chattanooga, died on June 11, 2026.
Curt was born March 2, 1969, in Cleveland, Tennessee, to Roy and Betty Bowman, the third of four children and, by his own account, the only one raised correctly. He was a diesel mechanic for 30 years, the last eleven with Harmon Freight, and he was the person other mechanics called when they had run out of ideas.
He owned three trucks in his life and spoke about all of them in the present tense. He fished without patience and hunted without success, and he considered both outings a complete win if coffee was involved. He never once arrived anywhere on time and never once apologized for it.
He showed up, though. Every move, every breakdown, every funeral. If you called Curt at two in the morning, he answered, complained the entire drive, and fixed it.
He is survived by his brothers, Dale Bowman of Chattanooga and Roy Bowman Jr. of Knoxville; his sister, Tanya Ellis of Dalton; and seven nieces and nephews who were the true beneficiaries of his poor judgment about candy. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Betty.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on June 17 at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
Using humor without misjudging it
- Humor works when it is affectionate and specific. "He never once arrived anywhere on time" is funny because it is true and harmless.
- Humor fails when it requires context the reader does not have, or when the joke is at the expense of someone still living.
- Read any humorous line aloud to one other family member before publishing. If they hesitate, cut it.
- A serious closing line after a humorous middle usually lands well: "He showed up, though."
- If the family is divided about tone, the plain version is the safer default. Notices cannot be edited once printed.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Publishing an inside joke that reads as mockery to strangers
- Referring to addiction, prison, or estrangement without agreement from the whole family
- Forgetting to name a sibling, which is remembered far longer than anything else in the notice
- Writing entirely in a sibling voice when parents are still living and expect a conventional notice
When you are ready
Turn the finished wording into a printable program
The template above is free and always will be. If you also need a printed funeral program, memorial keepsake, and thank-you card, TributeReady drafts the wording with you, lets you edit every line, and produces print-ready files for a one-time $34.99. You can write and review the full draft before deciding.
Start a draft for freeQuestions families ask
- Can an obituary for a brother be funny?
- It can, and humorous obituaries written by siblings are often the ones people keep. The requirement is that the humor be true, affectionate, and safe for everyone still living. If a line would make his child uncomfortable at school, leave it out.
- How do I write about a brother I was estranged from?
- Stay factual. Give his name, dates, work, and survivors without characterizing the relationship. An obituary is a public record, not a place to settle or explain a rift, and a plain notice is not disrespectful.
- Who should be listed first among survivors?
- If he had a spouse and children, they are listed first, followed by parents if living, then siblings, then nieces and nephews. For an unmarried brother, parents or siblings usually come first. Consistency matters more than the exact order.
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Editorial note
TributeReady writes and reviews these templates for clarity, accuracy, and practical usefulness. Customs vary by family, faith community, newspaper, and funeral home, so confirm submission deadlines and word limits with whoever will publish the notice. All examples are fictional.