Anatomy of an Obituary

The basic structure of an obituary can be divided into eight sections:

Announcement
Biographical
Predeceased
Survivor
Ceremonies or Services
Contributions or Flowers
Arrangements
Acknowledgements

The writer of an obituary may not use all eight sections. It depends on the purpose for writing the obituary in the first place. For example, an obituary that is written for publication in a newspaper or journal will likely include most or all of the sections. On the other hand, an obituary that is written as an assignment or personal development exercise will likely include only the biograhical, predeceased, and survivor sections.