How to List Family in an Obituary

The traditional order is:

1. Spouse (with years married if significant, e.g., "wife of 50 years")
2. Children (in birth order, with spouses in parentheses)
3. Grandchildren (by name or count)
4. Great-grandchildren (if applicable)
5. Parents (if still living)
6. Siblings (with spouses, usually in birth order)
7. Extended family (nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins)
8. Special relationships (godchildren, close friends considered family)

Example:

"John is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Smith; his children, Sarah (Mark) Johnson, Michael (Lisa) Smith, and Jennifer (David) Martinez; his eight grandchildren: Emma, Jack, Olivia, Lucas, Noah, Ava, Lily, and Ethan; his sister, Patricia (Robert) Wilson; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends."

Formatting Rules:

• Use semicolons (;) to separate major groups (spouse, children, grandchildren, etc.)
• Use commas (,) to separate items within the same group
• List children's spouses in parentheses: "Sarah (Mark) Johnson"
• Use "and" before the last item in a list
• Capitalize proper names

Example:

"Margaret is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert Williams; her children, Patricia (Mark) Johnson, Robert Jr. (Susan) Williams, and Elizabeth (David) Martinez; her 12 grandchildren: Michael, Sarah, James, Emily, Daniel, Jessica, Matthew, Olivia, Noah, Ava, Lily, and Ethan; her sisters, Catherine (James) Thompson and Mary (John) Anderson; and numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends."

Key Points:

• List all children with their spouses
• For many grandchildren, list by name or use count format
• Include siblings with their spouses
• Use "numerous" for very large extended families

Example:

"Robert is survived by his wife, Linda Davis; his children from his first marriage, Michael (Sarah) Davis and Jennifer (Mark) Wilson; his stepchildren, David (Lisa) Martinez and Amanda (Tom) Anderson; his grandchildren, Emma, Jack, Olivia, Lucas, and Sophia; his brother, John (Patricia) Davis; and his stepmother, Margaret Davis."

Guidelines for Blended Families:

• List current spouse first
• Specify "children from first marriage" if needed for clarity
• List stepchildren separately or together based on family preference
• Include step-parents if they were close
• Be sensitive to family dynamics
• Consider listing all children together if relationships are harmonious

Example:

"Susan is survived by her children, Emily (Tom) Wilson and Matthew Johnson; her grandchildren, Lily and Noah; her parents, Robert and Patricia Smith; her siblings, Jennifer (Mark) Davis and Michael (Sarah) Smith; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends."

Guidelines:

• Start with children if applicable
• List parents if still living
• Include siblings with their spouses
• Include other close family members
• Focus on immediate family relationships

Example (with many grandchildren):

"William is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary; his children, John (Sarah), Patricia (Mark), Robert (Lisa), Elizabeth (David), and James (Amy); his 15 grandchildren; his 8 great-grandchildren; his brothers, Michael and David; and many nieces, nephews, and friends."

Guidelines for Large Families:

• Use counts for many grandchildren (e.g., "15 grandchildren")
• List great-grandchildren by count if there are many
• Group extended family together
• Use "many" or "numerous" for very large extended families
• Consider listing all grandchildren by name if space allows

Example:

"He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Margaret Smith; his brother, Thomas Smith; and his first wife, Mary Smith (2018)."

Guidelines:

• List in similar order to "survived by"
• Include year of death if significant or helpful for clarity
• Use "preceded in death by" (American) or "predeceased by" (British)
• Be sensitive about listing previous spouses
• Include parents, siblings, and other close family who have passed