Obituary for Fathers

We all live on borrowed time. People come and go so unexpectedly, we sometimes forget that nothing really lasts as long as we hoped they would. Surely, losing someone dear to us can be a heartbreaking experience, but it’s something we need to accept in order to continue on with our lives. Obituary writing may not be for everyone, especially if it’s for a beloved parent, but showing gratitude and respect towards the deceased and those who have been a part of his or her life is all part of the healing process.

• Catholic Obituary Examples
• How to Write a Newspaper Obituary Examples

Obituary Examples for Fathers

Losing a father is already difficult as it is, so writing a eulogy and preparing an obituary could be the last thing on your mind right now. But it wouldn’t seem right to let your local newspaper do the writing for you, as obituaries are meant to be more personal in nature. While a newspaper obituary can help you compose your obituary properly by providing its general structure, the process of filling in personal details is all in your hands.

So to help you out, we have provided a few samples of obituaries for fathers. These are as follows:

Example #1

Alex Gene Barakat, 56, of Spokane, Washington, succumbed to cancer at the comfort of his own home surrounded by his family on June 5, 2011.

Alex is survived by his wife Lisa of 25 years, daughters Lizzie Barakat, Jasmine (Michael) Smith, son Jackson (Annabelle) Barakat, stepson Karl (Christy) Johnson, parents Zack and Claudia Barakat, brother Ben (Cynthia) Barakat, sisters Farrah Barakat and Emily (John) Cobain, and many loving grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family. Alex was a loving father, husband, grandfather, and friend to everyone.

Alex loved sports, especially baseball, where his favorite team was the Washington Nationals. He worked as a general contractor for 30 years, but was forced to give up the career he loved due to his health. He spent his free time watching various sports games live and on TV; and he played football, baseball and basketball almost every weekend. He also enjoyed movies and reading during off-season. Alex was always there to help relatives and friends with household projects, coached different sports or whatever else people needed him for.

A special thank you to the people at Horizon Hospice in Spokane for their loving care and support during his final days. Also, the family would like to extend their sincerest gratitude towards Hennessey Funeral Home & Crematory for being very accommodating and understanding during this difficult time.

Visitation will be from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at Hennessey Funeral Home & Crematory on Monday, June 13. Funeral services for Alex will be a St Peter’s Catholic Church in Spokane on Wednesday, June 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Alex will be laid to rest at the Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane, Washington. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society PO Box 555, 2321 West 20th Street, Washington, DC 55555.

Example #2

Harry James Weasley, 73, of Orlando, Florida, passed away, Thursday, April 12, 2012 at his home surrounded by close family and friends.

A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, April 14 at Good Life Funeral Home & Cremation, 8408 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32817. The burial will follow soon after at Chapel Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00 until 9:00 PM, Friday at the funeral home. 

Harry was born March 12, 1939 in Miami, Florida to Liam and Anne (Twist) Weasley. He graduated from Miami Jackson High School in 1954 and from the University of Miami in 1959. On January 16, 1960, he married his former partner Bethany Ava Williams in Miami. Harry was employed as a real estate agent for ten years, and was one of the region’s leading agents. After legally separating from his former wife in 1972, he opened his own restaurant business and remarried the late Jennifer (Kudrow) Weasley. He enjoyed working night and day in his office, and only retired a few years prior to his passing. He was an avid boater and a member of the Miami Yacht Club. He spent most of his weekends fishing out on the lake and water sailing. He also enjoyed reading old novels, golfing at the local country club, and spending time with his children and grandchildren whenever he could.

Harry is survived by his two sons, Louis William Weasley and his wife Edina of Miami, FL, Joey Ross Weasley and his wife Courtney of Sarasota, FL, and daughter Kendra Weasley of Miami, FL; two grandchildren, Indiana and Lea Weasley, his sisters Barbra (Kyle) Jones of Orlando, FL and Amanda (Luke) Clifford, along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Liam and Anne, and his wife Jennifer Weasley in 2006.

Example #3

Ben Jorge Hood, age 80, of San Francisco, California, died Monday morning, July 12, 2010 surrounded by his family at his beloved home. Born January 19, 1930, in Los Angeles, California, he was the son of the late Brad P. Hood and Angelina L. (Pitt) Hood.

Ben was a respected defense lawyer and 1/2 of the Hood & Hernandez Law Firm. He worked on many cases and started the New Hope foundation, which aims to protect falsely accused individuals, in 1980. In his spare time, he enjoyed bowling and hiking with his friends and family. 

Ben is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Marian Jane Hood; along with five children; Patrick and Luke Hood of San Diego, California, Michael and Jess Hood of San Francisco, California, Ashton and Andrea Hood of Miami, Florida, Aubrey and Kenny Kutcher of Palm Springs, California, and Cassandra Hood of Vancouver, Canada; six grandchildren, Michaela Hood, Caitlyn Hood, Allison Hood, Britney Kutcher, and Amanda Kutcher; and many loving nieces, nephews, and relatives.

Memorial services for Ben Hood will be held at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, July 14, 2010 St. Paul’s Catholic Church on 221 Valley St, San Francisco, CA 94131. Burial will follow in San Francisco National Cemetery on 1 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129. Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday from 8:00 until 7:00 PM and Wednesday from 8:00 until 11:00 AM at Valencia Street Serra Mortuary. Serving as pallbearers will be Skylar, Jenny, Allison, Michael and Andrea. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Red Cross PO Box 3930, Seattle, Washington 83922.

Example #4

Charles Matthew Rogers, 92, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Charles was born January 30, 1922 to Scott and Cheska (Michel) Rogers in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest of four children. He graduated from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in 1941.

Charles served in the U.S. military in WWII as a medic. He met his beautiful bride and wife of 65 years, Kate Angelie Johansson, in the war and they were later married in Springfield, Illinois.

In 1960, Charles began his lifetime career in the automotive industry, moving to Chicago 2 years after, where he managed a Honda dealership. He managed the same dealership company another 30 years until his retirement in 1992. Apart from managing his company, Charles enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He loved to go fishing, hiking, and bowling whenever he had the time. He also spent most of his years volunteering at the local community center.

Charles is survived by his wife, Kate; daughters, Emma (Andrew) Smith and Scarlet (Tony) Ford; son Anthony (Pearl) Rogers; grandchildren, Joshua Smith, Ellie Ford, Joey, Talia, and Julia Rogers; brothers, Manuel and Chad Rogers; sisters, Kathryn Perry, Catherine Jones and Kayla Smith; cousins Joseph, Jeffrey, Felix, Hanna, and Amy; and numerous nieces and nephews. Charles was preceded in death by his parents and older sister, Amy Wilkinson.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 21, 2014 at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church at 1:00 PM with Reverend John DioGiovanni officiating. Burial will follow at Lakewood Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 3:00 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at Turner and Washburn-Mc Reavy Funeral Chapel in Minneapolis. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul United Church or the Heart Society of America. Those wishing to sign the guest book may do so through his son, Anthony, by calling 555-2981. 

How to Write an Obituary for Fathers

Nobody wants to write an obituary in honor of their father. But like every other thing in this world, the life we live is only temporary.

When writing an obituary, you need to know what to include and what to omit. While an individual’s personal upbringing, education, career history, interests, and hobbies may seem like a common description to add, these details are merely optional to the preference of the deceased individual’s family or per request prior to one’s passing. The process of writing an obituary for a mother or a father is an overwhelming experience to start with. So to guide you through this, here are a few steps to follow:

1. List down words that describe your father. Think of a few words that best describe your father. Don’t worry about sounding a bit cliché with your choice of words, as what matters most is how you communicate with your audience. Make sure to choose an individual’s most significant qualities, then you may narrow them down to a stronger few.
2. Write an opening paragraph. Your opening paragraph should give others a gist of what and who the obituary is about. However, you may want to consider how much detail you give out. While the amount of information you provide is solely up to you, you need to make sure this paragraph stays as informative as possible to refrain from further questions being asked.
3. Include a brief biography. From your father’s date of birth to his college life, career, and achievements. Anything that was a huge part of your father’s life will do. Important details must also be emphasized in the obituary. You don’t need to make this portion too specific nor lengthy, as a brief description would be enough to send the right message across.
4. Choose a story that illustrates one’s qualities. From the words you have chosen in the first step, you can then add an anecdote to support such qualities. For example, when describing your father as a “courageous” man, you can point out the sacrifices he made in his time in the military. Again, you don’t need to go deep into the story as long as you’re being clear with your words.
5. Make a list of extended family members. Most personal obituaries mention the name of immediate family members and relatives. So if space permits, you can add everyone’s names to your writing.
6. Provide funeral information and donation requests. Finally, one of the most important parts of an obituary is the memorial or funeral service details. Providing complete information for public services will spare you from multiple phone calls and text messages regarding the said service. Similarly, if you wish to include donation requests, provide the necessary details accordingly to avoid any mishaps.

Writing an obituary for your father is far from easy. You need to make sure your obituary captures who the deceased was and how much he meant to the people around him. So to help you in this writing process, you can refer to the examples given to put your mind and heart at ease.