How To Announce A Death On Facebook (2024)

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Making a death announcement on Facebook can feel awkward, but it’s actually one of the best places you can announce the passing of a loved one. Announcing a death on Facebook immediately notifies your friends, family and community and easily gives them the option to share the post with others. This means that people who aren’t your immediate friends or family will be able to see the post or hear the news through their connections on Facebook, helping to ensure that everyone who would want to know about the death can learn about it without a ton of work on your part..

Some of the things to consider when making a Facebook post about the death of a loved one are:

• Ask friends and family to share the information. Ask your loved ones to share your post with their community. Think about all the people you know that your parents don’t know that you know -- this is usually the same for most individuals. Many people have friends, communities, and acquaintances that their family members aren’t aware of. Asking those around you to share your post and spread the news will help others learn of the death and can also help you raid money quicker.
• Write your Facebook post about the death of a loved one carefully and with the possible audiences in mind. The wording of a death announcement can sometimes be the very first way someone finds out about a death. Try to deliver this news thoughtfully and carefully, keeping in mind that some readers will be much closer to the deceased than others.
• If there are events, include the details. If there are memorial or funeral events that you’ve already set up, you can include this information in your death announcement.
• Link to your memorial website. Provide a link to your memorial website in your Facebook post so that family and friends can easily visit the page to learn more about the person and the events you may or may not have planned. They’ll be able to easily find event details once you’ve included them by clicking on the Events tab.
• Let people know how they can help. Many friends and family want to do their best to provide support after someone has passed away. Support can come in many forms, so preemptively providing suggestions on how others can help can ensure you’re getting support where you need it. If you need financial assistance after a death has occurred, including that in the death announcement is a great time to do so. Include the link to your memorial fundraiser so that folks can easily donate upon reading about the death.

What to expect when posting about death on social media

Death brings up a lot of feelings for a lot of people -- even though everyone's experience of grief is different, you're likely to receive some well-intentioned, but potentially hurtful comments from those surrounding you. If you have a public Facebook or a large community, you're likely to receive many questions after making a Facebook post about the death of a loved one. For example, if the passing was sudden or unexpected, individuals may feel inclined to ask, "How did it happen?" It's up to you to determine how much information you're comfortable releasing to people (and you may feel more comfortable sharing some bits of information and not others), but you can prepare for this in advance by setting up a memorial website. Memorial websites allow you to keep all of this information in one place -- the obituary, the cause of death, funeral and event announcements, fundraising efforts, and a place for you to collect photos and memories.

You can pre-emptively address questions you may receive after announcing a death on Facebook by including this information either in your post or on the memorial website you set up. Examples include:

• Include information about event services. If there are private services or no services planned, let people know this on the memorial website or in the obituary.
• Include information about the cause of death (if you're comfortable with it) and the type of method of disposition. If people want to know where they can visit a gravesite or a columbarium, give them the address.
• Let folks know if you need assistance with fundraising efforts or if there is a specific organization you're requesting donations be made towards.
• In your Facebook post, include a link to where they can read the obituary. If you've never written an obituary, here are some examples to guide you.

Facebook death announcement samples

Here are some examples of death announcement wording you can use when posting about a death on Facebook. These death announcement templates are customizable to your needs. Here is how to announce a death on Facebook and examples for your use:

Example 1

Hi everyone. Last night [first name] passed away after an unexpected accident. This loss is completely devastating. For those of you who knew [first name], you know how [description of deceased] [he/she] was. We are putting together details regarding upcoming events, so please stay connected on our memorial website, where we’ll be updating all of the important information. If you can, we also are accepting donations to help fund [name’s] funeral services, since we are unprepared. You can donate at [name]’s memorial website, here: [link to memorial website]

Create a memorial fundraiser

Example 2

Posting about your immediate family members can be especially difficult when sharing this information on social media. Here's an example of how to announce the death of a mother on Facebook:

Our beautiful mother passed away a few days ago after a long battle with [illness]. We will be holding services for [name] at [location] on [date] at [time]. All are welcome to join us in remembering [name]’s wonderful and inspiring life. You can RSVP for the event here: [link to website]

Collect RSVPs

Example 3

Friends and family, I’m writing this post with a heavy heart. [Full name], age [age] passed away on [date]. Always [laughing/smiling/joking/description], [first name] filled the lives of those around [him/her] with [love/joy/positivity/description]. While we knew [first name] was nearing the end, nothing can prepare you for the death of a loved one. We are asking those close to us to post their favorite photos and share their favorite memories of [first name], here: [link to website]

Gather memories

Example 4

I know I don’t normally post much, but I wanted to share that my [brother/sister/father/mother/relation] passed away yesterday. [He/she] was [age] and a [wonderful/caring/loving/important/adjective] person. I have never had to deal with a death in my family and am looking to you all for support.

Post an obituary

Example 5

Hey everyone. Today we lost [full name], [he/she] was [age]. [Name] has been battling [illness] for the past [amount] years and [his/her] fight ended with bravery. [Name] requested a celebration of life and that the event be filled with joy and not despair. We are honoring this request and will have a celebration of life at [location] on [date] at [time]. Please come wearing your favorite [hat/jersey/color/item of clothing] in memory of [name]! You can RSVP and stay up to date at the memorial website we created for [name]: [link to site]

Share event details

Example 6

[Full name], age [age], has passed away. Our family welcomes any and all who would like to attend [name]’s funeral, which is TBD. [Full name] was active in our community and [his/her] loss is deeply felt. Please note that our family is [religion] and requests that [specific religious practices, such as no flowers]. We would love to see any photos and hear any stories you have about [name]. Please feel free to share these on the memorial website we set up: [link]

Share memories

Example 7

Hi all! As most of you know by now, [full name] passed away on [date]. [First name] was adamant that we hold a [celebration of life / party / event type] in their honour at their favorite pub, [pub/bar name]. We will be meeting up at [location] on [date] at [time] and ask that you come ready to share in remembering the amazing life of [name]. [He/she] wouldn’t want us to mourn and instead would want us all to come together and celebrate [his/her] memory. Much love.

Share celebration of life details

Example 8

This is a difficult post for me to write, but yesterday my family lost [our father/mother/parent/relationship] after an unexpected accident. We are struggling to cover the unexpected funeral costs and could really use your help. I know [name] touched the lives of so many people and we want to give [him/her] a service that reflects that. If you’re unable to help financially, please don’t hesitate to visit [his/her] memorial website and share some favorite memories or photos. Thank you to all.

Collect donations

Example 9

With great difficulty, our family is announcing the passing of our beloved [grandma/grandpa/matriarch/relationship type], who left this earth yesterday, at the age of [age]. [First name] lived a full and inspiring life, one that we will try to emulate as long as we live. We are holding an ash spreading ceremony at [location], one of [name]’s favorite places. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP at the memorial website, where we will provide additional information in the coming days: [link to website]

Share memorial details

Example 10

[Full name] died on [date] from injuries sustained in a [accident description]. Since [name] was young, only [age], we are obviously unprepared for this loss and the costs associated with it. Our family wants to give [first name] a beautiful memorial, one that [he/she] deserved. If you’re able to, we would greatly appreciate any donations or contributions you can make to help us with this goal. You can donate online at our memorial fundraiser, here: [link to fundraiser] If you’re not able to donate, we completely understand and hope that you will still share some of your favorite moments or memories that you shared with [name].

Example 11

Friends and family, I write to you today to announce the death of [Full name] -- [he/she] was [age]. This is not a post I was expecting to write, but it's nonetheless one that has to be written. [Name] passed away unexpectedly after [cause of death]. Anyone who knew me, knew how much [Name] meant to me and how much this loss will affect my life and my family. Please visit the memorial website we've set up for [Name] for more information about services, events, and to contribute to the memorial fundraiser we've started for [him/her]: [link]

Create a funeral fundraiser

You can mix and match parts of any of these death announcement wordings to fit your style and your needs. The important part is to alert folks of the passing, give them necessary information, and let them know how they can help, if needed.

How to announce funeral arrangements on Facebook

When figuring out how to announce a death in the family, it's worth considering how to also announce funeral arrangements. If you're following these social media death announcement examples, chances are you may be looking for information on how to also alert folks about the services related to the passing.

One important thing to note after announcing a death on Facebook is that you're likely to be inundated with questions from friends and family. Many of them will have questions and many questions are often related to services. If you've already tackled announcing a death on Facebook, you can easily follow this up with a post on services. You can find a Facebook funeral announcement sample below:

Friends and family, you all have most likely heard about [Name]'s passing. I wanted to take this time to inform everyone of the services that we have planned for [Name]. A funeral service will be held on [date] at [time] at [location], RSVPs are requested so that we can plan and prepare for the right number of attendees. Please RSVP here: [link to website]

While a death announcement post on Facebook is easily shared, it still has the possibility to miss certain audiences that otherwise would’ve found it had they searched online. Setting up a memorial website is a free and easy way to keep everyone informed and in the loop regarding upcoming events and fundraising needs. Memorial websites are also posted on Google and other major search engines within a few days of posting, making it easy for others to find the online obituary. It’s also simple to share them with people who are not on Facebook via email and/or text message.

Create a memorial website