Funeral Program Wording Examples, by Section

Below are ready-to-copy wording examples for every section of a funeral program: the cover, the order of service, the obituary, acknowledgements, and the closing page. Pick the lines that fit and change the names and details — nothing here requires a religious tradition you don’t observe, and every quoted line is checked to be safe to print (see public-domain readings for anything longer than a short phrase).

What goes on the cover?

Cover wording options

Element	Example wording
Title line (religious)	"In Loving Memory of" / "In Remembrance of" / "A Service of Worship and Thanksgiving for the Life of"
Title line (non-religious)	"Celebration of the Life of" / "Remembering" / just the name, set large
Name and dates	"Margaret Anne Torres, March 4, 1948 – September 20, 2026"
Optional subtitle	"Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Friend"

How do you word the order of service?

List each part in the order it actually happens, with the person’s name attached wherever there is one. The section labels differ by tradition — a Catholic Mass program and a Celebration of Life program don’t use the same headings. See the tradition-specific templates for the exact structure:

• Catholic funeral program template — Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Final Commendation.
• Homegoing program template — Processional, Scripture and Prayer, Musical Selections, Acknowledgements, Eulogy, Recessional.
• Celebration of Life program template — Welcome, Life Story, Speakers, Closing (no fixed order required).

A generic order-of-service block that works for most Protestant/Christian services:

Prelude
Processional
Opening Prayer — [Officiant name]
Hymn — "[Title]"
Scripture Reading — [Reader name], [Passage]
Eulogy — [Speaker name]
Special Music — [Performer name], "[Title]"
Message — [Officiant name]
Closing Hymn — "[Title]"
Benediction
Recessional

How do you write a short obituary for a program?

Keep it shorter than a full newspaper obituary — three to six sentences is typical for a program insert, since the printed obituary supplements a fuller one that may run separately.

[Full name], age [XX], of [City, State], passed away on [Date]. [He/She/They] was born on [Date] in [City, State] to [Parent names]. [He/She/They] is survived by [key relationships: spouse, children, grandchildren]. [One or two sentences: career, hobby, or defining quality — “spent 30 years teaching third grade” or “was never happier than with a fishing rod in hand”]. [He/She/They] will be deeply missed.

How do you word acknowledgements and thank-yous?

The family of [Name] wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to [specific group(s): the doctors and nurses of Cedar Grove Hospice, Pastor [Name] and the congregation of [Church], and all who have offered prayers, meals, and comfort during this time].

If the family would rather not name specific groups:

The family of [Name] is grateful for every kindness shown during this difficult time.

What goes on the back page?

A closing reading, verse, or short quote, plus practical information if you want it there (the officiant’s name, the funeral home, or reception details). For the reading itself, link to or copy from Candlefold’s public-domain readings page rather than reprinting something found on Pinterest or Etsy without checking whether it’s actually free to print — many “funeral poem” pages online don’t check this themselves.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 23:1, King James Version

What if the service is non-religious?

Every block above works without a religious reference — swap “In Loving Memory” for “Celebration of the Life of,” skip the scripture reading in favor of a favorite poem or quote, and see the Celebration of Life program template for a full structure built around exactly this situation.

Questions families ask

What goes on the cover?

A title line (In Loving Memory of, Celebration of the Life of, or simply the person's name), their full name, and their birth and death dates. A photo is common but optional.

How do you word the order of service?

List each part in the order it happens, with names attached (officiant, readers, musicians). The exact labels depend on the tradition — see the cross-links below for Catholic, Homegoing, and Celebration of Life specifics.

How do you write a short obituary for a program?

Shorter than a newspaper obituary: name, age, key relationships (survived by...), one or two life highlights, and where they lived. Three to six sentences is typical for a program insert.

How do you word acknowledgements and thank-yous?

Name specific groups (medical staff, clergy, close friends) where you can, and keep it warm and brief. A generic thank-you line is fine too if a family doesn't want to single anyone out.

What goes on the back page?

A closing reading, a verse, or a short quote, plus the officiant's or funeral home's information if you want it there. Link to a verified public-domain text rather than pasting one you found online without checking it.

What if the service is non-religious?

Every wording block below works without a religious reference. Use 'In Loving Memory' or 'Celebration of the Life of' rather than a phrase tied to a specific faith, and see the Celebration of Life template for a full non-religious structure.

Sources

This page is Candlefold’s own wording guidance rather than reporting on a third party’s claims, so it has no external sources to cite for the wording itself. Order-of-service section names are cross-checked against each tradition’s dedicated page — see the Catholic and Homegoing pages for their named reviewer credits once recruited, and the public-domain readings page for reading sources.