Obituary Examples for a Son

No parent should have to write a son's obituary; it is the wrong order of things, and no arrangement of words will set it right. The examples below are not here to instruct you, only to sit beside you while you find your own — short and dignified, personal and warm, or faith-centred. The empty page is a little less empty with something already on it.

Short and dignified

Ruan Petrus Coetzee, 34, of Bloemfontein, died on 14 July 2026 after a short illness. Born on 2 February 1992, Ruan trained as a diesel mechanic and worked at the same Willows workshop for eleven years. He spent his Saturdays under the bonnet of his father's old Cortina, and it still starts on the first turn. He was quiet, exact, and generous with his time, and he never let a neighbour's car sit broken in a driveway for long. Ruan is survived by his parents, Petrus and Hannelie; his brother, Wynand; and his partner, Chané. A service will be held at the AGS Kerk, Universitas, on Friday 18 July at 10:00. The family asks that you bring no flowers, only the stories you have of him.

Personal and warm

Sizwe Emmanuel Dlamini, 29, left us on 9 July 2026, far too soon. Born in Umlazi on 6 March 1997, Sizwe was the one who phoned home every evening on his walk from the taxi rank, so his mother always knew the exact moment he was safe. He worked in logistics at the harbour and studied part-time towards his degree, and he taught his niece, Amahle, to ride her bicycle up and down the driveway until the training wheels came off. He laughed with his whole body. He remembered everyone's birthday. Sizwe is survived by his mother, Nomsa; his father, Bheki; his sisters, Zinhle and Londiwe; and a family that does not yet know how the evenings will sound without his call. We will miss the phone ringing at six.

Faith-centred

Bongani Joseph Zondi, 45, of Pietermaritzburg, died on 11 July 2026. Born on 20 September 1980, Bongani gave his Sundays to the church he loved — he drove the parish minibus, fetching the older members from Imbali before first service and taking them home after the last hymn. He was a steady man of deep faith, an usher, and a father who prayed with his children each night at the foot of their beds. He read from the leather Bible his grandmother pressed into his hands at his confirmation, its spine long since mended with tape. Bongani is survived by his parents, Joseph and Thembi; his wife, Precious; and his children, Sneli and Lwazi. A service of thanksgiving will be held at St Mary's, Imbali, on Saturday 19 July at 09:00. We commend him gently to God.

Writing tips for a son's obituary

One ordinary Saturday says more than a whole life summary. 'Kept his father's Cortina running' reaches people in a way that 'hardworking and kind' never will.
Write in a parent's voice, not an official one. You are allowed to call him 'our boy' on the page; you do not have to sound composed.
You can name the wrong order of things plainly. 'Far too soon' is honest, and no one reading will think less of you for the ache in it.
Agree as a family on a single line about how he died — 'after a short illness', 'suddenly at home' — and stop there. The details belong to you, not to the notice.

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Common questions

How long should an obituary for a son be?+

There is no correct length. A dignified notice of eighty words is as loving as a full page — write what you can manage today. Many families print a short death notice now and a fuller tribute for the funeral programme later, when there is more time to think.

Do we have to say how he died?+

No. You are never obliged to give a cause. 'After a short illness', 'suddenly', or simply the date is complete and dignified. Share more only if putting it in words helps you, and only when you are ready to.

I cannot find the words. May I ask someone else to write it?+

Yes. Ask a sibling, a close friend, or your funeral director to draft it and read it back to you. Your part can be as small as choosing the one memory that matters most and nodding at the rest — it is still your tribute to him.