Faith · free template

Obituary Submission Form

Submit obituary details for publication with biography text, service information and a photo upload.

A ready-to-use faith & congregations form for small teams who need a reliable intake process: 14 questions, 2 pages, 2 conditional rules.

Questions
14
Pages
2
Layouts
classic · card
Time to complete
≈ 8 min
Conditional rules
2
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Live preview and test console

This is the real form. Answer it to test the 1 conditional rule — nothing is sent or stored.

Page 1 of 2 — Obituary details

Obituary submission

Attach a file — the size limit is shown below.

Any file type up to 50 MB (larger files are rejected) · uploads are saved on the live form

Preferred usage

Every question on this page is currently visible.

Compliance checklist

Ready to publish
  • Payment items priced — passingEvery payment question charges a real amount, so a submission always records a payment.
  • Conditional logic resolves — passingEvery rule points at a question or page that exists in this template.
  • Legal text not required — passingThis template collects neither health nor regulated financial information.
  • Question labels unique — passingLogic and exports address questions by label, so duplicates are ambiguous.

What happens after submit: nothing is stored in this preview. On your own copy, every response triggers an instant email notification and lands in your response dashboard, ready to export or forward.

Happy with it? Take a copy into your workspace — every question, rule and setting comes with it.

Who this template is for

Obituary Submission Form is built for small teams who need a reliable intake process who need to collect the same complete information from everyone.

  • Small teams who need a reliable intake process working in faith & congregations.
  • Teams who need to collect the same complete information from everyone without writing code or paying for a custom build.
  • Anyone replacing chasing missing details over email with one structured record per enquiry.
  • Respondents are the people you send it to — the form asks them 14 questions across 2 screens.
  • Mobile-heavy audiences, thanks to the one-question-per-screen card layout.

Why this form is useful

It removes the cost of chasing missing details over email and turns each submission into a record your team can act on immediately.

  • 6 questions are required, so submissions arrive complete instead of needing a follow-up email.
  • It collects a verified email address so replies and confirmations land.
  • It captures a phone number for urgent follow-up.
  • It accepts a document or photo upload as evidence.
  • It pins the request to a specific date.
  • Conditional logic hides 2 questions until they are relevant — shorter forms convert better than long ones.
  • Splitting the form across 2 pages keeps each screen short and shows respondents how much is left.
  • Every response is stored, searchable and exportable, so nothing depends on one person's inbox.

How to use this template

From copy to live form is a few minutes of work, and every step is reversible.

  1. 1Press “Use this template” — a fresh copy of Obituary Submission Form lands in your workspace, ready to edit.
  2. 2Rename or delete any question, and change what is required. Nothing here is fixed.
  3. 3Open Notifications and add the email addresses that should be alerted on each submission; add an auto-reply to the respondent if the form collects an email address.
  4. 4Check the upload limits on the file question so respondents can attach what you actually need.
  5. 5Publish it, then either share the link directly or paste the embed snippet into your site — the embedded form resizes to fit and loads no marketing or advertising trackers.
  6. 6Watch responses land in Submissions, where you can filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF.

Logic and conditions blueprint

Exactly how this form behaves as it is answered — 2 conditional rules ship with it.

  • Features advanced show logic: if “Will there be a public service?” is Yes, the form dynamically exposes “Service date, time and location”. Otherwise that question never appears.
  • Features conditional validation: if “In lieu of flowers, should donations go to a charity?” is Yes, “Charity name and mailing address” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent.
  • All 2 rules are editable in the Logic tab, and the built-in checker warns about rules that contradict each other.

About this template

Collecting obituary details from a grieving family works best when the form is calm, clearly organized and doesn't ask for more than is needed to write and publish a notice. This form separates the practical facts a publication needs — full name, dates, and survivors — from the biography text itself, so the family can write the life story in their own words without worrying about formatting the factual details correctly. A section for service information covers whether there will be a visitation, funeral or memorial service, with date, time and location fields that only appear once a service type is chosen, since many families opt for a private service with no public gathering to list. A photo upload lets the family submit the image they'd like used, and a note about preferred usage (print, online, or both) helps a publication route the submission correctly. An optional memorial donation field lets the family name a charity in lieu of flowers, a detail many obituaries include and one that's easy to lose track of if it isn't asked for directly. This form does not write the obituary or offer guidance on funeral arrangements — it only organizes what the family already wants said so it reaches the publication accurately and completely.

What this form asks

Every question is editable — rename it, make it optional, or delete it entirely.

Page 1 — Obituary details

  • Full name of the deceasedrequired
  • Date of birth
  • Date of passingrequired
  • Biography and life storyrequired
  • Survived by (family members)
  • Photo for publication
  • Preferred usage

Page 2 — Service & submission contact

  • Will there be a public service?required
  • Service date, time and location
  • In lieu of flowers, should donations go to a charity?
  • Charity name and mailing address
  • Submitted by (contact name)required
  • Contact emailrequired
  • Contact phone

14 questions in total.

How the form changes as it's filled in

This template ships with 2 conditional rules, grouped into 2 behaviours driven by 2 questions. Everything below is already set up — edit or delete any rule once the template is in your workspace.

Driven by “Will there be a public service?”

  • Reveals questions

    If “Will there be a public service?” is Yes, the form reveals “Service date, time and location”.

Driven by “In lieu of flowers, should donations go to a charity?”

  • Makes answers required

    If “In lieu of flowers, should donations go to a charity?” is Yes, “Charity name and mailing address” becomes required before the form can be submitted.

Set it up step by step

  1. 1

    Keep factual and narrative fields separate

    Separating dates and names from the biography text makes it easier for a publication to format the notice correctly.

  2. 2

    Only ask about service details once chosen

    Many families opt for a private service, so keep the location fields hidden unless a public service is confirmed.

  3. 3

    Confirm photo usage rights

    Ask the family to confirm they have the right to share the photo submitted, especially for older or professionally taken images.

  4. 4

    Give a submission contact a way to be reached

    A contact name and phone number lets the publication follow up quickly with formatting questions before print deadlines.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Requiring service location details even when the family has chosen a private service.
  • Not confirming preferred usage, which can lead to a photo or biography appearing somewhere the family didn't intend.
  • Missing a submission contact, leaving no way to reach the family with a last-minute formatting question.

What it pairs with

Most teams don't run this form on its own. These are the forms and systems it sits next to.

What to do with the responses

Confirm receipt with the submitting contact, check the biography and service details against any print deadline, and share a proof before publication if possible.

Works in both layouts

Browse classic templatesBrowse card templates

Forms that overlap this one

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Frequently asked questions

Can I submit this without a photo?

Yes, the photo upload is optional — the biography and factual details can be submitted and published without one.

What if the family doesn't want a public service listed?

Choose the private service option and the location fields stay hidden, so nothing is published that the family didn't intend to share.

Can we list a charity for memorial donations?

Yes, selecting that option reveals a field for the charity's name and mailing address so it's included accurately.

Who should be listed as the submission contact?

Whoever the publication or funeral home should reach with formatting questions — often a family member or funeral home staff member, not necessarily the biography's author.

Is the Obituary Submission Form template free to use?

Yes. You can preview and test Obituary Submission Form on this page without an account, and take a copy into your own HelloForms workspace on the free plan. There is nothing to install and no card required to publish it.

What does the Obituary Submission Form template ask for?

It asks 14 questions across 2 pages, 6 of which are required. Every question is listed in full further down this page, and each one can be renamed, reordered, made optional or deleted after you copy the template.

Can I edit the Obituary Submission Form form after copying it?

Yes — the copy is entirely yours. Change wording, add or remove questions, switch between the classic and card layouts, restyle it to match your brand, and set who gets notified on each submission.

How does the conditional logic in this faith & congregations form work?

2 conditional rules ship with the template: Features advanced show logic: if “Will there be a public service?” is Yes, the form dynamically exposes “Service date, time and location”. Otherwise that question never appears. Features conditional validation: if “In lieu of flowers, should donations go to a charity?” is Yes, “Charity name and mailing address” becomes mandatory before the form can be sent. All 2 rules are editable in the Logic tab, and the built-in checker warns about rules that contradict each other. All rules are editable in the Logic tab.

Where do responses to the Obituary Submission Form form go?

Submissions land in your workspace under Submissions, where you can search, filter, label and export them to CSV or PDF. You can also email a notification to your team on every submission and send the respondent an auto-reply.

Can I embed the Obituary Submission Form form on my own website?

Yes. Publish the form and paste the embed snippet into any page or share the direct link. The embedded form resizes to fit its container and loads no advertising or marketing trackers inside the iframe.

Can respondents upload files?

Yes. This template includes a file upload question, so respondents can attach documents or photos with their answers. You can adjust the accepted file types and size limits on that question.

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