Obituary Examples and Inspiration for a Meaningful Tribute

Margaret Anne Sullivan, 81, of Burlington, Vermont, died peacefully on April 16, 2026, with her family at her side.

Born in Montpelier, Margaret worked as a hospital pharmacist for nearly four decades. She was known for her dry humor, the crosswords she finished in pen, and a soft spot for stray cats.

She is survived by her husband, Patrick; her sons, Daniel and Sean; four grandchildren; and her sister, Eileen. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 25, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Burlington. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society of Chittenden County.

Carol Ann Peterson, 72, of Madison, Wisconsin, died peacefully at home on March 3, 2026, after a short illness.

Carol was born on June 9, 1953, in Eau Claire to Robert and Joan Hanson. She married Gary Peterson in 1975, and together they raised three children in the same yellow house on the east side of Madison. For 28 years she was the school secretary at Lincoln Elementary, where she knew every student by name and kept a drawer of spare mittens for the ones who forgot theirs.

Carol’s love showed up in practical ways: packed lunches, handwritten notes, warm blankets, honest advice, and a porch light left on until everyone was home. She never missed a band concert or a birthday phone call, and she never let anyone leave her kitchen hungry.

She is survived by her husband, Gary; her children, Amy (Brian) Kowalski, Mark (Jenna) Peterson, and Laura Peterson; five grandchildren; and her brother, Tom Hanson. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 13, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Lakeview Funeral Home. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church. Memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Richard “Rick” Hayes, 67, of Boise, Idaho, died unexpectedly at home on February 19, 2026.

Rick was born on October 2, 1958, in Twin Falls, the youngest of four boys. He started framing houses the summer he turned 16 and later ran his own construction company for more than 30 years. Plenty of families in the Treasure Valley still live in homes he built square and true.

Rick was a father, husband, coach, and friend who believed in showing up early, keeping his word, and teaching by example — whether that was on a job site, a baseball field, or in his own kitchen. He coached Little League for 22 seasons and made the best Saturday pancakes in town.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Linda; his sons, Jake (Kristen) and Ben; his daughter, Emily (Carlos) Ortega; six grandchildren; and his brothers, Dave and Steve. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and June Hayes, and his brother Tom.

A celebration of Rick’s life will be held on Saturday, February 28, at 2:00 p.m. at the Riverside Community Center in Boise. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a local youth baseball program.

Patricia “Pat” Lee Foster, 70, of Scottsdale, Arizona, died on January 8, 2026, after living with ovarian cancer for two years. Her husband, Daniel, was at her side.

Pat was born on March 22, 1955, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was Daniel’s wife for 48 years and his partner in every sense: in work, in raising their family, in travel, in hard seasons, and in the small routines that made their house feel like a home everyone wanted to visit. Together they built a small accounting practice, raised two daughters, and visited all 50 states on road trips she planned with paper maps and color-coded notes.

Pat loved desert gardening, Friday-night card games with the neighbors, and a well-organized spreadsheet. Through two years of treatment, she kept planning trips and checking in on everyone else.

She is survived by her husband, Daniel; her daughters, Rachel (Kevin) Moss and Julia Foster; three grandchildren; and her sister, Karen Whitfield.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 17, at 11:00 a.m. at Desert Hills Community Church in Scottsdale. Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.

After 51 years of marriage, Anne Brennan said goodbye to her beloved husband, Michael Joseph Brennan, 76, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who died peacefully at home on May 21, 2026.

Michael was born on August 14, 1949, in Worcester. He served four years in the U.S. Navy, then spent 35 years as a letter carrier, walking the same route long enough to deliver birthday cards to the grandchildren of his first customers.

He was Anne’s steady place, her favorite storyteller, and the person who made ordinary mornings feel like a quiet gift. He fixed neighbors’ lawn mowers for free, never missed a Red Sox broadcast, and ended every phone call with “Love you, kid.”

In addition to Anne, he is survived by his sons, Kevin (Maria) and Patrick; his daughter, Colleen (Sean) Doyle; seven grandchildren; and his brother, Francis.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, May 28, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Holy Cross Funeral Home. A funeral service will take place on Friday, May 29, at 10:00 a.m., followed by burial with military honors. Memorial donations may be made to Disabled American Veterans.

Helen Louise (Brooks) Carter, 89, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died on June 30, 2026, surrounded by family.

Helen was born on November 3, 1936, in Dalton, Georgia. She married Harold Carter in 1957 and worked for many years as a seamstress, altering wedding dresses and hemming what she guessed were thousands of school pants.

To most she was Helen, but to her grandchildren she was Nana — keeper of recipes, birthday cards, holiday traditions, and stories that made the past feel close. Every grandchild left her house with a tin of pound cake and a reminder to call their mother.

She is survived by her children, James (Donna) Carter and Susan (Mark) Ellis; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Harold, and her sister, Ruth.

Visitation will be held on Monday, July 6, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and the funeral service on Tuesday, July 7, at 11:00 a.m., both at Chapel Hill Funeral Home. Flowers are welcome and may be sent to the funeral home.

Marcus Anthony Reed, 44, of Denver, Colorado, died on August 9, 2026, after a brief illness.

To know Marcus was to have someone in your corner. Born on April 18, 1982, in Kansas City, Missouri, he moved to Denver after college and worked as a sound engineer for concerts, church services, and every friend’s wedding that needed a microphone.

His friends will remember the long drives, the playlists made for every occasion, the careful questions, and the way he noticed when someone needed help before they ever asked. He mentored young musicians for free and never stopped believing a good song could fix most bad days.

Marcus is survived by his mother, Denise Reed; his sister, Tanya (Andre) Wallace; his nephew, Jordan; and a wide circle of friends he considered family.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 22, at 3:00 p.m. at Highland Community Hall in Denver. Bring a favorite song or story. Donations may be made to the Save The Music Foundation.

Dorothy Mae Williams, 84, of Jackson, Mississippi, went home to be with the Lord on July 12, 2026.

Dorothy was born on January 25, 1942, in Canton, Mississippi. She gave her life to Christ at the age of 12 and was a faithful member of Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church for more than 50 years, where she taught Sunday school, sang alto in the Senior Choir, and made sure no visitor left without a hug.

She retired after 31 years as a nurse’s aide and spent her retirement cooking Sunday dinners, visiting the sick, and praying over anyone who asked. Her favorite verse was 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

She leaves to cherish her memory her children, Gregory (Angela) Williams and Denise Harris; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; her sister, Lottie Johnson; and her church family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl.

A homegoing service will be held on Saturday, July 18, at 11:00 a.m. at Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church, with viewing one hour before the service. Burial will follow at Garden Memorial Park.

Joseph Anthony Russo, 88, of Cleveland, Ohio, died peacefully on September 4, 2026, surrounded by his family and strengthened by the sacraments of the Church.

Joseph was born on March 19, 1938, the feast of St. Joseph, to Italian immigrant parents. He worked for 40 years as a machinist and served his parish as an usher at the 7:30 a.m. Mass for nearly as long. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus and never missed the parish festival, where he ran the sausage stand.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Rose; his children, Anthony (Lisa) Russo, Maria (Paul) DeLuca, and Michael Russo; eleven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 9, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at DiNardo Funeral Home, with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, September 10, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Clare Church, followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Linda Marie Alvarez, 63, of San Antonio, Texas, died on April 2, 2026, with her husband and children beside her.

If you went to school on the west side of San Antonio in the last 35 years, there is a good chance Mrs. Alvarez taught you to read. Linda was born on December 12, 1962, in Laredo, the oldest of five, and knew by the age of ten that she wanted to be a teacher. She taught first grade for 35 years and kept every thank-you note she ever received in shoeboxes labeled by year.

Linda believed that every child deserved to be seen. She learned how each student liked their name pronounced, kept granola bars in her desk for anyone who missed breakfast, and showed up at graduations for children she had taught decades earlier. Years later, former students still stopped her at the grocery store to say hello.

At home, she was the center of every gathering. She made tamales every December with her sisters, danced at every wedding until the last song, and could turn an ordinary Tuesday dinner into a celebration. She and her husband, Ruben, spent 40 years tending the garden behind their house, where she grew tomatoes, peppers, and more roses than anyone could count.

Linda is survived by her husband, Ruben; her children, Daniel (Mia) Alvarez and Sofia (James) Garza; four grandchildren, who called her Lita; her mother, Esperanza Villarreal; and her brothers and sisters, Rosa, Carlos, Irma, and Joe. She was preceded in death by her father, Arturo Villarreal.

A celebration of Linda’s life will be held on Saturday, April 11, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish Hall, followed by food, music, and stories. In place of flowers, the family invites you to donate a children’s book to a local elementary school library in her name.