The funeral notice
There are two ways to approach writing the funeral notice. Both approaches are equally correct. Just consider what is right for you and the person who has died.
- You can provide the 'who, what, where and when', that is, only the necessary facts.
- You can provide an historical statement, a notice that many will cut out from the paper and keep. In addition to the who, what, where and when, this type of notice generally includes dates of birth and death and all immediate family names and may be worded in a way that reflects something of the essence of the person and the relationship others had with them.
Below are some examples of meaningful phrases for the funeral notice. Your funeral director is also available to help you write a notice.
Remember that newspapers will only accept a funeral notice from your funeral director.
Finding the right words
The following phrases, verses and poems may help you prepare the funeral notice, service sheet or bookmark.
- Rest in peace
- Always remembered
- Remembered with love
- At rest
- Peace at last
- A patient sufferer at rest
- Requiescat in pace
- Forever in our hearts
- Peace after suffering
- The pain of our loss shows us what he's given us
- The long day closes
- Goodbye my darling
- So mote it be
- Lest we forget
- Cherished memories
- Love does not end
- Real love does not die
- In God's care
- Safe in the arms of Jesus
- God has you in his keeping. We have you in our hearts.
- I go and prepare a place for you
- In heavenly love abiding
- The busy world hushed, the fever of life is over
- Beyond the sunset, eternal joy
- May the light of God surround you, the love of God enfold you
- Gone too soon
- Peace, perfect peace
- So dearly loved, so sadly missed
- Death is only a horizon
- Laughter will follow tears
- Thanks for the memories
- Will be sadly missed
- Till we meet again
- We'll meet again
- We have so many happy memories, you will be forever in our hearts
- Your memory is my greatest treasure, to have to hold in my heart forever
- Death is the golden key that opens the place of eternity
- A special person, a special face, a special someone we cannot replace
- After the night is done the sun will shine again
- There is no endless joy and yet no endless sorrow
- I'll still walk beside you in the land of dreams
- Fly away from this night, go now, find the light
- A laugh, a grin, a joke or two, that's the way we'll remember you
- Cross over to the other shore where there's peace for evermore
- You were beautiful and we have loved you more dearly than the spoken word can tell
- One of nature's true gentlemen, the world is a sadder place without him
- In peace you are resting and locked in my heart, memories I'll treasure while we are apart
- The face we love is missing, the voice we love is still
- To live in the hearts of those we love is not to die
- Words are few, thoughts are deep, memories of you we will always keep (or, memories of you are ours to keep)
- He was always unselfish, helpful, and kind, what beautiful memories he left behind
- Weep not that she has gone but smile that she has been
- To the world you were but one, to us you were our world
- This day will be remembered and quietly kept, no words are needed, we will never forget
- A tender thought that brings a tear, a silent wish that you were here
- No longer in our lives to share but in our hearts you'll always be there
- Your memory we will always treasure, in our hearts you will stay forever
- A fleeting moment to remember forever
- Silent thought of time together hold memories that will last forever
- Sweet is the sleep that ended the pain. We would not wake you to suffer again.
- In our hearts you will always stay loved and remembered, every day
- Love knows not its depth until the hour of separation
- Deep in our hearts memories are kept of a friend we will never forget
- My heart aches with sadness, my secret tears flow, for what it means to lose you no one will ever know
- If I could have a lifetime wish, a wish that would come true, I would want to wish with all my heart for yesterday and you
- Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it
- It's not what we write, it's not what we say, it's how we remember you in our own special way
- Life's race well run, life's work well done, life's victory won, now cometh rest
- Death with not part us or distance divide, forever and always you will be by my side
- Every leaf in the forest lays down its life in its season as beautifully as it began
- Rest peacefully in some place green, some place nice, some place that's called paradise
- I am very happy to have found you. I will always find you in the beauty of life.
- Tired and weary you made no fuss, you tried so hard to stay with us, you suffered so much and told so few, you didn't deserve what you went through.
- May the winds of love blow softly and whisper for you to hear, that we will love and remember you and forever keep you near
- Her little soul touched us all, and while she could not stay, her spirit changed each one of us before it sailed away
- Like the rolling tide life goes on. Our heartaches, our joys are all intertwined.
- A grandma is a special gift and one you think will stay. You never dream the day will come when she will go away. For those who have a grandma, cherish her while you may, because I would give the world to have her here today
- His pleasures were simple, his needs were few, if his family was happy he was too