Fillable Printable Sympathy Message Tips
Fillable Printable Sympathy Message Tips
Sympathy Message Tips
7 Essential
Tips for
Writing
the Best
Condolence
Letter
2
You are
reading this
because you
or someone
you know has
lost a loved
one and you
want to write
a meaningful sympathy
card or letter to express
your grief, but you may be
too sad to think clearly right
now.
Let me start by saying I am
sorry for your loss. Let me
also offer this step-by-step
approach to writing a great
sympathy letter that really
takes the guesswork out of
it. This guide will give you
the tools to express your
sincere condolences and
will give you the strength
to send the letter without
delay. After going through
these seven steps, you will
have peace of mind knowing
you have shared your
condolences.
At the end of this E-book,
you'll find links to sample
condolence letters you can
read and use as inspiration
for your own condolence
card. I’ve also included links
to other helpful information
online. Simply roll your
mouse over the title of what
you are interested in and
click on it. You computer
will automatically open up
the webpage.
So let’s get started on that
sympathy or condolence
letter.
“A sympathy letter
or condolence card
can be as long or
as short as it needs
to be to say what
you need to say.
Some very effective
sympathy letters
have been written
on the smallest
flower message
cards, and others
have been pages
long. ”
What is a sympathy letter?
It’s important to understand
exactly what the purpose
of a sympathy letter is
before you begin. Many
people think about sending
a sympathy card but don’t
actually do it because they
don’t know where to start or
they think that a short card
is not enough.
Words of condolence or
sympathy cards are meant
to acknowledge the passing
of someone, show that
their lives touched yours
in some way and to offer
comfort to the grieving.
That’s it. A sympathy letter
filled with sincere words of
condolences can be read
and reread at different
stages of the grieving
period. Many times these
letters offer comfort long
after the funeral service and
remind the grieving just how
loved they are. What you
say in your sympathy letter
is not as important as just
sending it.
A sympathy letter or
condolence card can be
as long or as short as it
needs to be to say what you
need to say. Some very
effective sympathy letters
have been written on the
smallest flower message
cards, and others have
been pages long. Knowing
what to write and how much
to write really depends on
your relationship with the
deceased or the deceased’s
family and it depends
3
on how much you need to
say to truly express your
condolences. There is no right
length or appropriate number of
words you have to write. Read
on to find out just how long your
sympathy letter should be.
Step One:Should I send
a Long Letter or a Short
Sympathy Card?
Think about your relationship
with deceased and with the
surviving family. If you were
particularly close, a longer letter
might be more appropriate.
You could relate some of your
memories of the deceased, or
describe some of the things
you and the deceased did
together. If you worked with the
person, or knew them from a
social group, or perhaps knew
them as a child, a handwritten
condolence card might be more
appropriate. A brief description
of how you knew the deceased
and where you met him or her
and that you will miss him or
her will be fine.
And finally, if your relationship
was that of an acquaintance
or a distant relative, a short
note offering your condolences
might be all that is needed. If
you were not particularly close
to the deceased but know
the family well, offering your
support or condolences to the
family in a short condolence
card is perfectly acceptable.
Email and texting have also
become a good way to express
your condolences quickly. But
it’s always good to follow up an
email or text with a formal card
or letter and a sympathy gift.
Step Two:Should I
send a Sympathy Gift or
Sympathy Flowers with
my Condolence Letter?
The answer to this is always
yes. Sending sympathy
flowers or a sympathy gift
can do more than words
to help the bereaved cope
with their loss. Sympathy
flowers or a potted plant
sent with your condolences
to the funeral or to the
home of the grieving family
will brighten the room for
days. Read these reviews
of online flower delivery
websites to get the best deal
on sympathy flowers.
A sympathy gift can be
anything such as a batch
of cookies, a flower
arrangement or potted
plant, a sampling of tea,
a personalized engraved
plaque dedicated to the
deceased or even a planted
tree in the deceased’s
honor. A sympathy gift
does not have to cost much
or be elaborate but giving
something at this sad time is
always in good taste.
The family of the deceased
always appreciates
receiving food because
they’ll be very busy making
funeral arrangements and
they will have many friends
and family dropping in to
visit. Grocery shopping,
preparing and cooking food
is the last thing they’ll want
to do, but everyone needs
Look for
examples
and help
writing your
sympathy
letter at these
links below:
Advice for Writing Sympathy Words
Why Write Words of Comfort?
How to Write a Genuine Letter?
What to Say and What Not to Say
Sympathy Words for Now and Later
Examples of Condolences for Cards
Condolence Message Sample
Condolence Letter Example
Sympathy Poems and Verses
Sympathy Sayings Examples
Compare Flower Delivery Services
4
to keep up their strength,
so sending some baking,
chocolates, fruit or even a
selection of meats or wine
with your condolences not
only shows your good taste,
but shows you truly care
about the family’s well-being
at this sad time.
There are so many great
ideas online and you can
send your condolence
message with the gift. Many
online gift companies allow
you to personalize your
message so you can write
your condolence letter and
they will print it in a card
and include it with your gift.
You’ll find helpful reviews of
places to order condolence
gifts and flowers online at
the end of this E-book.
If you are ordering a
sympathy gift online to send
with your condolences,
rest assured that the cards
they include are of good
quality and will carry your
condolence message with
dignity.
Step Three: How do I start
the Sympathy Letter?
Take out a scrap piece of
paper and write out your
thoughts before writing on
the card or stationary you
will use. It’s better to write
out your mistakes on scrap
than to have to send a card
with mistakes and crossed
out parts. Besides, so many
people type these days that
a little practice writing with a
pen is necessary.
If you need inspiration,
there are hundreds of
sample letters of sympathy
and condolence for many
different situations on www.
obituarieshelp.org. See the
end of this E-book for a
list of links to condolence
examples that will help you
get started.
How you start your card
or letter is just like any
other letter. First, decide
whom you are addressing
in your letter, is this a
letter to the entire family
or just one person in
particular? If it is to the
entire family, addressing
it with the surname of
the family is appropriate.
Your first sentence should
acknowledge the passing
of their loved one and say
something about how his
loss makes you feel.
Step Four:What Should
I say in the Sympathy
Letter?
The next part of the letter
should say qualities you
admired about him or her,
tell a story you remember
about him or her or
explain how you knew the
deceased. You might have
to do a little brainstorming
for this part. You’ll want to
keep your stories tasteful
and show the deceased in
the best possible light.
This is not the time to bring
up mistakes or a lack of
judgment on the part of
the deceased. This letter
“First, decide whom
you are addressing
in your letter, is
this a letter to the
entire family or
just one person
in particular? if
it is to the entire
family, addressing
it with the surname
of the family is
appropriate. ”
5
is supposed to comfort his or
her family, not make them sad
or angry that the deceased
behaved badly. If you can’t
think of something positive to
say here, it’s best to just cut the
letter short or copy a comforting
poem. There are links to good
poems you can include in your
letter at the end of this E-book.
Step Five:How do I end the
Sympathy Letter?
The last part of the letter should
offer your help or prayers or
words of strength to help the
family cope with the death.
One possibility is to offer to do
something for the family that
would help them such as taking
care of their yard, or offering to
take their dogs for a walk, or
other such task that you know
they can’t or won’t want to do
while grieving. Close the letter
with a condolence phrase, and
then sign your name.
Step Six:Putting it all
Together
Once you’ve thought out what
you’d like to say in your letter
and written out some ideas
on your scrap paper, it’s time
to write out your final draft.
No, don’t grab that sympathy
card yet, write it out from start
to finish on scrap paper. You
don’t want to make mistakes,
if you do, it’s no big deal, but
practicing makes it look like you
put a lot of thought into it. Read
it over for mistakes and make
sure it says everything you
want it to. Here is an example
of a condolence letter that
follows all of the these steps:
Dear Smith Family,
I’m sorry to hear of John’s
passing. He was a great
man and I will miss him very
much.
Over the years working at
T&B Lumber, I had come to
know John very well and I
valued his friendship. He
always had a funny story
or a new joke to tell and
we’d have a good laugh. He
made the days fly by.
Please know that I am
thinking of you at this time of
loss and if there is anything
you need help with, please
call. In the meantime, I can
clear out his locker at work
and bring everything to you
next week. I’ll call before I
come over.
With deepest sympathy,
Ralph Winters
Step Seven: What should
I write my condolence
message on?
You want to send your
condolences on a nice card
or nice paper and envelop.
It’s worth it to make a
special trip to a stationary
supply store or order a card
online. The family of the
deceased will read this letter
over and over for years to
come. Whenever they think
of their deceased loved one
or when they need to see
some words of strength,
they will pull out your letter
and reread it. Nice paper or
a special card is important.
“If you can’t think
of something
positive to say here,
it’s best to just cut
the letter short or
copy a comforting
poem. There are
links to good poems
you can include in
your letter at the
end of this PDF.”
6
Links to Examples and Other
Important Sympathy Help:
Sympathy Flowers Reviews
Flower Delivery Services
Compare and Save On Flowers
Example Condolence Cards
CondolencesCardsExamples
I am so very sorry. You gave …
Condolence Cards Phrases
I hope you find comfort and I...
Condolence Cards Examples
You and I haven't spent much
Condolences Examples
I am sorry to hear about your…
Condolence for flower cards
I hope these flowers bring…
Examples for Death of Dad
Sample Letter for a Father
I would like to express my…
Condolence Letter for Dad
I’m so very sorry to hear of …
Sympathy Letter about Dad
Words alone cannot express …
Condolence Letter for Father
I am truly saddened to hear…
Words of Condolence for Dad
Both Bill and I want to extend…
Death of Someone’s Husband
Husband Condolence Letter
Henry and I would like to…
Sympathy Words for Husband
Please know that you have my…
Condolence Sample Husband
I was deeply saddened by…
Condolence Letter Husband
I was deeply saddened by the…
Death of Grandfather
Sympathy for Grandfather
Your Grandfather was such a…
Condolences for Grandfather
How very sorry I was to learn…
Letter for an Older Man
I join with so many others …
Letter for an Old Friend
I am writing to express how…
Examples for Death of Mom
Sympathy Words About Mom
Your mom was a beautiful
person…
Messages of Sympathy Mom
I am so sorry to hear of your…
Condolences for a Mother
My thoughts are with you …
Condolence Letter Mother
I am so very sorry to hear…
Death of Someone’s Wife
Condolence Letter for Wife
I want to offer my sincere…
Sympathy Words About A Wife
My deepest sympathy for your…
Examples for Death of a Child
Sympathy for a Child
We are both so deeply …
Condolence Letter for a Son
While the loss of a loved one…
Death of a Daughter
No one knows why bad things…
Condolences for a Son
The death of your son…
Condolence for Young Friend
Yesterday I learned of the …
Death of a Brother
Your brother will be …
More
examples of
sympathy
letters and
cards to help
you write your
own letter:
Examples for Specific People
Sympathy Verses Examples
Sympathy Quotes
Condolence Phrases
Sympathy Sayings
Messages for Sympathy Cards
Words of Condolences
Sample Letters of Sympathy
Condolence Letters
Sympathy for Military Death
