Funeral Etiquette

Funeral Etiquette for Thank You Notes

Funeral directors can supply you with generalized thank you cards or the family may choose to send a more personal thank you note.  The note should be a concise, personal, and specific.  Also, yielding to modern tradition, a simple thank you card with a signature is accepted, with or without a personal note.

Funeral etiquette suggests that you send thank you cards to:

  1. Anyone who sent a gift or card to the family deserves a thank you note.  This would include anyone who sent funeral flowers, brought food, sent a memorial services contribution, or in some other substantial way acknowledged the deceased. The notes should be sent within two weeks of the death.
  1. A personal note is suggested for thanking the clergy person.  If an offering or donation is sent, send it in a separate envelope.  Never include it in the thank you note
  2. Pallbearers should also be sent a personal message of thanks.
  3. For individuals who sent funeral flowers, you may wish to send a personal note.
  4. For groups or organizations that send flowers, send a note to the head of the group and remember to include all the members of the group in your note.  If individual member names appear on the floral card, a separate note should be sent to each one but a personal message is not necessary.
  5. Friends who have volunteered their time and effort helping in any way deserve a separate written thank you.
  6. If the volunteers are close to the family, you may prefer to thank them in person

CLICK HERE to view some excellent thank you card note examples

Additional Funeral Etiquette Information and Support:

Funeral Etiquette for Immediate Family Members

Funeral Etiquette for Distant Relatives and Friends

Famous Funeral Poems

Funeral Poems of Sympathy

Sympathy Cards

Sympathy Card Comments

Sympathy Quotes

Wording for Condolence Cards