Condolence Message Sample

Date:

Dear…..

It was with a great sense of loss when we/I heard of (insert name) death.

We/I wanted to let you know that you have our/my greatest sympathy, and our/my heart(s) are/is truly
saddened.

(insert name) was more than just a wonderful person; he/she was always so kind and considerate to us that we
always welcomed seeing him/her at every opportunity.

And, we know that his/her passing will not only leave a void in our lives, but in the hearts of all those who knew
him/her.

(insert name) will always remain within our hearts, and we have included (insert name) and you in our daily
prayers. May God give you strength.

If there is anything that we can do to help you in anyway, please do not hesitate to call us at anytime. You can
phone either of us at (insert area code and phone number) even if it is only to talk.

Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with you.

With our deepest sympathy,

(sign your name including your surname)

A sympathy or condolence note can be a great source of comfort to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved
one. It’s a simple way of letting that person know that they are in your thoughts as they go through the difficult
process of grief and mourning.

Did I just say simple? Finding the right words to say isn’t always a simple a task, but it’s one that’s worth your
time and energy. Anyone can pick up a mass-produced condolence card from their local card shop or drug store.
That's a nice gesture but writing words of sympathy from your heart that are specific to the grieving person will
be more treasured. These personal and heartfelt words of condolence serve as a tribute to the deceased and
words of comfort to the bereaved.

Guidelines for Writing a Letter

A letter of sympathy, or condolence, should be written and sent promptly. A good guideline is within the first
two weeks following the loss. Hand write the letter on stationery rather than typing and printing from a
computer. If you want to use a store-bought card, write a personal note on stationery and tuck it inside the card.

Write the letter in your own voice, meaning the way you would normally speak to the person. There is no reason
to get too fancy and try to come up with a poem or verse unless that is how you normally speak (which could be
weird) or unless you’re a writer by profession.

Components of a Condolence Letter

There are seven main components you may want to include in your letter:

1. Acknowledge the loss and refer to the deceased by name.

2. Express your sympathy.
3. Note any special qualities of the deceased that come to mind.
4. Include your favorite memory of the deceased.
5. Remind the bereaved of their personal strengths or special qualities.
6. Offer help, but make sure it is a specific offer. Instead of “Let me know if I can help with anything at
all,” try something like “I know that Phil took you to church every Sunday. Let me take over duty for
awhile. I’ll pick you up on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.”
7. End the letter with a thoughtful word, a hope, a wish, or expression of sympathy e.g. "You are in my
thoughts" or “Wishing you God’s peace.” Closing such as "Sincerely," "love," or "fondly," aren’t quite
as personal.
Example Condolence Letter

Below is an example of a condolence letter using the seven components above:

Dear_____________,

1. Acknowledge the loss, refer to deceased by name.

I was deeply saddened to hear about the death of _____________.

2. Express your sympathy.

I know how difficult this must be for you. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

3. Note special qualities of the deceased.

____________was such a kind, gentle soul. She would do anything to help someone in need.

4. Include your favorite memory.

I remember one time_________________.

5. Remind the bereaved of their personal strengths and qualities.

I know how much you will miss_______________. I encourage you to draw on your strength and the
strength of your family. You could use your special talent of scrapbooking to make a lasting memory
book of _________________.

6. Offer specific help.

I can come over on Tuesday evenings to help you make your scrapbook. I have some lovely pictures of
_______________ I’d love to share.

7. End the letter with a thoughtful closing.

May God bless you and your family during this time and always,

Sign your name_____________________

Keep in mind that this is only an example. Write from your heart and whatever elements you include will be the
right ones.
How to write a condolence letter:
• Describe how much the deceased was respected and admired by you and others.

• Mention a few of the deceased person's strengths, achievements, and successes.

• If appropriate, include a short personal story or anecdote involving your relationship
with the deceased.
• Strike a careful balance between the formal tone of a condolence letter and its deeply
personal nature.
• Remember that a mourner is emotionally drained, so keep your condolence letter
short—under one page in length.
• If you can do so sincerely, offer to help in some way and include contact information,
such as your cell phone number and your email address.
• If you have strong religious convictions, comfort the mourner with your belief that
the deceased will find peace and happiness in a better world.
• Put yourself in the mourner's place and imagine the kind of condolence letter you
would like to receive.
 How to Write the Perfect Sympathy Letter

• Try to be empathetic. Imagine yourself in the other person's place. What would you
like to hear? What would make you feel better?
• Be brief. Much is communicated with "I'm so sorry. Please know you're in my thoughts."
In times of loss, no one wants to read a lengthy letter (it's hard to read when you're
crying). Communicating that you care is enough.
• Don't be dramatic. A Sympathy Letter needs to be written with beautiful prose, but
dramatic language may seem insincere. Tell how you learned about the news in simple
terms. It is perfectly acceptable to relate your deep shock at hearing about the death or
loss. Avoid using graphic terms to refer to a death that was tragic or gruesome.
• Be personal. If your Sympathy Letter concerns a death, be sure to mention the
deceased's name and the circumstances that caused the loss of life. Be honest; don't
hesitate to use the word "death" or note the actual cause of death. Share your personal
sadness. Remind the bereaved you support them at this difficult time and they are not
completely alone in their suffering.
Example:
o Bill made me feel at home when I first moved here. I am so sorry
that cancer took him at such an early age. I will miss him.
• Mention positive memories. If your Sympathy Letter concerns a death, and if you
knew the deceased, pay tribute to the person's life by mentioning something positive:
a happy memory from your experiences together, a notable achievement, etc. You can
even relate a story about how the deceased touched your life. Be sensitive, but it is
not necessary to avoid humorous incidents that could help lighten the moment and
would be gratefully received. Laughter is a great healer. You could also mention a
special characteristic of the deceased-something you will always cherish.
Examples:
o a contagious sense of humor, a generous nature, love of the arts,
courage, leadership, decisiveness.
• Offer encouragement to the bereaved. Assume that the survivor feels overwhelmed
by the loss and doesn't know whether or not they have the strength to get through it.
State your confidence that they will get through it. Time is also a great healer. A
comforting tactic that can have a powerful effect on the survivor is to quote a loving
remark that was once made by the deceased about him or her. Remind the person in
mourning of their own personal strengths in descriptive terms.
 Examples:
o resilience, patience, competence, religious devotion, faith,
optimism, a trusting nature.
• Offer your condolences. How you will craft a condolence statement will depend on
your personal relationship with the person to whom you are writing. For example,
you may want to avoid being too religious if the person is only an acquaintance or if
you do not know if they even have a religious affiliation. Most people would,
however, appreciate being told that they are in your prayers and thoughts. You
probably know what will bring them comfort. Write something that is congruent with
your relationship.
• Offer practical help to the grieving person. Specific offers are better than, "Let me
know if there is anything I can do." Then take the initiative-if you don't get immediate
acceptance of an offer, then call back and repeat it. Many people will think your first
offer was just to be polite; repeated offers demonstrate your sincerity.
Examples:
o "Can I help you with the grocery shopping?"
o "Can I run any errands for you?"
o "Can I help with the children?"
o "Can I write any letters for you?"
• Show sensitivity. Allow people to grieve in their own way and for as long as is
needed. There is a time to mourn! Be careful not to offer advice when none is wanted
or needed. Remember, at the moment the bereaved needs a loving friend, not a
counselor.
Examples (what not to say):
o "You need to go on a long cruise."
o "Look on the bright side."
o "It's all for the best."
• Close with an expression of comfort. End your Sympathy Letter with an expression
of comfort, sympathy, or affection. Let your concluding words reflect the truth of
your feelings. You may want to close your letter simply with one word such as
"Love," or "Sincerely," or you may want to use a phrase or a complete sentence
followed by your name.
 Examples:
o "My love and concern are with you always,"
o "You are continually in my thoughts and prayers,"
o "My heart and my tears are with you,"
o "I share in your grief and send my love,"
Final Note: Use descriptive words when you compose your Sympathy Letter.
Examples:
• burden, caring, comfort, comforting, compassion, concerned,
consolation, difficult, endure, endurance, grief, grieve, heal, healing,
heartbreaking, heartfelt, help, hope, hurt, hurtful, loss, love, misfortune,
mourn, mourning, overcome, pain, painful, regret, regrettable, sad,
shocking, sorrow, sorry, struggle, struggling.
 Goodwill Letters

Send kind feelings of approval, concern or support with the perfect goodwill letter

Writing goodwill letters can be challenging and getting started is often the hardest part.
We'll provide the words for you to sound your best.

With WriteExpress software you get proven goodwill letters that are guaranteed to help you
find the right words.

How to write a goodwill letter

Goodwill letters often come as a surprise, are greatly appreciated, and are an effective way
to build relationships.
• Whether expressing gratitude, appreciation, recognition, or condolences, be sincere in
your remarks. Most people can tell when you are not.
• Keep your letter focused on the recipient, not on yourself or your company.
• Do not write this letter solely for the purpose of making a sales pitch. The purpose of
this letter is to spread goodwill, without promoting any hidden agenda.
• Keep your letter brief.
• Be specific when writing this letter. For example, rather than writing vague
generalities about a job well done, include details that demonstrate what the person
did to deserve the recognition.
• Try to stay away from clichés and canned expressions. Be creative.
With thoughtful, sincere goodwill letters you can:

• Give congratulations for an award received, promotion, new job, etc.

• Express sympathy or condolences.
• Apologize.
• Show appreciation or convey gratitude for a contribution made, to loyal customers for
their continued business, or to coworkers or peers for a job well done.
• Give recognition for outstanding achievements or extraordinary effort.
• Establish or renew a relationship.
• Remind a customer or potential customer of your continued willingness to serve him
or her.
• Show that you are courteous and professional.
 9 Thank-You Letter Tips:
The thank-you letter may be the most important because it has the potential of producing the
most good. Often a thank-you letter is placed on a person's desk and reminds that person of
your appreciation.

1. Write your thank-you letter as soon as possible after the interview or occasion. For a
job interview, this should be within 24 hours of the interview.
2. Write clearly and concisely; this is no time to be longwinded or flowery.
3. Handwrite personal letters and use customized letterhead for business
correspondence. Use quality paper. E-mail may also be appropriate in less formal
situations, especially if the addressee expresses a preference for it or if time
constraints require it.
4. If possible, address your letter to a specific person, not just the company or
organization in general.
5. Do not thank the person beforehand (for example, "Thanking you in advance for your
help in this matter"). To do so is presumptuous and suggests you are unwilling to
write a follow-up letter.
6. Stick to the point.
7. Be sincere--most people can sense when you aren't being honest.
8. Be specific and include details from the event. Make your letter stand out (don't send
a generic letter that could be to or from anyone).
9. Proofread the letter before sending it: grammatical errors and typos are sloppy and
unprofessional.
 How to Write the Perfect "Thank You" Letter

• Return Address. Tab over and type your address near the right margin, followed by the
date.
Example: 1234 Right St.
Anywhere, PA 15678
June 30, 2005
• Address. Type this information flush with the left margin. The reader's name is typed
on the second line. DO NOT abbreviate the word "Attention."
Example: ABC Corporation
Attention: John Doe
777 State Street
Anywhere, NY 12345
• Greeting. Always address your "thank you" letter to a specific person. Use the
conventional "Dear" plus "Mr." or "Ms." followed by the first name and/or surname
followed by a colon.
Example: Dear Mr. Richard Brown:
• Never send a "thank you" letter to a person using his/her job title: "Dear Marketing
Manager:" Send the letter to a specific individual, and be sure to spell his/her name
correctly!
• Body. Two average-length paragraphs should make up this section. In the first
paragraph, thank the reader for meeting with you and convey your enthusiasm about the
possibility of working for the company. You might mention the date of your interview
and the position for which you applied. Make a single return between paragraphs. In the
second paragraph, briefly review your qualifications and special skills, and how you can
be an asset to the company. You might want to mention an interesting topic or
rewarding moment from your interview.
• Last paragraph. Thank the reader once again for considering you for the position.
State your confidence again in your ability to be an asset to the company. Tell the reader
that you look forward to hearing from him/her soon, and give a specific date when you
plan to follow up with a phone call.
• Close. Make a single return after the last paragraph and type the close, aligning it with
your return address. Any of the following words or phrases can be used to close:
Sincerely, Very truly yours, Sincerely yours, or Cordially. The close is followed by four
returns. On the next line, type your name. Sign your first and last name in the space
between the close and your typed name.
Example: Sincerely.

Signature
 James Brown
• Be sure that your phone number and any other contact information such as your email
address are clearly stated in the letter.