Memorial services can be highly emotional events, and events during which the bereaved often need the support of friends and loved ones.
Though it is not often high on the list of things to do immediately following a memorial service, sending out thank you letters to those who attended is nevertheless still important.
These letters let others know that their presence was noticed and appreciated. They also offer the writer the chance to let the recipient know how much (s)he means to the family of the deceased and how much (s)he meant to the deceased as well.
This means that such thank you letters are usually sincerely appreciated and may even be kept for remembrance for years to come.
Content of a Thank You Letter for Attending a Memorial Service
First and foremost a thank you letter for attending a memorial service should contain an expression of thanks. Very often this message gets lost in the emotions of a such a letter, so starting out clearly and succinctly is the first step to a successful thank you letter.Following this message the writer may want to include details of how much the recipient's attendance at the service meant to him or her, as well as details of how the deceased felt about the recipient. If possible, concrete details are best. For example, a letter writer might remind the recipient of how she and the deceased used to go to the cinema every Saturday afternoon, or how the deceased used to speak of the recipient as an excellent partner in card games.
These small details should be viewed as a gift to both the letter writer and recipient as they should bring back warm memories of the deceased and their past relationships.
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A thank you letter for attending a memorial service is generally a personal letter, though there may be occasions on which businesses thank clients or associates for attendance at a service.
With the exception of these business letters, thank you letters should be handwritten on plain or personal stationary and forego details such as the writer and recipient's address. Business letters should be typed on business stationary and include addresses.
Both types of letters should be posted or hand delivered. Electronic communications are not usually appropriate for thank you letters for attending a memorial service.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Sample of a Personal Thank You Letter for Attending a Memorial Service
Dear John and Joanne,
Thank you so much for attending Bert's memorial service last month. It was a very trying day for me, but having you both there reminded me of how many people loved Bert and were prepared to celebrate his life with me. Bert used to love the summers we spent together in Spain, and while I know it will be hard for all of us I do hope that we can continue this tradition. I will be in touch soon so that we can discuss the logistics and possibly begin planning!Thank you again for everything.
Love,
AnnieSample of a Business Thank You Letter for Attending a Memorial Service
Owner
North's Fishing Fleet
Street Address
County
Town
Postal Code
#todaysdate#
Ms. Noreen Flannery
PR Executive
Flannery Public Relations Firm
Street Address
County
Town
Postal Code
Dear Ms. Flannery,
Thank you again for attending the memorial service of Robert Short. North's Fishing Fleet will certainly miss Robert, and we appreciate that you were able to attend the service on behalf of Flannery Public Relations Firm. We will have a new accounts representative for you to work with shortly, but in the meantime please know that Robert always spoke highly of the work you did and we are pleased to be able to continue our business relationship.
Sincerely, William North Owner, North's Fishing Fleet
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