During a funeral, it's customary for attendees to pick up a program upon entering the funeral home. This folded piece of paper may include an outline of the service, lyrics to any songs that will be sung together, and some specifics about the person who has recently passed away. If you're looking after the funeral of a loved one, you might also wish to put together a memorial card. This item is often a two-sided piece of cardboard that may be tall and thin like a bookmark or slightly wider. Funeral home staff can distribute it to people or you may wish to do the job yourself. Beyond the basic information of the person's name, date of death, and more, make sure that the memorial card has these things.
Photo
It's customary to include a photo of the recently deceased person on the memorial card. While there are no firm rules about the photo that you choose, many people elect to use a formal portrait-style photo if one is available. If not, look for a photo that encapsulates the person best — for example, it could be a picture of him or her wearing a wide smile at a family reunion.
Brief Bio
Some people elect to write a brief biography of the recently deceased person on the memorial card. Due to space constraints, you may wish to include this information on the rear of the card. The bio could simply be a copy of the obituary, or it could provide further details about the person's life that you didn't include in the obituary.
Message To The Attendees
It can also be nice to include a short message to the people who will be receiving the memorial card at the funeral home. Generally, this message should be one of thanks — you want to make it clear that you appreciate everyone's attendance and support during this difficult time. Try to make these words as personal as possible, rather than using a generic message of thanks.
Favorite Quote Or Verse
Another thing to include on the memorial card is a favorite quote or scripture verse of the person who has passed away. In many cases, you'll know this quote or verse and it may be part of the eulogy or otherwise mentioned during the service. If you don't know which verse to take, a funeral home staff member can likely suggest some verses that people commonly use in their memorial cards.
Talk with a funeral home like FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home for more ideas.
Share21 May 2017
Hi everyone, my name is Sari Blakenship. My first time visiting a funeral home was an extremely comforting experience. Although I was blindsided by the death of my loved one, the funeral director helped me through the planning process without taking advantage of my grief. I was allowed to work at my own pace to cope with the grief in a healthy way. I was never rushed or pressured, despite the necessary timeline. Whenever I couldn't move forward, the funeral director held my hand and offered words of comfort. I would like to share each step of the funeral planning process to help others through this difficult process. Planning a funeral takes a lot of thought and time during a particularly difficult period. Please visit whenever you need a hand.