123 examples of sympathy card messages

The loss of a parent, a pet, a sudden unexpected passing. You’d like to display sympathy to the family. It is difficult for many people to think of what to say with a condolence card. Messages with personal expressions or memories are often best remembered.

Are you having trouble thinking of a message that captures the right emotions? Don’t worry. We’ve collected beautiful sentences to write on a sympathy card. These can also serve as inspiration for messages in a condolence register, or for a card accompanying a bouquet of flowers. The following 123 sentences will help you think of a suitable condolence message. They’re especially useful as a source of inspiration. Letting the family know you’re thinking of them often suffices.

General messages

You can use the following sentences when showing compassion towards someone experiencing a loss.

• You are in our thoughts.
• We wish you strength in this difficult time.
• I wish you a lot of strength in dealing with the loss of your…
• Our sincere condolences with the loss of…. (Name)
• With great sorrow and deep sympathy we learned about your loss.
• We will never forget him / her.
• Everything will be different from now on.
• I wish you a lot of strength with this great loss.
• What an intense sorrow and loss, we are with you in thought.
• The stars shine brightest on the darkest days.
• We wish you much strength in this sad time.
• We sympathize with you and wish for comfort and solace.
• It will never be the same without…. (name).
• I wish you a lot of strength in dealing with your loss.
• Our heartfelt condolences with the loss of.… (Name)
• Our deepest sympathy on the loss of your….
• I express my deepest condolences.
• My thoughts are with you and my heart hurts for you. I wish you comfort and strength.
• We sympathize intensely and wish the best for you in this sad time.

Sharing memories

You may find closure in commemorating a beautiful shared memory. When writing a personal message the following sentences can be seen as a step towards sharing a pleasant memory.

• Beautiful memories ease the pain.
• May the support of friends bring comfort and may memories of beautiful times ease the pain.
• Be comforted by the many beautiful memories you can keep in your heart and cherish forever.
• Grand is our memory of…(name).
• Stronger than loss is the memory that remains.
• His / Her memory will live on.
• Many beautiful memories will ease the heartbreak.
• Every farewell is the birth of a memory.
• In remembrance he / she will live on as a friendly and amiable person.
• The emptiness and the sorrow are great, but the memories are beautiful.
• May lovely memories ease the great loss.
• Behind tears of sorrow lies the smile of the memory.
• Time goes on, only in thought will you be able to look back.

A passing in the family

When a family member or someone close to you passes, you would like to be able to say a little more. Take the following sentences as inspiration for your special message.

• Always together, never alone, inseparable, always one.
• What is built on love does not perish.
• Love doesn’t stop where life ends.
• The hardest way to love, is to say goodbye to someone you cherish.
• Love is stronger than death.
• He/she was a friend to the entire world, to us they were our world.
• Love expands over everything.
• Their love and the memory of it will always live on.
• Forever holding a special place in our hearts.
• Perpetually out of sight, but always in our hearts.
• We keep thinking about him/her with lots of love and admiration.
• My heartfelt condolences with the loss of your father(in-law) and grandfather. I wish you strength in the upcoming period.
• If every raindrop could say how much we miss him/her, it would rain every day.
• Their words carry on – their hands continue to give.
• The loss will be great.
• They live on in our hearts and in our memories.
• We will miss Him/Her every day.
• Forever gone from our midst, but never gone from our hearts.
• The sky has now added a beautiful star.
• Sometimes things happen that you cannot comprehend, things that make you feel helpless.
• Heaven has gained an angel, as we have lost one.

The passing of colleagues or business relations

When a colleague or business relation passes it is not uncommon to want to write a beautiful message to their family. Be inspired by the following sentences.

• We are deeply affected by the sudden passing of our colleague.
• We are shocked by the completely unexpected loss of our colleague…. (name)
• The news that our colleague… (name)… has passed deeply affected us.
• We’ll miss his business instinct, which always showed great wisdom. And we’ll miss his warm sympathy, which we enjoyed to the fullest.
• We will miss his great strength and business sense. He leaves a great void.
• For the outstanding work he has done in the interest of our association, we will always remember him with great gratitude.
• The memory of great times working together, he/she will remain in our thoughts.
• In…. (Name) we lose a highly valued and enthusiastic colleague who carried out their work as a… (function)… with great pleasure and dedication.
• We lose a skilled and dedicated employee in him/her.

Sudden passing

A sudden passing is often the most difficult. When there is no time to say goodbye, the following sentences can help you express your feelings.

• We are deeply affected by the sudden passing.
• How can life, which was so sunny, suddenly become so sad and dark?
• A tree has been felled, he sighed still full of summer wind.
• Suddenly the world stopped and will never be the same again.
• We realize, now more than ever, how delicate and fragile life is.
• His/her strength was admirable. They will be deeply missed.
• The sun has set before the evening arrived.
• The void left by …. (name) cannot be filled with words.
• Our heartbreak runs deep.
• Full of sadness I learned that .. (name) .. passed away on .. (date) … What an awful time you must go through, I hope you are doing well.

Passed away before their time

Sometimes life tragically takes away someone that was too young. In these situations it is hard for many people to imagine what to do or say. Show your support by letting the family know they are in your thoughts and prayers. Let the following sentences move you to write a sympathy card.

• His/Her life fragmented like a rose in a storm
• Heaven has gained a little angel.
• Way too early. Much too young.
• Too early in life.
• The most beautiful flowers are picked first.
• We wish you lots of strength with the loss of your little <name>.
  Heartbroken and full of sorrow we express our deepest sympathy for you and your family.
• This sweet person was unfairly taken away. Our heart breaks for you.
• Strength and courage, together we stand strong.
• It is almost unbearable when so much hope turns into grief.
• So small, so beautiful, so lovely, so sweet…
  This is how we’ll always remember him/her.
• His/Her name is written in our hearts,
  The end came way too soon.
• Received with Love, relinquished with sorrow.
• This beautiful dream has ended in heartbreak.

Condolence poems

Sometimes one sentence is not enough to express your sorrow. Is this the case for you? Then we have some short poems to inspire you.

• An empty place, … (name), a great loss.
  A fond memory is all that is left.
• A word of comfort, I would like to send you a warm greeting,
  so you know I’m thinking of you in these sad hours.
• Few words fit into a time of sadness and pain.
  May this gesture be a sign of compassion.
• A word and gesture of strength and courage.
  If you don’t know how to move on.
• So much sorrow, so much pain,
  How difficult this must be for you.
• When it is difficult.
  When there are tears for what you miss so much.
  Then know that I/we are there for you.
• Many pleasant memories ease the pain.
  Forever from your midst, forever in your heart.
• Together is a great loss, when together is no longer there.
• Words fail when the sweetest possession becomes a memory.
• The sun took them away behind the horizon, where it is always bright
  We stay behind with a night sky full of lights.
• If looking forward scares you and looking behind hurts,
  then look next to you, and I will be there.
• That’s why we have hands and arms,
  to warm each other’s hearts when it gets cold.
• The greater the joy of someone’s life,
  the greater the grief at the loss of such a great person.
  I wish you a lot of strength and love.
• May the support of your friends comfort you,
  and lovely memories ease the loss.
• It is often the little things that remain in your memory:
  the peaceful moments together, a smile, a certain gesture.
  As tough as it is now, these things will eventually ease the grief.
• If you have to give up what you love most, there is no yesterday,
  no today and no more tomorrow,
  then there is no more time, there is only loneliness.
• Many bright lights shine in the darkness,
  We wish you strength with this great loss.
  Sometimes life is heartless,
  With little gesture we send our sympathies across.

Religious mourning texts

Is the family of the departed religious or did the lost loved one have a close relationship with God? Try closing with a religious text.

• Find strength in God, for He has the power to help.
• God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
• Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)
• Be strong and take heart all, you who hope in the Lord. – (Psalm 31:24)
• Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. – (Psalm 23: 4)
• God/He will wipe all tears from your eyes…
• Whether we live, whether we die, we are the Lord’s children.
• For you have passed and your life is salvaged with Christ in God.
• When you put your foot on the other bank and it turns out to be heaven.
  There you are touched by a hand and it turns out to be God’s hand.
  When you hear music and it turns out to be angels,
  Then you didn’t leave, but went home instead.

When words are not enough

Sometimes there just aren’t enough words to express the loss. It’s okay not to know what to say. The following sentences are examples of how you can express how you feel.

• There are no words for so much sorrow.
• We are shocked and speechless.
• It is difficult to find the right words, but know that our thoughts are with you.
• Words cannot fill the void.
• When words fail, tears overshadow.
• Sometimes there is so much we feel, but so little we can say.
• If I knew the words that would comfort you, I would write them to you.
  But I don’t know, this grief is too great.
• There is so much we feel, but so little we know to say. I wish you all the best.
• Words fail to comfort you during this great loss. We wish you lots of strength in the upcoming period.
• I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry for your loss.
• Words fall short for this terrible loss. We hope you’ll find comfort.

Commemorate loss in your own way

Hopefully you have found the inspiration for writing a text for a sympathy card or a condolence card. Use the example sentences and condolence poems as inspiration. Everyone deals with loss differently, there is no right or wrong way. When writing a mourning text, let your heart speak. It is important that you keep in touch! The family will be glad to know that you sympathize with them.

“We hope you are able to express yourself through writing your sympathy card, our hearts go out to you.”

In addition to sending a sympathy card, there are other ways to commemorate someone special. For example with a memorial gift. Think of engraving a medallion or a candle. Naming a star is a unique way to immortalize their memory. Personalize the star by choosing a constellation, star name and star date. Celebrate the life of a loved one with a personal star, so that you can always find them in heaven.

Name a star as a memorial gift