People may express sympathy when you lose a loved one. Sympathy cards and flowers are often sent when a loved one passes away.
Expressing your gratitude is excellent to acknowledge the sympathy.
Please read the pet loss thank you note guide for help with saying thank you for sympathy after losing a pet.
Expressing gratitude during a time of loss can feel challenging. While I usually recommend sending thank you notes as soon as possible, you can take longer when grieving the deceased.
If there was a funeral, you could also read the guide for writing Funeral Thank You Notes.
When you receive a sympathy card, flowers, messages, and a donation from the same person, you can say thank you for everything in one thank you note. In this situation, you may need to combine wording from more than one of the examples below.
Thank You for your Sympathy Template Message
Here is the basic format for a handwritten thank-you note or email. You can learn more in the how to write a thank-you note guide.
Dear [Name],
Thank you for your sympathy. I appreciate the card/message/flowers. Thank you for your support and friendship during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Also, you’ll need to decide whether to write handwritten thank you notes, a thank you email, or a text message. I recommended a handwritten note for any monetary donations.
What To Write in a Thank You for the Sympathy Card
The question is, Should you send a thank you note for a card?
You can write a thank you message for any sympathy cards to acknowledge the sympathy.
If the sender wrote you a personal message on the card (as opposed to only signing their name at the bottom of a sympathy card), you could thank them for their message.
Also, you could send a thank-you text to thank you for the card.
#1 Thank you for your sympathy card. I am thankful to friends that care about me.
#2 Thank you for remembering me during this difficult time. The sympathy card you sent was very nice, and I appreciated the message you wrote.
#3 Thank you for your condolences. Your sympathy card was beautiful, and the message in the card comforted my heart.
#4 I appreciate you thinking of my family when my mom passed. Thank you for sending a card. I am grateful for your friendship.
#5 You are a kind friend. Thank you for your card and prayers. The support of close friends and family are helping me get through this very challenging time.
#6 Thank you for the thoughtful card when [Name] died. Your kind words in the card brought me some comfort. Also, thank you for attending the funeral.
#7 I appreciate the card you sent to express your sympathy. You are a true friend, and I appreciate your love and support.
Thank You for the Sympathy Messages
When a loved one dies, you might receive many sympathy messages on Facebook or in text messages.
Here is some suggested wording to say thank you for the sympathy. Also, sometimes a simple “thank you” is all that is needed to reply to a text message.
#1 Thank you for the sympathy messages. I appreciate your kindness.
#2 Thank you for your thoughtful words and prayers. The family appreciates every message. The whole family thanks you for your love and ongoing support during this difficult time.
#3 I have so much gratitude for all of you. Thank you for your loving messages of sympathy. Knowing I have such great friends is helping me get through this sadness.
#4 Thank you for your message. You are an extraordinary person to me, and I greatly appreciate you reaching out. I miss my mom a lot today, and your words of encouragement came precisely when I needed them.
#5 I am thankful for your sympathy message and appreciate the thoughtful gesture.
#6 Thank you for the sympathy message. It was nice of you to think of me. And your message was very thoughtful. I sure do miss my dad.
#7 Thank you for your kind words and condolences. I am glad you are in my life, as you are an excellent friend. Thank you for your support and love.
Thank You for the Sympathy Flowers Messages
Here are a few ways to say thank you for your sympathy flowers. You may also want to read thank-you notes for the funeral flowers. However, sometimes sympathy flowers are given when there isn’t a funeral.
#1 Thank you for the beautiful flower arrangement in memory of my aunt. She is greatly missed. The flowers and the message on the card comforted me.
#2 Thank you for the sympathy flowers when [Name] passed. The fresh daisies make me smile whenever I see them on the kitchen counter. I appreciate your thoughtful gesture.
#3 I was surprised by the sympathy flowers. They are magnificent. Thank you for remembering me during this difficult time.
#4 Thank you for the thoughtful bouquet. I appreciate your sympathy.
#5 We appreciate your sympathy. Thank you for sending the family a beautiful arrangement of flowers when Dad died. Also, thank you for your generous donation to the senior center. He loved having lunch there every day.
#6 Thanks for the gorgeous arrangement of sympathy flowers. They were wonderful. I don’t trust flowers around my cats, so my mom took them to her home. I appreciate your support, love, and prayers during this difficult time.
#7 Thank you for the flowers. I have much gratitude for you, and thank you for your sympathy.
Thank You for the Sympathy Gifts Messages
Sometimes you may receive sympathy gifts, or donations are made in honor of the loved one.
Here is some example wording to say thank you for sympathy gifts. Of course, many possible gifts exist, so you can adjust your thank-you message as needed.
#1 Thank you for your donation in memory of [Name]. Your generosity touched us.
#2 I appreciated your sympathy when my sister died. Thank you so much for the beautiful frame and photo of her and me. It’s an excellent way to remember her.
#3 Friends like you make a world of difference. Thank you for your generous gift to the church in memory of my mom. She loved her church and said you are a very special person. Thank you for supporting the church that was so important to her.
#4 Thank you for the sympathy gift. The gift card to [Restaurant Name] was beneficial during the week of the funeral. We had carryout several times without having the burden of making meals for the kids.
#5 Thank you for your sympathy gift. The donation to [location] was kind and generous.
Read Next: Thank You for the Funeral Food
