Voljeni guide
A guide for the days after a loss
When someone dies, there is suddenly so much to do and so much to say: the obituary, the eulogy, a message for the family, the funeral, and then a first year without them. Here it is in one place, with examples you can copy and make your own.
Most searched: Writing an obituary Writing a eulogy Sympathy card messages Funeral etiquette What to do when someone dies 40 days after death
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- How to write an obituary: template, examples and tips What to include in an obituary, a template you can fill in, examples for a mother, a father and a grandmother, how long it should be, and where to publish it. 7 min read
- How to write a eulogy: a simple structure and examples How to write and give a eulogy for a mother, father, grandparent or friend: a simple structure, how long it should be, opening lines, full examples, and what to do if you cry. 6 min read
- What to write in a sympathy card: messages for every loss What to write in a sympathy card or condolence message: a simple formula, short messages, messages for the loss of a parent, spouse, child or grandparent, for a coworker, and what not to say. 6 min read
- Funeral etiquette: what to wear, what to say, what to bring What to wear to a funeral, when to arrive, what to say to the family, the visitation, the service and the reception, children at funerals, phones and photos, and customs of different faiths. 5 min read
- What to do when someone dies: a checklist A checklist for the United States, in order: who to call first, choosing a funeral home, death certificates, Social Security, life insurance, banks, the will, and closing accounts. 6 min read
- 40 days after death: what it means and how it is marked Why the 40th day after a death matters in Orthodox Christian, Muslim, Filipino and other traditions, how the day is counted, what happens at the memorial, what to bring, and what to say. 4 min read
Texts you can use right away
Every article has examples you can copy: obituaries, eulogies, sympathy card messages, birthday in heaven messages. Change the name and add something of your own.
Writing an obituary
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Wilson, 78, of Dayton, Ohio, died peacefully at home on October 12, 2026, with her family by her side.
Peggy was born in 1948 in Cincinnati, the oldest of five children. She taught second grade for 31 years… More examples Writing a eulogy Good morning. I'm Emily, Ruth's oldest granddaughter.
If you ever ate at Grandma Ruth's table, you know she measured love in second helpings. Nobody left her house hungry, and nobody left without leftovers and a hug that lasted… More examples Sympathy card messages I was so sorry to hear about your mom. I will always remember her laugh at the Fourth of July picnic and how she made everyone feel welcome. I'll call you next week, and I'm bringing dinner on Thursday.
Thinking of you and your… More examples
Peggy was born in 1948 in Cincinnati, the oldest of five children. She taught second grade for 31 years… More examples Writing a eulogy Good morning. I'm Emily, Ruth's oldest granddaughter.
If you ever ate at Grandma Ruth's table, you know she measured love in second helpings. Nobody left her house hungry, and nobody left without leftovers and a hug that lasted… More examples Sympathy card messages I was so sorry to hear about your mom. I will always remember her laugh at the Fourth of July picnic and how she made everyone feel welcome. I'll call you next week, and I'm bringing dinner on Thursday.
Thinking of you and your… More examples
When someone dies
The first days: what to do, the obituary, the eulogy, sympathy messages and flowers.
- What to do when someone dies: a checklist A checklist for the United States, in order: who to call first, choosing a funeral home, death certificates, Social Security, life insurance, banks, the will, and closing accounts. 6 min read
- How to write an obituary: template, examples and tips What to include in an obituary, a template you can fill in, examples for a mother, a father and a grandmother, how long it should be, and where to publish it. 7 min read
- How to write a eulogy: a simple structure and examples How to write and give a eulogy for a mother, father, grandparent or friend: a simple structure, how long it should be, opening lines, full examples, and what to do if you cry. 6 min read
- What to write in a sympathy card: messages for every loss What to write in a sympathy card or condolence message: a simple formula, short messages, messages for the loss of a parent, spouse, child or grandparent, for a coworker, and what not to say. 6 min read
- What to write on a funeral flower card: short messages Short messages for the card on funeral flowers and sympathy arrangements: from the family, from friends, from coworkers and companies, plus when and where to send flowers. 3 min read
- When a parent dies back home: a guide for families living abroad What to do when a parent dies in another country: getting there in time, emergency passports, what can be arranged from afar, sending a body home, taking part if you cannot travel, and grieving far away. 5 min read
Funerals and traditions
Funeral etiquette, celebrations of life, the 40 days, and Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim customs.
- Funeral etiquette: what to wear, what to say, what to bring What to wear to a funeral, when to arrive, what to say to the family, the visitation, the service and the reception, children at funerals, phones and photos, and customs of different faiths. 5 min read
- Celebration of life: ideas, planning and invitation wording What a celebration of life is, how it differs from a funeral, when and where to hold one, ideas that make it personal, a simple program, and invitation wording you can copy. 4 min read
- 40 days after death: what it means and how it is marked Why the 40th day after a death matters in Orthodox Christian, Muslim, Filipino and other traditions, how the day is counted, what happens at the memorial, what to bring, and what to say. 4 min read
- Catholic funeral traditions: the vigil, the Mass and what to expect What happens at a Catholic funeral: the vigil and rosary, the funeral Mass, the committal, communion for non-Catholics, cremation, Mass cards, All Souls Day, and customs of Catholic families from around the world. 5 min read
- Muslim funeral traditions: what to expect and what to say What happens at a Muslim funeral: the washing and the shroud, the Janazah prayer, burial within a day, why there are no flowers, the three days of mourning, what to wear and what to say to the family. 4 min read
- Saturdays of Souls 2026 and 2027: Orthodox days for the dead When the Orthodox Saturdays of Souls fall in 2026 and 2027, why the dead are remembered on Saturday, what families bring to church and to the cemetery, and the Serbian zadušnice. 3 min read
- Koljivo (kollyva) recipe: memorial wheat for Orthodox memorials How to make koljivo, also called kollyva, coliva or kutia, the boiled wheat with walnuts and sugar for Orthodox memorials: ingredients in cups and grams, cooking and drying the wheat, and what it means. 3 min read
- Serbian funeral traditions: from the funeral to the 40 day memorial What happens at a Serbian Orthodox funeral, what to wear and bring, the funeral meal, koljivo, the 40 day memorial, the yearly memorials and zadušnice, explained for Serbian families abroad and their friends. 3 min read
- How to say condolences in Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian The words people really use to offer condolences in Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian, with pronunciation and meaning, short messages you can send, and what to say at an Orthodox, Catholic or Muslim funeral. 3 min read
Remembering
Anniversaries and birthdays in heaven, headstone inscriptions, memory books, old photos and online memorial pages.
- Death anniversary messages and ways to remember them Messages for the first and every anniversary of a death, for a mother, father, spouse, child or friend, words for a friend who is grieving, and ideas for marking the day. 4 min read
- Happy birthday in heaven: messages and ways to mark the day Birthday messages for a mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter, grandparent or friend who has died, for a card, a post or a candle, and gentle ways to spend the day. 3 min read
- Headstone inscriptions: what to write, with examples What goes on a headstone, short epitaphs for a mother, father, husband, wife or child, Bible verses and classic lines, what to check before engraving, and the QR code that tells the whole story. 4 min read
- How to make a memory book for someone who died What a memory book is, what to put in it, how to collect photos and stories from the whole family, a message you can send to ask for them, how to lay it out and print it, and when to give it. 3 min read
- How to preserve the memories of a loved one: 12 ideas Ways to keep the memories of someone who died: saving their voice and videos, collecting stories and recipes, a memory box, a quilt from their shirts, a memory book, and a memorial page the whole family can add to. 3 min read
- How to digitize old family photos and keep them safe How to scan old photos, slides and negatives with a phone, a scanner or a service, what resolution to use, how to name and organize the files, how to back them up, and how to store the originals. 3 min read
- Online memorial page: what it is and how to make one What an online memorial page is, what can be on it, how it differs from a funeral home obituary or a Facebook memorial, who can see it, and how to make one in a few minutes. 3 min read
Grief and support
Coping with grief, helping a grieving friend, and talking to children about death.
- How to cope with grief: what helps and when to ask for help What grief feels like, why it does not follow neat stages, what helps in the first weeks and months, how to get through the hard days, how long it lasts, and when to ask for help. 4 min read
- How to help a grieving friend: what to say and what to do What to say to a friend who lost someone, what not to say, practical help that makes a real difference, how to support them in the months after the funeral, and messages you can send. 4 min read
- How to explain death to a child, by age How to tell a child that someone has died, which words to use and which to avoid, what children understand at each age, whether they should go to the funeral, and when a child needs more help. 4 min read
Voljeni
One link instead of a hundred calls
Along with the obituary, families now share one link: a page with the time and place of the service, a map to the cemetery, the obituary, and a place where family and friends leave a message and light a candle, even when they cannot be there.
