Finding the Right Words For a Letter of Condolence
Grieving family members get great comfort from receiving
heartfelt letters and notes acknowledging their loss. But often
finding those sincere and perfect words can be a struggle. The
best condolence or sympathy letters are like conversations you
would have to the family, only in written form. The letters are
usually handwritten, under one page in length and sent promptly.
The condolence letters can be addressed to the person in the
family you feel the closest to, or to the family as a whole.
A well structured condolence letter usually has seven parts.
1. Acknowledge the Loss. As a starting point you need to
acknowledge the loss. Examples could be:
I was sorry to hear of your recent bereavement.
I was very upset to hear of your loss.
I wanted to write and tell you how sorry I am for your loss.
I was so sorry to hear about the tragic circumstances
surrounding xx