What Should Your Loved One's Headstone Or Grave Plaque Say?

Deciding what words will be written on a loved one's headstone or grave plaque is not an easy task. Unless the departed left behind express instructions on what their epitaph should say, those closest to him will have the task of coming up with something that will capture the spirit with which the departed lived or their love for the departed.

There are many options to choose from when looking for the ideal epitaph and there are many sources you can look to for inspiration.

References to One's Life

These are popular choices for people who played various roles in their lives and loved the roles they played or exceeded in those roles. These types of epitaph can be simple e.g.

"Here lies a beloved mother."

However, they can also be more detailed or descriptive and mention some of the roles they played, such as:    

• Made the world a better place    

• Brought out the best in those     around them

• Fought for and served their country well

Personal Quotes

A personal quote is always a good choice for an epitaph especially if the deceased was well known for that quote. Quotes are good because they can be quickly related to the person who passed or to a specific moment in their lives.

A personal quote doesn't need to be something profound. Sometimes, something funny or something quirky is what is needed to capture the true spirit of the departed. Personal quotes are a favorite for many celebrities.

Scripture

A verse from the bible is the perfect epitaph for someone who was deeply rooted in their faith. Although there are many verses that you can choose from, many people usually go for something relating to death and the afterlife. However, you can also choose a verse that was a favorite of the departed.

Poetry

Lines from poems have always been a great source of epitaphs. Poetry is a good medium to communicate various things including:

• The tragedy of the moment

• Acceptance of death

• The beauty of the life one lived    

• The spirit with which one lived their life

You can even check with the person in charge of funeral planning to know whether the tombstone will be large enough for a whole poem if necessary.

Celebrity Quotes

You can also use a quote from a celebrity that the departed was fond off or you can decide to have the same quote that was used on a celebrity epitaph.

To learn more, contact a company like An Thiel Monuments.