How to Write a Letter for Final Arrangements
Making funeral arrangements is an emotionally difficult task. You must contact a funeral home, purchase a casket, arrange a viewing, contact the person's church to schedule a funeral service and arrange a burial among many other duties. Once everything is planned a letter can be sent to the deceased's family and friends to notify them of the final arrangements.
Create the heading by typing your address. Skip a line and type the date. Skip an additional line and type the recipient's name and address on separate lines or omit individual salutations and make the letter a general communication that is sent to everyone. Skip an additional line.
Type the salutation: "Dear (Name)" followed by a colon, or for a general letter, type "Dear family and friends of (Deceased's name). Skip an additional line.
Begin the letter by thanking them for their kind thoughts and gifts. Tell them the departed person would be touched by their acts of kindness, and then include a few kind words about him as well.
List the services with the relevant details. Include the date, time and location for the viewing of the body, wake, funeral, burial and other memorial services or gatherings.
Include information about any special requests that the deceased made, such as donating to a charity in lieu of flowers.
Close the letter by typing "Sincerely," and skip three lines. Type your full name. Print the letter and sign above your typed name.
Consider your mailing options. You will probably have to use an express mail service for the letters going out of town so the recipients have time to make travel arrangements. Ask for delivery confirmation so that you know when the recipients receive the information.