Free Resources for Funeral Homes

Aftercare · Free tool

Funeral Home Aftercare Letter Maker

A first year of letters for each family, with mail dates worked out for you. Each one offers comfort and one practical step for that time, under your name and logo. Try a sample with no sign-up; the full tool is free in the Funeral Home Library.

Sympathy cards · Free tool

Sympathy Card Maker

Print your own sympathy cards on Avery note cards, two to a sheet, with 112 pictures, messages for every faith, and your name and logo on the back. Read how it works and try a sample with no sign-up; the full tool is free for staff.

Cemeteries · 1 page

Cemetery Questions Families Ask Us

Short, accurate answers for the arrangement table: vault or liner, faith burials without a vault, outside headstones, who approves a burial in a family grave, VA cemeteries and complaints. With a fill-in table for your local cemeteries.

Cemeteries · Fill-in · 1 page

Our Charges and Rules in Plain Words

A fill-in sheet for small, rural and church cemeteries to hand families: prices, what each includes, marker and decoration rules, faith and green burial, and who to call.

Military Honors · 2 pages

Arranging Military Funeral Honors: A Quick Guide for Funeral Homes and Mortuaries

What every eligible veteran receives, who to call, what to do when the DD-214 is missing, and a request worksheet.

Military · 1 page

Serving a Young Veteran's Family: Notes for Funeral Directors

A one-page set of notes for when the veteran was young and the family is still raising children: national cemetery, military honors, the burial allowance, survivor benefits, and children at the service.

Sudden or traumatic death · 4 pages

Serving Families After a Sudden or Traumatic Death

The medical examiner, pending certificates, cremation sign-off, viewing choices, crime victim compensation paperwork, suicide and overdose language, and caring for your team.

Faith & customs · 7 pages

Honoring Faith and Customs: A Guide for Funeral Home Staff

Questions for the first call, embalming and washing rules, holy days, blended families, and notes on 15 faiths and traditions, with sources.

Faith & customs · 1 page

Faith Customs Quick Sheet

A one-page chart for the arrangement desk: timing, washing, embalming, cremation, viewing and who to call for ten faiths.

Baby loss · 1 page

The First Hour: What Parents Wish They'd Been Offered

Written for hospital nurses caring for parents whose baby has died, and helpful for anyone who meets those parents in the first days.

Military Honors · Fillable

Military Honors Request Worksheet

Type straight into it on your computer, one per veteran, and save it to the family's file.

Holidays · 2 pages

Our Thanksgiving Table

A plan for the day, a place to keep their recipe, and a few words for the table, for the first Thanksgiving without them. Thanksgiving is November 26 this year.

Holidays · 2 pages

Words for This Christmas

Notes families can copy into this year’s cards, and stocking cards for remembering the person who died.

Holidays · 2 pages

When the Day Holds Both

For families whose loved one died at Christmas: a yearly page for holding the holiday and the anniversary on the same day.

Holidays · 2 pages

Before Midnight: A Small Plan for New Year’s Eve

Choose the kind of night you can manage this year, and plan ahead for the moments that catch you off guard.

Holidays · 2 pages

Through January: A Week at a Time, and Their Mail

January broken into weeks, plus a page for the mail still coming in their name.

After the service · 2 pages

Before Everyone Goes Home: A Family Plan

Before relatives head home: who calls which day, who has a key, meals and rides, and who will be there on the hard days.

For families · 2 pages

When the Bills Start Coming

For the first month or two: money that may come to the family, what they likely don’t owe, what to say when a collector calls, and a bill log.

For families · 3 pages

When You Need to Tell Their Employer

Who to call at work, what to ask about the last paycheck and benefits, and a record of every answer.

Grieving alone · 2 pages

Who’s Checking On Me

For someone grieving with no one else at home: a week of voices, who calls each day, and a simple safety plan.

Veterans · 2 pages

My Veterans Day: A Plan for a Day That’s Hard

For the veteran at the service: a plan written ahead for a heavy Veterans Day, with room for the names they carry and people to call.

First anniversary · 2 pages

One Year On: A Short Gathering Anyone Can Lead

For a stone, an unveiling, or standing together a year later. Page one is the plan; page two is a short service anyone can lead.

Jewish families · 3 pages

Our Unveiling: A Family’s Plan and Service

With or without a rabbi: page one plans it, page two leads it, page three is for everyone gathered.

Headstones · 2 pages

Ordering a Headstone or Marker

The cemetery’s rules first, two quotes side by side, the true total, and a proof check before anything is carved. Large print below.

Insurance · 2 pages

Final Expense Insurance: Compare It Before You Sign

For the kitchen table, not in front of a salesperson: questions to ask every company, side by side, and a record of the policy.

Native families · 2 pages

Asking Our Tribe for Burial Help

Make the first call before paying anything, and keep every answer in one place.

For families · Free tool

Funeral Cost Comparer

Families type in prices from more than one funeral home and see them side by side. Free, online, no sign-up.

First Calls · 2 pages

Our First Calls

A fridge card families fill in ahead of time: the hospice number, doctor, address for 911, the funeral home, a helper and a calling list. Good for preneed folders. Also in Spanish.

Primeras llamadas · Español · 2 páginas

Nuestras primeras llamadas

Una tarjeta para el refrigerador: el número del hospicio, el médico, la dirección para el 911, la funeraria y a quién llamar.

Cemeteries · 2 pages

Before You Sign With a Cemetery

For families choosing a cemetery: a side-by-side price sheet for two cemeteries, what to get on paper, and a record of the grave to keep. Also in Spanish.

Cementerios · Español · 2 páginas

Antes de firmar con un cementerio

Para familias que eligen un cementerio: precios lado a lado, lo que debe pedir por escrito y un registro de la tumba.

For families · 1 page

Questions and Prices

A page to take to the arrangement meeting: write each price, mark what to keep or skip, and see who might help pay. Also in Spanish: Preguntas y precios.

For families · 2 pages

What Our Child Knows

After a violent death, a page for the grown-ups around a child so everyone says the same careful things. Families can hand it to relatives at the service. Also in Spanish: Lo que sabe nuestro hijo.

For families · 2 pages

When Your Grief Isn’t Seen

Words and a goodbye plan for grieving a friend, an ex, an in-law or a coworker. Also in Spanish: Cuando nadie ve su duelo.

For families · 2 pages

A Note for the People Who Love Us This Season

A note families can share about what helps during the first holidays. Also in Spanish: Una nota para quienes nos quieren.

For families · 2 pages

Save Their Voice Before the Phone Is Shut Off

How to keep voicemails, videos and messages before a phone account closes. Also in Spanish: Guarde su voz.

Military · 4 one-page handouts

Military Honors Family Handouts

The Honor Guard, The Flag, Taps, and At the Graveside. Print just the page a family needs. Each has a line for your funeral home's name.

Military · 2 pages

Military Honors at the Service

A page for guests explaining the flag folding, Taps and the rifle volley, plus program wording.

Veterans planning ahead · Book

Honor and Memory

A free book a veteran can fill in a few minutes at a time: their story, funeral honors and burial wishes, and where the DD-214 is. Good for pre-need and hospice families. Also in large print.

Veterans · 2 pages

Ten Questions to Ask Your Veteran

Ten starter questions with room to write, so a family can capture a veteran's story a little at a time. Large print and Spanish below.

Military · 2 pages

Planning the Order of Service: Military Honors

Where the honors go, what they include in order, VA cemetery committal services, and four sample orders of service families can change any way they like.

Military · 1 page

Give This to Your Funeral Director

A sheet families fill in and bring to the arrangement conference: service details, DD-214, honors and benefits, all in one place.

Military · 2 pages

After a Veteran Dies: The First 30 Days

The calls to make, survivor benefits to ask about, and the deadlines that matter, for the family to keep by the phone.

Children · 4 pages · ages 2–18

Helping Children When Someone They Love Is Dying or Has Died in Prison

For families whose loved one died in prison: how to help children from ages 2 to 18. Also in Spanish, below.

Spouse or partner

The First Months: A Checklist for Widows, Widowers, and Partners

The tasks and calls of the first months after a spouse or partner dies, one at a time. Also in Spanish, below.

Suicide loss · Guide for adults

More Than How They Died: After a Suicide Loss

A grief guide for adults after a suicide. The overdose edition and The First Weeks checklist are linked below.

Overdose loss · Guide for adults

More Than How They Died: After an Overdose Loss

A grief guide for adults after an overdose death.

Children · 2 pages

The First Talk: Telling a Child About a Suicide or Overdose Death

For the parent or caregiver who has to tell a child how the person died. The Carrying You With Me workbooks for kids and teens are linked below.

Children · Sudden death

When It Happened So Fast: Helping Your Child After a Sudden Death

For a child whose person died with no warning. Pairs with the Carrying You With Me workbook for kids after a sudden loss, below.

Children · 4 pages

My Own Way: Helping an Autistic Child When Someone Dies

Clear, concrete help for an autistic child at the service and after. Also in Spanish, below.

Children

Telling a Young Child That a Grandparent Died

Simple words for telling a little one that a grandparent has died. Also in Spanish, below.

Children · 1 page

Kept for You: Memories of Your Grandparent

A keepsake page of memories of a grandparent, for a young child. Also in Spanish, below.

Children · 1 page

Getting Ready for the Service: A Plan for Your Child

Helps parents get a child ready for the visitation, funeral or memorial service. Also in Spanish, below.

Brothers and sisters · 2 pages

For the Brother or Sister: A Page for the Weeks Ahead

For adults after the death of a brother or sister, who are often overlooked at the arrangement table: what they can ask for and who can help. Also in Spanish, below.

Parents of an adult child · 2 pages

When Your Grown Child Dies: What May Fall to You

For parents after the death of a grown son or daughter, and the tasks that may land on them. Also in Spanish, below.

Baby loss · 1 page

What You Can Ask For: A Card for the Hospital

For parents whose baby has died: a card to bring to the hospital. Also in Spanish, below.

Sudden death · 2 pages

Getting Answers After a Sudden Death

For families looking for answers after a sudden death. Also in Spanish, below.

Military

The Role of the Honor Guard at a Military Funeral

Who they are, what they do, and how families can thank them.

Military

Military Funeral Honors: Who Qualifies and How to Arrange Them

Military

Step-by-Step: What Happens at a Military Funeral

Sudden or traumatic death · 2 pages

When a Death Was Sudden or Traumatic

For families after an accident, homicide, suicide, overdose or unexplained death: why there may be a wait, “pending” certificates, viewing, help with costs, and support. Has a line for your funeral home’s name. Also in Spanish, below.

Criminal case · 1 page

Going to Court: A Checklist for Families

For families whose loss has become a criminal case: case contacts, questions for the victim advocate, and what to know on court days. Has a line for your funeral home's name. Fillable and Spanish versions below.

Planning · 2 pages

Funeral Planning Checklist

What to do, who to call and what to gather in the first days and weeks. Also in Spanish, below.

Planning · 8 pages

Fill-in-the-Blank Obituary Templates

For families writing an obituary with only a day or two to do it, including faith, military and celebration-of-life versions.

Children · 20 pages

The Colors of Grief: Coloring Pages

Gentle coloring pages to keep little hands busy during visitation or the service, or to send home.

Grown-ups · 1 page

Coloring Together: A Page for Grown-Ups

A page for adults to color alongside a grieving child. Also in Spanish, below.

Holidays · 1 page · Mail before Nov 26

Thinking of You This Thanksgiving

A one-page note to mail to the families you served this year, before Thanksgiving.

Holidays · 1 page · Mail in early Dec

Thinking of You This Christmas

A one-page note to mail to bereaved families in early December.

Aftercare · 31 pages

One Day at a Time: A Grief Companion for Adults

For any grown-up who is grieving, whoever they lost. A good first follow-up after the service.

Aftercare · 1 page

Going Back to Work After a Loss

A one-page plan for the first days back at work while grieving. Also in Spanish, below.

Aftercare · 24 pages

Getting Through the First Holidays After a Loss

For families facing a first holiday, birthday or anniversary without someone they love. A natural fit for a fall holiday mailing.

Veteran families · 1 page · Mail in early November

Thinking of You This Veterans Day

A fill-in note for the veteran families you have served, with a short how-to for your staff. Sign it by hand and fold in Veterans Day, Our Way.

Veteran families · 2 pages

Veterans Day, Our Way: A Plan for a Hard Day

For families whose veteran has died: ways to spend the day, words for when people thank them, help for children at school, and who to call.