The verse or epitaph gives you the chance to say something personal about the deceased. This might be a prayer for God to look after them, or a way of thanking them for their life or simply to say good bye. Epitaphs are often inspired by the decedent’s life and accomplishments. The most famous epitaph is simply, “Rest in Peace.”
At Set In Stone we know that inspiration is hard at this difficult time so we have put together some ideas for Headstone Inscriptions and we have tried to categorise them to help you:
General Epitaphs
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not heal
I think of you as watching from
a time and space beyond the sky,
a place where we might someday come
May the journey on your next adventure be as joy-filled
as your time with us. See you soon!
To the world you may have just been somebody,
but to all of us you were the world.
Thank you for the time you spent here!
Life is not measured
By the number of breaths we take,
But by the moments
That take our breath away
Behold my friends as you pass by
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, soon you shall be
Give thyself to God and follow me
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One’s nearer God’s heart in a garden,
Than anywhere else on earth
Your presence is a gift to the world,
You’re unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be
Take it one day at a time.
I can only hope we shall see each other again
In that place where there is only love and no shadows fall,
You have touched my very being…I shall remember you
We miss you very much and love you dearly
We know our God is taking care of you
And you are now one of his special angels
You are forever in our hearts
We can’t wait to be with you again
You taught all that knew you what courage meant
And have shown us an example in death as you
did in life. God give me strength in my life without you.
I pray you can see me now and be proud of what
I have become because of your example, but most
of all I thank you because you loved me so much
Don’t mourn my loss, whatever you do
My leaving brings you closer to the loved ones
I have left behind and all the joys the future holds
Shed not for her the bitter tear
Nor give the heart to vain regret
Tis but mere ashes that lie here
The gem that filled it sparkles yet
Beneath this simple stone
That marks his resting place
Our precious darling sleeps alone
In the Lord’s long embrace
No pain, no grief, no anxious fear
can reach our loved one sleeping here.
Gone, but not forgotten
Absent from the body, Present with the Lord.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
I go to prepare a place for you that where I am, there you may also be.
Neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Words of Comfort
In Loving Memory of
To live in the hearts of those we love is never to die
Entered into rest
Until we meet again
I shall but love thee better after death
Forever in our hearts
Always in our hearts
At rest with God/ Rest in Peace
Too well loved to ever be forgotten
Asleep in Jesus
Home with God, which is far better
Ours for a little while, with Jesus forever
Everlasting life through Christ
Asleep in Christ Jesus
Beloved of the Lord
The song is ended, but the melody lingers on
Rest in thine, sweet memory ours
Sweetly sleeping
Loving memories last forever
Hasten, oh blessed hour or reunion
Not lost to memory! Not lost to love!
but gone to our Father’s house above
Step softly, a dream lies buried here
Your love will light my way,
your memory will ever be with me
What we keep in memory
is ours unchanged forever
Death is only a shadow
across the path to heaven
At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning we will remember them
He longest lives who most to others gives,
himself forgetting
May the souls of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God rest in peace
He gave thee,
He took thee,
and He will restore thee
God could not have made earthly ties
so strong to break them in eternity
Ideas from Authors and Poets
The soul that suffers is stronger than the soul that rejoices.
E. Shepard
Tears are often the telescope by which men see far into heaven.
H.W. Beecher
Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts, not amid joy.
Hemans
What seems to us but dim funeral tapers may be heaven’s distant lamps.
Longfellow
Death is the golden key that opens the palace of Eternity.
Milton
There is a sweet job that comes to us through sorrow.
Spurgeon
Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Moore
Heaven, the treasury of everlasting joy.
Shakespeare
Death is not a foe, but an inevitable adventure.
Sir Oliver Lodge
Every man’s life is a plan of God.
Horace Bushnell
The acts of this life are the destiny of the next.
(Eastern proverb)
Sorrows are like tall angels with star-crowns in their hair.
Margery Eldredge Howell
The heart of him who truly loves is a paradise on earth.
Lamennais
Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss.
Milton
To love is to place our happiness in the happiness of another.
Leibnitz
Humble love, and not proud science, keeps the door of heaven.
Young
The greatest attribute of Heaven is mercy.
Beaumont and Fletcher
Mercy to him that shows it, is the rule.
Cowper
Nature’s loving proxy, the watchful mother.
Bulwer
Dust thou art, to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soul.
Longfellow
The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth,
One’s nearer God’s heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth.
Dorothy Francis
Till the master of all good workmen shall set us to work anew.
Rudyard Kipling
The end and the reward of toil is rest.
James Beattie
In His will is our peace.
Dante
Safe in the hallowed quiets of the past.
Lowell
Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory.
Shelley
Each lonely scene shall thee restore.
William Collins
Things past belong to memory alone, things future are the property of hope.
John Home
Yet in this heart’s most sacred place, thou, alone, shall dwell forever.
Moore
…There hath pass’d away a glory from the earth.
Wordsworth
joy, joy forever! – My task is done – the gates are pass’d and heaven is won.
Moore
The cross leads generations on.
Shelley
…The heart of man is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.
St. Augustine
God is and all is well.
Whittier
Death’s but a path to be trod if man would ever pass to God.
T. Parnell
Onward to thy glory! ‘Tis always morning somewhere in the world.
R.H. Horne
Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound.
H. Melville
He hath awakened from the dream of life.
Shelley
Beyond is the infinite morning of a day without tomorrow.
W.S. Abbott
Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers
the o’erfraught heart and bids it break…
Shakespeare
Where He leads me I can safely go.
Millay
God gives us love. Something to love He lends us.
Tennyson
Whither thou goest, I will go.
Ruth i:16
But in the night of death hope sees a star,
and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.
Ingeresoll
There never was night that had no morn.
D.M.N. Craik
Faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death.
Young
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away.
Cant. ii:17
‘Tis not the whole of life to live, nor all of death to die.
J. Montgomery
Where there is sorrow there is holy ground.
Wilde
Now twilight lets her curtain down and pins it with a star.
L.M. Child
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Moore
Where there is much light, the shadows are deepest.
Goethe
His daily prayer, far better understood in acts than words, was simple doing good.
Whittier
Ideas from the Bible
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
23rd Psalm
Believe on Him to life everlasting.
1 Timothy 1:16
He shall receive in the world to come eternal life.
Mark 10:30
The righteous shall go into life eternal.
Matthew 25:46
Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:15
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8
He that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 10:22
The Lord hath given him rest from all his enemies.
11 Samuel 7:1
Thy remembrance shall endure into all generations.
102nd Psalm
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
Philippians 1:3
He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life.
John 3:16
I rejoice in thy salvation.
1 Samuel 2:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
23rd Psalm
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well please.
Matthew 3:17
Blessed is the man who maketh the Lord his trust.
Psalms 40:4
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden.
Matthew 11:28
Sleep on now, and take your rest.
Matthew 26:45
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4
…Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Matthew 25:21
I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live.
John 11:25
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:1
…All things work together for good to them that love God.
Romans 8:28
…Be thou faith unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Revelation 2:10
…Not my will, but thine be done.
Luke 22:42
The Lord watch between me and thee, while we are absent, one from the other.
Genesis 31:49
For with thee is the foundation of life: in the light shall we see light.
Ps.xxxvi:9
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 John iv:16
Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends.
John xv:13
This is the promise… the life everlasting.
1st Epistle of John ii:25
For of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew xix:14
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
11 Tim.1v:7my
Epitaphs for Children
Hush my dear, be still and slumber:
Jolly angels guard your bed
The dutifulness of children
is the foundation of all virtue
Children bring their own love
with them when they come
What would the world be to us
if children were no more?
Oh, for boyhood’s time of June crowding
years into one brief moon
Sleep undisturbed within the peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.
No jewel is as perfect
as the innocence of childhood
Sleep, my little one, sleep
Children are a heritage of the Lord.
Psalms 127:3
The child is the father of the man
Little Boy Blue has gone away
God’s garden has need of little flowers
Remembering a tiny angel
So small, so sweet, so soon
Lord, we give you our littlest angel
Budded (or blossomed) on earth to bloom in Heaven
For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven
His was a man’s courage
Our littlest angel who went back to Heaven
Called by one who loves him dearly
Let thy child rest in hope and rise in glory
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
and the smile of a little face
Children are the keys of paradise
An angel visited the green earth,
and took a flower away
The place of a sleeping angel
Lost his/her wheels, but gained his/her wings
(for a child confined to a wheel chair)
“Sleep, my little one, sleep.”
“Hush my dear, be still and slumber:
Jolly angels guard your bed.”
“Children are a heritage of the Lord.”
“Sleep undisturbed within the peaceful shrine, Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.”
Epitaph to remember the devoted woman in his/her life
To know even one life breathed easier
because she lived is to know she
truly succeeded while here.
We can only be said to be alive when our hearts
are conscious of our treasures. Let it be forever
remembered she was always a diamond to us.
She never took no for an answer and pushed
ahead when others paused. But a kinder, gentler
woman you will never meet again.
She appreciated every moment because
she knew she might never be able
to experience it again.
She took in all the wonders of life,
wrapped them in a colourful package
and gave it to us. We’ll miss you!
The past is history. The future, a mystery.
But we will hold dear our memories of her,
her smile, the sound of her laughter…forever.
She did more than exist, she lived.
She did more than listen, she
understood. Rest peacefully, dear.
Goodbye to a wonderful mother and grandmother.
She lived a long and wonderful life, and was loved
by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed,
but will live on in our hearts for generations.
Sleep on, sweet mother and wife,
And take thy rest, God called thee home
He thought it best
My wife, my friend, the mother dear
In dreamless sleep repossess here
May those whose love to her was given
All meet and live with her in heaven
Mother thou art gone to rest
And this shall be our prayer
That when we reach our journey’s end
His glory we may share
God’s greatest gift returned to God – my mother
O,Lord I put her in thy hands
She had a kindly word for each
and she died beloved by all
She lives with us in memory
and will for evermore
May God grant you eternal rest, dear Mother
She concealed her tears but shared her smiles
God took her home, it was his will,
but in our hearts she liveth still
God bless thee wheresoe’er thou art
in his great universe today
She is resting peacefully with
Jesus in that beautiful home above
Her memory is enshrined in our hearts
Her friendship was an inspriration,
her love a blessing
Resting with those she loved
She served and kept the faith
She walked in beauty
Her friends were her world
She loved people and laughter
She would rather give than receive
God called her from amongst us
to a home of eternal rest
Always loving: always loved
To know her was to love her
She gave so much and demanded so little
Her children arise up and call her blessed
A mother is a mother still,
the holiest thing alive
Grace was in all her steps,
heaven in her eye,
in every gesture dignity and love
When she had passed, it seemed like
the ceasing of exquisite music
She passed through glory’s morning gate
and walked in paradise
She filled every second of her life with laughter, love and happiness.
She is not far away.
May she rest in peace with God.
Sweet in her ways, observant in her mitzvahs.
Out of sorrow God speaks to us best.
Let her own works praise her at the gates.
She touched everyone with special love and kindness.
There was grace in her steps, love in every gesture.
With all my love.
May she be remembered as she remembered others.
She graced her family with acts of loving kindness.
A woman of virtue kindness and modesty.
Peace is thine and sweet remembrance is ours.
Of tender heart and generous spirit.
How beautiful life was to me.
Her works were kindness, her deeds were love.
Tender mother, a faithful friend.
She loved everyone.
“She lives with us in memory and will for evermore.”
“God’s greatest gift returned to God – my mother.”
“Goodbye to a wonderful mother and grandmother.
She lived a long and wonderful life, and was loved
by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed,
but will live on in our hearts for generations.”
“She never took no for an answer and pushed
ahead when others paused. But a kinder, gentler
woman you will never meet again.”
Epitaph to Celebrate a man’s life
If there is another world, he lives in bliss
If not another, he made the most of this
We laughed at him because he was different.
He laughed at us because we were all the
same. We will never laugh the same again.
Only those who risk going too far will ever know
how far they can go. We will always remember
just how far our wonderful boy could go!
Each life is like a letter of the alphabet. Alone
it can be meaningless. Or, like his beautiful
years with us, it can be part of a great meaning.
He always stood for what was right and good.
And for this we shall forever cherish his memory.
What lies behind him and what lies before
him are tiny matters compared to what lied within him
He achieved success here because he
lived well, laughed often and loved much.
We’ll forever miss you, Daddy!
He left the world knowing he was loved.
Nothing in life could be a more precious gift.
You’ll always be in our heart, son!
He always did the things he thought
he couldn’t do. Thank you for your
courage and inspiration.
He never heard opportunity knock
because he was too busy building
doors. Don’t forget us!
His true wealth was in his generous heart.
And what endless wealth he did have.
It is not length of life, but depth of life.
He jumped into life and never touched bottom.
After the night comes the morning, bidding all darkness cease… After life’s cares and sorrows, His comfort, sweetness and peace.
He lived life to the fullest.
He was filled with a zest for life that never grew old, and kept him eternally young.
While he lives cherished in our memories, he is never far away.
Sweet in his ways, observant in his mitzvahs.
Generous of heart, constant of faith.
Let his own works praise him at the gates.
He gives His beloved sleep.
In His will is our peace.
A man must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.
He loved and was loved.
Gone fishin’
A gentle man.
He touched the lives of many.
If our love could have saved him, He would not have died.
His courage, his smile, his grace gladdened the hearts of those who have had the privilege of loving him.