What to write · Sympathy

What to write when someone has lost a grandparent

Find a sympathy message for loss of a grandmother or grandfather that remembers a lifetime of recipes, stories and love. Your pick is printed on a real card and mailed for you, sent from your phone.

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Messages you can use

Copy one as it is, or change a few words so it sounds like you.

I am sorry your grandma is gone. I think about the afternoon she taught us to play cards and cheated shamelessly and kept her straight face. We loved her for it.
I’m so sorry about your grandmother. I still think of her cookie tin whenever someone says the word home.
I remember your grandpa teaching us to fish off the dock and not minding that we tangled every line. I am so sorry. I hope you have those days to keep.
I remember how she came to every one of your school plays and clapped the loudest. Someone that proud of you is a rare thing. I am so sorry for your loss.
I know Abuela was more than a grandmother to you. She was your whole childhood kitchen. I am so sorry, and I will always remember her laugh.
You always lit up when you talked about your Nana. It was clear how much she loved you, and how much you loved her. I am so sorry she is gone.
I know Grandpa lived with you for years, and the house must feel so different now. I am sorry. I would love to come by and sit with you.
I know your grandmother was where a lot of your stories began. I’m sorry she’s gone, and I’m glad to sit with you while it sinks in.
The way you talk about your Papa, with so much warmth, tells me he was a wonderful grandfather. I am here if you want to share any of those stories.
I did not get to meet your grandfather, but I have heard so much about him that he feels like a friend. I am so sorry you lost him.
Thinking of you and your family. I still remember your grandpa waving from the porch every time I drove by.
Sorry about Grandma. She sounded wonderful, and you were lucky to have her.
I know how close you were. I am just here, and I am sorry.
Thinking of you and everyone in your family this week. No need to write back.
I was very sorry to hear about your grandfather’s passing. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts.
Please accept my sympathy on the loss of your grandfather. He clearly meant a great deal to your family, and he’ll be missed by many.
We were saddened to hear of the death of your grandmother. Our thoughts are with you and your family during this sad time.
May God hold your grandmother close and comfort your family. I am keeping all of you in my prayers.

Ways to sign off

With sympathy, · With love, · Thinking of you, · Warmly, · Holding you close,

How to write it

Whether you knew them well or knew their family, a sympathy message for loss of a grandmother or grandfather can honor the years and comfort the people who loved them. Grandparent loss is sometimes brushed aside because the person was older. But for the one grieving, it can be the end of a lifelong relationship, with recipes, songs, summers and stories that nobody else carries quite the same way. Your card can honor all of that.

A good note names the grandparent and says something about what they gave, as small as the cookies in the tin or the cardigan on the porch chair. Writing to a young person, keep it simple and kind. Writing to an adult, share what you saw between them. We print your note in a handwriting-style font and mail it, from $2.

Use what they called their grandparent: Grandma, Nana, Papa, Abuelo. It shows you listened.
Mention one small, loving thing you know about the relationship, like the Sunday calls or a favorite recipe.
Do not say they lived a long life as a way of softening it. The one grieving can say that, but you should not.
If you are writing to a child or teenager, use plain, gentle words and say you are thinking of them directly.
If the grandparent raised them or lived with them, say so. That loss is closer to losing a parent.

Designs that fit

Pick a design, paste your message, and we print it in a handwriting-style font and mail it. Cards from $2 with postage; letters from $3.

Questions people ask

Should the card go to the grandchild or to the whole family?

Either works. If you are closest to the grandchild, write to them. If you knew the grandparent through the family, address the card to the household. You can preview the front and back before you pay.

How long does a sympathy postcard take to arrive?

It usually arrives within 8 business days of mailing. Cards start at $2 each with postage included, and we print your message on the back in a handwriting-style font along with the address.

More guides

Everything on what to write

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