Headstone Inscriptions & Memorial Quotes

By Rob Provines, VJ Memorials

Choosing the Words for a Headstone

You are picking a few words that may sit in a cemetery for a hundred years. It is understandable that families sometimes struggle with what to say.

As a memorialist, I usually begin by asking about the person. What was Mom like? What did Dad always say? What did he love doing? What made her laugh? Was there something she said so often that everyone in the family can still hear her saying it?

My grandfather liked to say:

“That’s better than getting poked in the eye by a crooked stick.”

People would chuckle right away, but then some would come back and ask what difference it makes if the stick is crooked. That phrase had to be on his headstone. It was just so uniquely Grandpa that anyone who knew him would read it and smile.

My father was the same way. He worked at Disneyland for years and years. Even after he retired, he would drive down to the park in the evening just to walk around, or sit with a cup of coffee and watch everyone around him having a good time.

Dad also had a habit that could be a little embarrassing when we went out to eat. A waiter or waitress would come to the table and ask, “How is everyone doing today?” Before anybody else had a chance to answer, Dad would jump in with:

“Fantasmic!”

Not fantastic. Fantasmic. Any Disney nut will understand that one. It’s now engraved on his granite urn.

Sometimes the best inscription is a familiar phrase or even one word that sounds exactly like the person who is gone. Other families simply want “Beloved Mother and Grandmother,” and that can be just as meaningful. The words don’t have to impress anyone. They have to feel right to the family choosing them.

What Is an Epitaph?

An epitaph is an inscription on a memorial that remembers the person who has died. It may be a few simple words, a favorite saying, a religious passage, or something personal that only family and friends fully understand.

In the memorial industry, we use the word epitaph for these inscriptions. Families may call them headstone quotes, sayings, or memorial inscriptions. They are all ways of expressing something about the person being remembered.

An epitaph can be traditional or entirely personal. “In Loving Memory” has been used for generations, while a phrase like my grandfather’s crooked-stick saying may only make sense to the people who knew him. Both have a place on a memorial.

The examples below are here to help you get started. You may find the exact words you want, or something on the page may remind you of a saying that belongs to your family.

The Most Common Headstone Inscriptions

Before getting into the more personal and unusual ideas, these are some of the inscriptions we see again and again. There is a reason for that. They are simple, they work well on many different memorials, and they say exactly what many families want to say without trying too hard.

In Loving Memory
Forever in Our Hearts
Always in Our Hearts
Gone but Not Forgotten
Until We Meet Again
Rest in Peace
A Life Well Lived
Together Forever
Together Again
Beloved Wife & Mother
Beloved Husband & Father
Loving Mother & Grandmother
Loving Father & Grandfather
Beloved Wife, Mother & Grandmother
Beloved Husband, Father & Grandfather
Our Beloved Mother
Our Beloved Father
Our Beloved Son
Our Beloved Daughter
Our Beloved Parents
Cherished Mother & Grandmother
Cherished Father & Grandfather
Forever Loved
Forever Remembered
Always Loved, Never Forgotten

You don’t have to be original for the inscription to be meaningful. Families have been choosing some of these words for generations, and they don’t mean any less to the family choosing them today.

Short Memorial Quotes

A short inscription can be especially effective when the memorial already includes a name, dates, artwork, a portrait or other design elements.

Beloved and Remembered
Loved Beyond Measure
At Peace
At Rest
Safe in God’s Arms
Home at Last
Faithful to the End
Loved by Many
Deeply Loved
Sadly Missed
Never Forgotten
Cherished Always
Our Light
Our Joy
Our Anchor
Love Never Ends
Love Lives On
Called Home
Asleep in Jesus
Peace Be With You
Sweet Rest
Free at Last

For a Mother or Grandmother

Some of the most traditional inscriptions we engrave are for mothers and grandmothers. Beloved Mother and Grandmother may not be unusual, but it has been chosen by generations of families for a reason.

If you want something more personal, think beyond the fact that she was a mother. What made her your mother?

Was everyone always welcome at her table? Did she keep the family together? Was she the person everyone called when something went wrong? Did she have a garden, a favorite flower, a strong faith, a recipe everyone still makes, or a saying the grandchildren will never forget?

Sometimes one of those details says more about Mom than any memorial quote ever could.

Some ideas:

The Heart of Our Family
Mother, Grandmother, Friend to All
She Held This Family Together
Her Faith Carried All of Us
She Gave Everything and Asked for Nothing
Her Children Rise Up and Call Her Blessed — Proverbs 31:28
She Opened Her Hand to the Poor — Proverbs 31:20
Strength and Honour Are Her Clothing — Proverbs 31:25
Forever Our Mom
Forever Our Grandma
A Mother’s Love Never Ends

For a Father or Grandfather

With fathers and grandfathers, families often start with Beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather. And sometimes that is exactly right.

But if you want something more personal, think about how you would describe him to someone who never met him.

Was he always working in the garage? Did he fish every weekend, coach Little League, serve in the military, work the same trade for 40 years, or never miss a Sunday at church?

Sometimes his occupation belongs on the memorial. Sometimes it’s his military service, his faith, a favorite place, a nickname everyone called him, or something he always said. And sometimes it’s one ridiculous word like “Fantasmic!” The point is to make the memorial sound like Dad.

Some ideas:

A Good Man and a Great Father
A Good Man and a Good Father
Our Father, Our Hero
A Hard Worker With a Soft Heart
Grandpa, Keeper of the Best Stories
He Walked With God
Fight the Good Fight of Faith — 1 Timothy 6:12
Forever Our Dad
Forever Our Grandpa
Beloved Husband, Father & Grandfather

For a Husband, Wife or Companion Memorial

A companion memorial is a little different because you may be designing it for two people at two very different times.

Often one spouse has passed away and the other is sitting with us choosing the memorial. Naturally, everyone’s attention is on the person who just died. But we also have to think ahead.

When we design a companion memorial, we normally design the entire memorial for both husband and wife from the beginning. The names, inscription, artwork and other design elements are laid out together so the two sides remain balanced.

The date of death for the surviving spouse is left blank. Years later, usually the only thing that needs to be added is that final date.

Some couples choose one inscription that represents them together. Others want something more personal incorporated into each side of the design. There isn’t one right answer. A companion memorial will eventually tell two stories, not one. You can see examples of companion designs in our headstone gallery.

Some traditional choices include:

Together Forever
Together Again
Until We Meet Again
Side by Side, As Always
What God Has Joined Together — Matthew 19:6
Devoted Always
Reunited
Love That Lasted a Lifetime
Together in Life and in Rest
Forever in Our Hearts

For a Child or Infant

These are the hardest stones we make. Short is usually right.

There isn’t much advice I can give a parent about what they should put on their child’s memorial. This is one place where I think we should mostly stay out of the way.

Some families choose a Bible verse or a traditional inscription. Some use a nickname, a few words about how deeply their child was loved, or simply the child’s name and dates. It does not need to explain the loss. It only needs to be what the parents want.

Our Little Angel
Forever Our Baby
Forever in Our Hearts
Loved Beyond Measure
Too Beautiful for Earth
A Little Life, A Lifetime of Love
Our Precious Child
Safe in the Arms of Jesus
Until We Hold You Again
Our Sweetest Gift
Always Our Baby
So Small, So Loved
Our Little Sunshine
Heaven’s Little Angel
You Will Always Be Our Baby

For a Brother or Sister

Brothers and sisters often have a different kind of memory of the person who has died. They remember childhood, family jokes, arguments, adventures, and the person before they became a husband, wife, parent or grandparent.

Sometimes a simple inscription is best. Other times, a nickname or a phrase shared between siblings is more fitting.

Beloved Brother
Beloved Sister
My Brother, My Friend
My Sister, My Friend
Forever My Brother
Forever My Sister
Always in Our Hearts
Together in Memory
A Brother’s Love Never Ends
A Sister’s Love Never Ends
Until We Meet Again
Forever Part of Our Family

Scripture

For many families, a Bible verse is the most natural choice. It may be a passage the person loved, a verse that has been important to the family, or simply words that express their faith.

The examples below use traditional King James wording. If you are choosing Scripture for a memorial, I recommend checking the exact wording and reference in the Bible translation your family prefers before the design is approved.

The Lord Is My Shepherd — Psalm 23:1
I Shall Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever — Psalm 23:6
Be Still, and Know That I Am God — Psalm 46:10
God Is Our Refuge and Strength — Psalm 46:1
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation — Psalm 27:1
I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto the Hills — Psalm 121:1
The Lord Shall Preserve Thy Going Out and Thy Coming In — Psalm 121:8
He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Green Pastures — Psalm 23:2
Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Will Fear No Evil — Psalm 23:4
I Am the Resurrection, and the Life — John 11:25
In My Father’s House Are Many Mansions — John 14:2
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled — John 14:1
I Have Fought a Good Fight, I Have Finished My Course, I Have Kept the Faith — 2 Timothy 4:7
Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant — Matthew 25:21
Blessed Are They That Mourn: For They Shall Be Comforted — Matthew 5:4
For God So Loved the World — John 3:16
I Can Do All Things Through Christ Which Strengtheneth Me — Philippians 4:13
To Every Thing There Is a Season — Ecclesiastes 3:1
A Time to Be Born, and a Time to Die — Ecclesiastes 3:2

Catholic and Traditional Christian Inscriptions

Many Catholic families choose a familiar prayer, a reference to Mary or the saints, or words that express the hope of eternal life. Some prefer a traditional Latin phrase.

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, O Lord
And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them
May They Rest in Peace
May the Angels Lead You Into Paradise
Requiescat in Pace
Pray for Us
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on Us
Jesus, Mary and Joseph
In the Sure Hope of the Resurrection
A Faithful Servant of God
Into Thy Hands, O Lord

Jewish Memorial Inscriptions

Jewish memorial traditions can vary between families and congregations. Some families want Hebrew lettering on the memorial, some use English, and some use both.

If your family has a particular Hebrew phrase, prayer or traditional wording you want used, bring it with you. We would rather work from the wording that belongs to your family’s tradition than assume we know what you want.

Common choices include:

May Her Memory Be a Blessing
May His Memory Be a Blessing
Zichrono Livracha
Zichrona Livracha
A Woman of Valor
A Righteous Man
Beloved Wife, Mother and Grandmother
Beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather
May His Soul Be Bound Up in the Bond of Eternal Life

Memorial Inscriptions in Spanish

Many of the families we serve want the memorial in Spanish, or sometimes in both Spanish and English.

The important thing is that the Spanish should sound natural to the family choosing it, not like an English inscription that was run through a translator.

Some traditional and simple choices include:

Siempre en nuestros corazones
Descansa en paz
Hasta que nos volvamos a ver
Tu amor vive en nosotros
Madre querida
Padre querido
Amada esposa y madre
Amado esposo y padre
Nunca te olvidaremos
Fuiste nuestro todo
Tu recuerdo es nuestro tesoro
Gracias por todo, mamá
Gracias por todo, papá
La familia lo es todo
Nuestro ángel

Military, Veterans and First Responders

Military service is often an important part of someone’s memorial, but the inscription doesn’t have to carry the entire story.

A branch-of-service emblem, rank, years of service or other artwork can tell part of that story visually. That leaves the inscription free to say something about the person rather than trying to squeeze an entire military career into one sentence.

Some traditional choices include:

Duty. Honor. Country.
Served With Honor
Proud to Have Served
Semper Fidelis
A Soldier’s Rest
He Stood the Watch
She Stood the Watch
Greater Love Hath No Man Than This — John 15:13

When Their Work Was Part of Who They Were

For some people, work was simply how they earned a living. For others, it was a big part of who they were. Sometimes that story can be told with artwork: a carpenter’s tools, a truck, a tractor, a badge, a musical instrument, or something else people immediately associate with that person.

I had an uncle whose work was especially hard. Things were not always easy for him, but he persevered. His motto was:

“When things get tough and you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”

You wouldn’t necessarily need that whole sentence on his memorial. “Tie a knot in it” might be enough.

To a stranger walking through the cemetery, those words might not mean much. To the people who knew him, they could say everything. An epitaph does not need to speak to every person who walks by. Sometimes the most touching inscription is the one that only family and friends fully understand.

The Outdoors, the Farm and the Water

Hobbies and favorite places are another good place to look when nothing in a traditional quote book feels right.

If Dad spent every weekend fishing, Mom’s garden was her favorite place in the world, or Grandpa would rather have been on horseback than anywhere else, that may belong somewhere on the memorial.

Sometimes it’s an inscription. Sometimes it’s artwork. Often the two work together.

Ideas that may get the conversation started:

Gone Fishing
Back on the Water
Home on the Range
The Mountains Were His Church
She Loved the Ocean
Riding On
The Garden Was Her Happy Place
Under Open Sky
He Loved This Land
The Last Cast
Back in the Saddle

Again, these aren’t rules. They’re prompts. Maybe Gone Fishing isn’t right at all, but it reminds you of what Dad actually used to say every Saturday morning when he walked out the door. That’s the phrase we’re after.

A Little Humor Can Belong on a Headstone

A memorial does not have to be solemn in every single way. Some people were funny. Some were sarcastic. Some had a saying the entire family heard ten thousand times. Taking all of that personality out of their memorial because a headstone is supposed to sound serious can sometimes make the stone sound less like the person it represents.

One famous example is Mel Blanc, whose memorial uses the phrase:

“That’s All Folks.”

If you grew up hearing his voice in Warner Bros. cartoons, it’s difficult to imagine a more fitting line.

My grandfather had his crooked-stick saying, and my dad had “Fantasmic!” Those words bring back memories for the people who knew them. Humor can be just as personal as a traditional expression of love or faith.

Sometimes You Need to See It First

When a family doesn’t know what they want for an epitaph, I would love to tell you that I always ask one brilliant question and the perfect words suddenly appear. That’s not really how it works.

Sometimes I slide the book of inscriptions across the table. People need something to react to. They might read twenty sayings and dislike every one of them. Then number twenty-one reminds somebody of something Mom used to say. Suddenly the family is talking about Mom, and the book has done its job.

That’s also one of the reasons we have so many different memorials and engraving examples in our showroom. Families will see something and say, “I didn’t know you could do that.” The example doesn’t necessarily become their design. It gives them an idea of what might be possible for their own memorial. You can also browse our headstone design gallery to gather ideas before visiting.

Bringing the Words and Memorial Together

Once a family has found words they like, we can begin working them into the memorial design. The names, dates, epitaph, artwork, and any portraits all need to work together, and we can show the family how that will look before anything is engraved.

If you have a favorite Bible verse, poem, or family saying, bring it with you. We can go over the options together and show you how the wording works with the rest of the design.

Seeing the Design Before Engraving

Our artist prepares a layout showing the names, dates, epitaph, and other design elements together. Families can review it and make changes before the memorial is engraved.

You may discover that the words you chose are exactly right, or that seeing them on the design helps you make a small adjustment.

Take Your Time With the Words

If the right words aren’t coming to you right now, we can work on the rest of the memorial while you think about them. Artwork, photographs, emblems, and other parts of the design can sometimes help bring back a memory or a saying that belongs on the stone.

Once our artist finishes the first draft, you can take the layout home or have it sent to you and spend some time with it. You may realize that a long inscription isn’t needed, or someone in the family may remember a phrase that feels exactly right.

There is no need to have every word decided before you come in. Bring a favorite saying, a photograph, a few ideas, or nothing at all. We can help you begin with the person you are remembering and work from there.

Come Visit Us in Chino

If you would like to talk through your ideas, visit our Chino factory and showrooms. You can see finished memorials, look through inscription examples, and meet with a designer. No appointment is needed, and there is no pressure to make a decision that day.

VJ Memorials is located at 4737 Schaefer Ave., Chino, CA 91710. Call (909) 902-9000 if you would like to speak with us before visiting.

If you are still deciding what kind of memorial is possible, you can also find your cemetery in our service area. We can help confirm the cemetery’s requirements before you settle on a design.

Headstone Inscriptions & Memorial Quotes: Finding the Right Words