Writing a tribute to your late husband or wife may be the hardest page of the funeral programme. Nobody knew them as you did, and nobody expects fine writing from you now. This guide gives you sample tributes to a late husband and to a late wife that you can copy and adapt, short ones for when words are hard, and a simple way to write your own.
You may keep it short
There is no rule on length. A printed tribute from a spouse is often 150 to 300 words. If that is too much, five honest sentences are enough. You can also ask a son, a daughter or a close friend to write down what you say, and to read it back to you.
If you will not be able to read it aloud at the service, choose someone now to read it for you.
How to write a tribute to your late husband or wife
- Start with the name you called them. "My dear husband", "Darling", "Daddy Tolu", a pet name. Use the real one.
- Say how it began. Where you met, or the year you married. One or two lines.
- Say what kind of husband or wife they were. One or two qualities, each with a small example.
- Say what you built together. The children, the home, the work, the faith you shared.
- Say what you will miss. Small, daily things say the most.
- Say goodbye. A promise, a prayer or a line of hope.
Write to them directly, as "you". Most spouses find this easier than writing about them.
Opening lines you can use
- My dear husband, I have started this letter many times, and each time I stop at your name.
- Darling, the bed is too wide and the mornings are too quiet.
- My wife, I looked for you in the kitchen again today.
- (Name), on our wedding day we said "till death us do part". I did not think it would come so soon.
Closing lines you can use
- Sleep well, my love. We will meet again.
- Rest now, my husband. I will finish what we started.
- Good night, my darling wife. Thank you for choosing me.
- Until that morning, my dear, rest in the Lord.
Sample tributes to a late husband
Replace the words in brackets with your own details.
Tribute to my late husband from his wife
My dear husband,
We met in (year) at (place), and you told me that first day that you would marry me. I laughed. You were right. For (number) years you were my husband, my friend and the head of our home.
You worked hard so that the children and I would lack nothing. You never left the house without praying for each of us by name. When things were hard, you would say, "(his words)", and somehow they became lighter.
Thank you for loving me, for your patience, and for the home we built together. I will miss your voice in the morning and your hand in mine. I will look after the children as we planned.
Sleep well, my love. We will meet again.
Your wife,
(name)
Tribute to my late husband after a long marriage
My dear (name),
We were married for (number) years. I have been your wife for longer than I was anything else, and I do not yet know how to be a widow.
We began with (one room, two chairs, very little). We ended with (number) children, (number) grandchildren and a house that was never empty. You were not a man of many words, but you brought me (tea, the newspaper, fruit from the market) every morning.
I will miss your cough at the door and your shoes by the bed. Thank you for staying, for providing and for growing old with me.
Rest now, my husband. You have earned it.
Your wife,
(name)
A Christian tribute to my late husband
My husband,
You led this family to God before you led it anywhere else. We prayed together every morning for (number) years, and you would not let the sun go down on a quarrel.
You served at (church) as (role), and you served at home in the same spirit. You have finished your course. I am sad, but I am not without hope.
The God who gave you to me will keep me until I see you again. Rest in the Lord, my love.
Your wife,
(name)
Sample tributes to a late wife
Tribute to my late wife from her husband
My darling wife,
I still remember the day I first saw you at (place). In (year) you became my wife, and from that day our house became a home.
You carried this family with grace. You raised our children to fear God and respect people. You remembered every birthday, every visitor's favourite food, and every promise I forgot. When I was discouraged, you believed in me before anyone else did.
Thank you for (number) years of love, for your prayers, and for your quiet strength during your illness. The house is not the same without you. I will keep your memory alive for our children and grandchildren.
Rest in peace, my dear. Until we meet at Jesus' feet.
Your husband,
(name)
Tribute to my late wife, the mother of my children
My dear (name),
I am writing this for myself and for our children, who are too young to write their own.
You gave them everything. You knew which one needed a firm word and which one needed a hug. You could stretch one salary across a whole month and still find something for a neighbour.
I promise that the children will know who their mother was. I will tell them how you laughed, what you cooked, and what you hoped for each of them.
Thank you for choosing me. Sleep well, my wife.
Your husband,
(name)
Tribute to my late wife after a long illness
My love,
For the last (months, years) I sat beside your bed, and you worried more about me than about yourself. You asked if I had eaten. You told me where things were kept. You were still looking after me.
I want to remember you before the illness too: (dancing at our wedding, singing in the kitchen, dressed for church). That is the woman I married, and she never left.
You are free of pain now, and I thank God for that, though the house is quiet.
Rest, my darling.
(name)
Short sample tributes for when words are hard
A short tribute to a husband or wife
My love, I have no words big enough. Thank you for every year. You were a good (husband, wife) to me and a good (father, mother) to our children. I will carry you in my heart until we meet again. Rest well.
For a young marriage or a sudden death
When the years were few, say so plainly. Do not feel you must explain or make sense of it.
We thought we had a lifetime. We had (number) years, and I am thankful for every one. You filled them with laughter and with plans. I do not understand why you had to go so soon, but I thank God that you were mine. I will love you always.
18 short tributes to a late husband or wife
Use one of these when the programme gives only a few lines, or for a wreath card, a WhatsApp status or a post online.
Short tributes to my late husband
- My husband, my friend. Thank you for (number) good years. I will love you for the rest of mine. Rest in peace.
- You promised to love me till death, and you kept your promise. Sleep well, my love.
- You were the head of our home and the calm in it. I do not know how to do this without you, but I will try.
- You held my hand through every hard thing but this one. Thank you, my love. Rest in peace.
- Daddy (name of first child), you were a good man to me and to our children. God keep you till we meet again.
- The best decision I ever made was to say yes to you. Sleep well, my husband.
- I still listen for your key in the door. Good night, my dear.
Short tributes to my late wife
- My wife, my friend. You made a house into a home and a man into a husband. Rest in peace.
- You were my good thing. I thank God for every year. Sleep well, my love.
- I married above myself, and I knew it every day. Thank you, my darling. Rest well.
- You prayed for me when I did not know I needed it. I need it now. Good night, my wife.
- The house is tidy and quiet, and I would give anything for your noise. Rest in peace, my dear.
- Mummy (name of first child), you raised our children well. I will finish what we started. Sleep well.
- You were the best part of every day for (number) years. Thank you, my love.
Short and simple
- My love, always. Rest in peace.
- Thank you for our life together. Till we meet again.
- A faithful (husband, wife) and a loving (father, mother). Rest well, my dear.
- Half of my heart has gone with you. Sleep well.
Bible verses to end a tribute to a husband or wife
Many families close a tribute with a verse. The wording here is from the King James Version.
- Proverbs 31, verse 10. "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."
- Proverbs 18, verse 22. "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord."
- Song of Solomon 8, verse 7. "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it."
- Ecclesiastes 4, verse 9. "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour."
- Psalm 147, verse 3. "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."
For more, see Bible verses for funerals.
What to leave out
- The details of the illness or the death, unless you want them known
- Family disagreements, including those about the burial
- Anything you would not want your children to read in twenty years
It is right to be honest that the loss hurts. You do not need to sound strong.
Other pages in the programme
Your tribute usually comes first among the tributes, before the children's. The facts of the life, such as dates, schools and work, belong in the biography. See the sample biography of a late mother or father.
Children and grandchildren may want their own pages. See tribute to my late mother, tribute to my late father and tribute from grandchildren. For anyone else, see how to write a tribute.
Questions people ask
How do I write a tribute to my late husband?
Start with the name you called him and say how you met or when you married. Give one or two things that made him a good husband, say what you built together and what you will miss, and end with a goodbye. Write to him directly, as "you".
What do I say in a tribute to my late wife?
Say what she was to you and to the children, with one or two small examples from daily life. Thank her, say what you will miss, and make her a promise or say a prayer.
How long should a tribute to a husband or wife be?
There is no rule. A printed tribute from a spouse is often 150 to 300 words. If that is too much, five honest sentences are enough.
Where does the tribute from a husband or wife go in the programme?
It usually comes first among the tributes, before the children's. The biography, which gives the facts of the life, is printed before the tributes.
Can someone else write or read my tribute for me?
Yes. A son, a daughter or a close friend can write down what you say and read it back to you. If you will not be able to read it at the service, choose someone now to read it for you.
Before you send it
- Read it aloud once, alone or with someone you trust.
- Check the years and the names.
- Sign it the way your husband or wife knew you.
- Give it to whoever is collecting the tributes before the deadline. Printing takes time.
Add your tribute with Homegoing
With Homegoing you can type your tribute on your phone, or ask a son or daughter to type it for you. It goes into the funeral programme with the tributes from the children and the rest of the family, who can add theirs by link. Start a programme