When someone close to you dies, you feel their absence in unexpected ways. Something as simple as driving a car can make you feel off-kilter. Going through the motions of day-to-day life can pose a real challenge as you try to deal with the absence someone leaves behind.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Short ‘In Loving Memory’ Wording Ideas for Cars or Window Stickers
- Simple ‘In Loving Memory’ or Memorial Sticker Design Ideas
One way people deal with loss is by keeping the memory of their loved ones alive in simple ways. One way people do this is with memorial decals. A memorial decal is a sticker that pays tribute to a deceased loved one. People often affix them to their cars as a way of keeping their late loved ones close.
A memorial decal often features the name of the deceased, as well as the years of their birth and death. It might also include a memorial quote or a saying along the lines of “in loving memory”. Here we explore some of the messages you might see on a memorial decal.
Tip: If you're looking for something very unique to honor a loved one, you can custom order an urn from a store like Foreverence or even have a memorial diamond made from ashes with a company like Eterneva.
Short ‘In Loving Memory’ Wording Ideas for Cars or Window Stickers
Throughout much of the United States, cars are a daily necessity. In towns without public transportation, we rely on our cars to get us back and forth to work. They allow us to engage with the world around us. Many of us share a car ride with our loved ones on a daily basis. Our cars can become like a home base for us.
And many of us end up using them as an extension of our personality. We might choose a car in our favorite color, or decorate it with stickers proclaiming our musical tastes or political preferences.
These memorial decals are another way to express your love for someone.
1. “Forever In Our Hearts”
Our loved ones never really die. As long as we remember them, they live on in their own way. A sticker with a message like this shows your commitment to keeping your loved one’s memory alive. You can also include the name of the deceased.
2. “Your Wings Were Ready, But My Heart Was Not”
Many people find comfort in imaging their deceased loved ones as angels. We’ll talk more about that in a bit. But even if you believe your loved ones will go on to become angels, it doesn’t always bring you joy.
Even if you think your loved one is in a better place, you can miss them. This decal captures that ambivalence beautifully.
3. “Until We Meet Again”
Many of us believe that after death, we’ll be reunited with our loved ones someday.
Various religions and belief systems have countless visions of heaven or the afterlife. If you believe in something like that, a memorial decal expressing that belief might comfort you.
4. “I Carry Your Heart With Me (I Carry It In My Heart)”
This is the opening line of a love poem by E.E. Cummings. It expresses the sentiment that when you love someone, they always stay with you.
No matter what you do in life, you’re not alone. Because the love that you carry will always keep you company. A sentiment like this is lovely for a memorial decal. This would be a great way to commemorate a lover of literature.
5. “Half Of My Heart Is In Heaven”
Sometimes when you love someone, it feels like they are a part of you. This kind of love is often reserved for a spouse or a child.
This message would be right at home in a memorial decal for someone you were especially close to.
6. “Holding You in My Heart Until I Can Hold You in Heaven”
As we mentioned earlier, a lot of people find comfort in the thought that they’ll be reunited with deceased loved ones after death.
This message is a great way to allude to that concept. It expresses the bittersweet feeling of missing someone while knowing you’ll see them again someday.
7. “In Loving My Memory Of My (Mother)”
This simple message helps you pay tribute to the unique relationship you had with someone.
You can have a sticker like this for a parent, sibling, spouse, or child. The decal itself will spell out the relationship you had. It’s a simple and straightforward way to share your loss with the world.
Simple ‘In Loving Memory’ or Memorial Sticker Design Ideas
Above we talked about memorial decals that incorporate words. But memorial decals might also be an image or illustration. Some people don’t like to include stickers on their cars with words. They don’t want to distract other drivers who might try to read them. Instead, they get their message across with images.
These memorial decals include more visual ways to pay tribute to someone.
8. Angel or wing memorial decal
Sometimes when our loved ones die, it brings us comfort to envision them as our guardian angels. We might feel better believing that the loved ones we have lost are just out of sight, watching us over. Memorial decals can pay tribute to that concept.
Your decal can feature the silhouette of an angel. It might be a full-body or just a head and shoulders with a halo above it. Angels can also be represented by a set of freestanding wings. Just including the name of the deceased along with the dates of their birth and death will get across the message that this is a memorial decal.
9. Heart memorial decal
Above all else, memorial decals are about showing that you’re keeping a loved one close to your heart. A simple heart-shaped memorial decal can get this message across beautifully.
The inside of the heart can feature the name of the deceased, as well as the years they were born and died. The heart can be colorful, a simple outline, or embellished in any number of ways. You can even have wings added to the sides of the heart to further delineate its status as a memorial decal.
10. Infinity sign memorial decal
Just because someone dies, it doesn’t mean that our love for them stops. Love is an infinite resource. A memorial decal that incorporates an infinity sign is a beautiful but subtle way to pay homage to a lost loved one.
A simple symbol indicates that the love you had for the deceased will continue to exist long after they’re gone. It also shows that their memory will go on as long as you exist to keep it alive. The infinity sign is a powerful symbol that can help remind you that you aren’t alone even in the midst of your grief.
11. Disintegrating feather memorial decal
Earlier we talked about incorporating wings into a memorial decal design. This can be a way of signifying that the deceased watches over you as an angel. But you can also include feathers in a different way.
One popular design in memorial decals features a feather that is breaking apart at the edge. But when you look closely, the pieces of the feather breaking away are actually birds flying off into the distance. This can be symbolic of a person transforming after death. It’s also a sign that the deceased has broken free from their earthly body and is now free. No matter what meaning you attach to it, it’s a lovely and striking image.
12. Cross-shaped memorial decal
Many people like to incorporate religious imagery into memorial decals. It can make them feel better to have a symbol of their faith weaved into the image. One popular motif in memorial decals is the cross.
There are many different ways to include a cross in a memorial decal. You can opt for an ornate Celtic cross design. But if you prefer more modern, clean lines, you can get a cross with simple straight lines. The cross can stand alone, or be surrounded by flowers. There are endless options to customize this memorial decal to your preferences.
13. Praying hands memorial decal
Another popular religious motif in memorial decals is the inclusion of praying hands.
A decal featuring two hands clasped in prayer is an undeniable indicator of a memorial sticker. You can also include the name of the deceased under it, along with the dates they lived to make the decal more specific and personal.
14. Setting sun memorial decal
When someone dies, we often say that the sun has set on their life. It’s a beautiful metaphor to help make the concept of death more beautiful and less dark.
A memorial decal can feature a sun sinking below the horizon. This is a more subtle and artistic take on a memorial decal.
Memorial Decals Are a Unique Way To Pay Tribute
Like memorial t-shirts, memorial decals have become a niche way to commemorate the life of a loved one. It’s a unique way to memorialize a loved one in a way that fits in with your daily life. Thanks to the proliferation of print-on-demand services, memorial decals are accessible and affordable.
Work with a designer or an artistically-inclined friend or family member to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake. Memorial decals are an understated yet creative way to honor someone.