A memorial plaque is a flat marker, typically made out of metal, stone, wood, or ceramic. It typically features words, which are sometimes accompanied by an image, in relief. Text can also be engraved instead of raised.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for Mom or Grandma
- Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for Dad or Grandma
- Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Sibling
- Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Friend
- Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Coworker
Memorial plaques can be used to commemorate particular events. They can also be used to celebrate the lives of certain individuals. You’ll sometimes see them on memorial benches in a park or in the halls of a government building. People will also have them made as a keepsake to honor the deceased.
The words written on memorial plaques could include biographical information about the deceased. However, this is often reserved for historical figures. For everyday people, inspirational quotes are often selected. Here are some ideas for memorial plaques for a variety of people in your life.
Many of these ideas can also be used in other ways, such as on an online memorial page. An online memorial page, like a memorial plaque, is a long-lasting and beautiful tribute to a loved one who has passed away. And with a memorial page, friends and family members can leave their own messages and even donate money to a cause that you choose.
Tip: If you are the executor for a deceased loved one, deciding things like this and handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist that will help you ensure that your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.
Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for Mom or Grandma
Mothers and grandmothers go above and beyond when it comes to nurturing future generations. When they pass away, we want to do something special in loving memory of them. A memorial plaque with a special quote is a great tribute.
1. “Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven/Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This poetic line can bring comfort to people who believe in heaven. It will remind them that their loved ones are safe and sound in a place of peace and beauty.
2. “The past beats inside me like a second heart.” —John Banville
When your mother is pregnant, your heart beats inside her along with her own. This quote is a sweet way to pay tribute to that. In this case, memories of her will serve as that second heartbeat inside of you.
3. “Behind all your stories is always your mother's story. Because hers is where yours begins.” —Mitch Albom
This quote can help you feel connected to your mother, even after she has passed away. It can bring a lot of comfort, which is part of what a memorial plaque should do.
4. You are the fire that has given light to the flame in each of my eyes. You are the fountain that nourished my growth, and from your chalice gave me life.” —Suzy Kassem
This quote is a slightly reformatted line from Kassem’s poem “Mother is Water”. It pays tribute to just how essential your mother was to your life.
Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for Dad or Grandpa
There are so many ways to pay tribute to our fathers and grandfathers. We could plant a tree in their memory. We could create a memory jar. Or we can get a memorial plaque in their honor. Read on for some wording ideas.
5. “Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?” —Terry Pratchett
This quote serves as a reminder to never stop speaking about those we have lost. While it may be painful at first, in time it will bring you comfort.
6. “The things we do outlast our mortality. The things we do are like monuments that people build to honor heroes after they've died.” —R.J. Palacio
When we die, we worry about being forgotten. This quote reminds us that we live on through our accomplishments. It’s an excellent memorial plaque quote for a father or grandfather who achieved great things.
7. “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” —Jim Valvano
This sweet quote pays homage to supportive fathers.
8. “When I was a child, all problems had ended with a single word from my father. A smile from him was sunshine” —Rachel Vincent
So many kids think their father is a hero. Some of us never outgrow that feeling. This quote pays tribute to that.
Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Sibling
Losing a sibling is really hard. Our earliest and most enduring friendships are usually with our brothers and sisters. A memorial plaque can help you pay tribute to them. Here are some quotes to make a memorial plaque for a sibling extra-special.
9. “The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them.” —Czesław Miłosz
People often have stories about their siblings from every phase of their lives. Sharing them helps keep their memory alive. This quote on a memorial plaque reminds us of that.
10. “And it’s okay to be sad, but you can’t love someone only with tears. There’s got to be laughter too.” —Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Most people with siblings have fallen into those hysterical bouts of laughter that make it so you can’t even talk. This quote reminds us to think of those silly times, too.
11. “Having a sister or a friend is like sitting at night in a lighted house. Those outside can watch you if they want, but you need not see them.” —Marilynne Robinson
This quote pays tribute to the incomparable closeness that sisters share.
12. “Twirl me about and twirl me around. Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground. And when I look up at you looking down, say it was only a dream.”
These lyrics are from a Mary Chapin Carpenter song, In it, a young girl watches as her older brother goes where she can’t follow.
Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Friend
Losing a close friend can be as difficult as losing a family member. A memorial plaque can help you honor your friendship. These quotes may help inspire you:
13. “People will walk in and walk out of your life, but the one whose footstep made a long-lasting impression is the one you should never allow to walk out.” —Michael Bassey Johnson
This quote makes a lovely tribute to a friend who never walked out of your life as long as they lived.
14. “Friends come into our lives and friends leave our lives. But friends never leave our hearts. And best friends always get to stay in the best places in our hearts.” —John M, Simmons
This quote expresses the importance of holding onto our friends as long as we can. It also reminds us to hold them in our hearts even when they’re no longer with us.
15. “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever.” —Alfred Tennyson
This poetic quote shows that even when a friend isn’t with us, the thought of them remains beautiful.
16. “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. ” —Anatole France
Our friends aren’t always human. For many people, pets are dear friends as well. A quote like this can be engraved on a memorial plaque. That plaque, in turn, can be mounted on a pet memorial stone.
Memorial Plaque Wording Ideas for a Coworker
Some offices encourage longevity. They’re such a good environment that people will stay there for their entire careers. When a longtime employee dies, the office may want to memorialize them in some way. A memorial plaque can be a great way to do so. Here are some quotes that would be appropriate for a coworker:
17. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” —Thomas Campbell
This quote reminds us of the importance of remembering those we have lost. A memorial plaque reminds us of their presence in our lives.
18. “Beyond twilight comes a beautiful night, the kind of night the weary dream of. And to all my good friends, to those who have already gone to the back side of the mirror, I bow my head.” —Pramoedya Ananta Toer
This quote is excellent for an office environment because it’s not overtly religious. But it does still give a nod to the notion that after death, we may go somewhere beautiful.
19. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Mahatma Gandhi
If your late coworker was known for helping other employees, this is a lovely quote to honor them.
20. “People of excellence go the extra mile to do what's right.” —Joel Osteen
This quote is perfect to honor a coworker who always went above and beyond.
Honor a Loved One With a Memorial Plaque
When a loved one dies, we want to keep their memory alive in some way. A memorial plaque is a great way to pay tribute to our loved ones. Just the act of etching a paean to them on a plaque gives you something concrete to hold onto.
Finding the right words to capture their spirit is an amazing way to pay homage and keep their memory alive.