Creating Memorial Bookmarks: DIY Literary Tributes

For those who love books, words hold deep emotional power. They comfort, connect, and preserve memories long after we’ve turned the final page. Creating memorial bookmarks — simple, heartfelt keepsakes inspired by reading and reflection — is a beautiful way to honor someone’s life while sharing their story with others.

These bookmarks can be handed out at a memorial service, included in thank-you cards, or made privately as part of your own healing process. Whether printed, handwritten, or handmade, they serve as lasting reminders that love, like good literature, endures beyond time.

Why Memorial Bookmarks Matter

Memorial bookmarks blend sentiment with simplicity. They are small enough to keep close — tucked inside a favorite novel, journal, or Bible — yet powerful enough to evoke cherished memories each time they’re seen.

Unlike traditional memorial programs, bookmarks are personal and functional. They remind us that remembrance can be woven into everyday life — through small gestures, meaningful words, and the quiet act of reading.

For many families, creating these bookmarks becomes a shared creative ritual — a chance to reflect together, choose meaningful words, and turn grief into something tangible and beautiful.

Choosing the Right Design and Theme

When designing a memorial bookmark, begin by considering what best reflects your loved one’s personality, passions, and legacy. Think about:

• Color palette: Earth tones for simplicity, pastels for softness, or brighter hues for those who brought joy and energy to others.

• Imagery: Photos, floral designs, nature motifs, or symbols of faith or hobbies.

• Style: Minimalist, modern, vintage, or rustic — whatever feels most authentic.

• Tone: Whether you want the bookmark to feel solemn, hopeful, or celebratory.

You can create these designs digitally using design tools like Canva or have them professionally printed on cardstock. If you prefer handmade touches, watercolor paints, pressed flowers, or handwritten quotes can make each bookmark one-of-a-kind.

What to Include on a Memorial Bookmark

Each element on a memorial bookmark adds meaning and connection. While there’s no set formula, here are common components to consider:

• Photo: A clear, warm image that captures your loved one’s spirit.

• Name and dates: Their full name and birth/death years.

• Quote or scripture: A favorite poem, line from a book, or passage that captures their essence.

• Personal message: A short phrase or saying they often used.

• Artwork or symbol: Illustrations that reflect their interests — flowers, mountains, birds, books, or musical notes.

A few examples of meaningful text might include:

• “Forever in our hearts, forever in our stories.”

• “Her life was a beautiful chapter.”

• “Those we love never truly leave us; they live on in the stories we tell.”

• “The end of one story is the beginning of another.”

These lines can bring warmth and comfort to anyone who receives the bookmark.

The Process: Making Your Own Memorial Bookmarks

Creating DIY memorial bookmarks doesn’t require advanced crafting skills — only intention and care.

1. Gather materials.
Cardstock, paper cutter, laminator (optional), glue, ribbon, photos, decorative paper, and pens.

2. Design the layout.
Decide on size (standard bookmarks are 2”x6”). Include space for a photo or text and plan the placement of each element.

3. Choose your text.
Select a quote or passage that feels most connected to your loved one’s life or personality.

4. Add visual details.
Decorate with borders, pressed flowers, ribbons, or printed artwork. You can even incorporate textures like linen or recycled paper for a tactile feel.

5. Print and finish.
Print designs on thick paper or cardstock, laminate for durability, and tie a ribbon or tassel through a small punched hole at the top.

Each bookmark becomes a small piece of art — a tangible way to remember, hold, and share.

Sharing Memorial Bookmarks with Others

Memorial bookmarks make beautiful additions to remembrance ceremonies, celebrations of life, or private moments of reflection. They can be distributed:

• At the entrance or exit of a funeral or memorial service.

• Inside thank-you cards sent after the service.

• As gifts for family and friends on anniversaries or birthdays.

• Alongside a book donation or library memorial.

You might also leave a few bookmarks inside books your loved one cherished — a poetic way of continuing their story in the hands of others.

Adding a Personal Touch

For an even more intimate tribute, consider adding something unique to each bookmark. Examples include:

• A handwritten message or signature from your loved one, if available.

• A QR code that links to a digital photo album, memorial website, or favorite playlist.

• Small pressed flowers or leaves from their garden.

• Custom scents using lightly sprayed essential oils (lavender, rose, or cedar).

Each variation tells a slightly different story — together forming a collective portrait of a life well-lived.

Memorial Bookmarks as Healing Art

The act of creating memorial bookmarks can itself be a healing process. It invites stillness, focus, and creativity — all of which soothe the mind and nurture reflection. As you cut, write, and arrange, you may find moments of peace and connection.

Crafting these pieces is more than remembrance; it’s a way of continuing the relationship. Each bookmark you create is another chance to express love, to transform grief into something tangible, and to honor the story that shaped your own.

Bringing It All Together

At Oaktree Memorials, we believe that remembrance lives in the details — in objects that carry meaning and moments that connect us to those we miss. Memorial bookmarks are small, humble, and profound; they remind us that legacy can live between the lines of a favorite book, in the quiet rhythm of a page turned.

Whether you design one for yourself, share them with family, or include them in a memorial service, these literary tributes can keep a loved one’s spirit close.

Because just like a story, love doesn’t end — it simply continues in the margins.