Wording help for email re: colleague death

melody921

Ladies, I'm sure I'm over thinking this, but I need help. A fellow employee at my company died this weekend and we have to send an email to everyone to alert them. What the hell would be an appropriate subject line? I was thinking his name, but then that might not resonate for anyone who didn't know him (we're a big organization). I wasn't sure referencing death in the subject was appropriate. Thoughts?

MarisaKathleen

Even if people didn't know him, I would still use his full name as the subject line.  I've had 3 students die over the last year and that's how we're notified.  Even though I work with 700ish students and have only known 1 out of the 3 personally, it's still the most efficient way to do it. :-(

Hyaline

When this happened at my former job, I believe that the subject was direct but kind, if that makes sense--I think something like "Our Colleague [Name] Passed Away." I for one was glad the reference to death was there (though in a euphemistic phrasing).  But others may feel differently?  Maybe "Sad News Regarding [Name]/Our Colleague [Name]"?

I think our assistant dean wrote it that way deliberately so that there wouldn't be any shock upon opening it, and so that people would actually open and read it--just the name and everyone would have assumed he was, I don't know, paging him or something.  Because the Asst. Dean was not the most technologically minded guy, lol.

melody921

Thanks, ladies. I'll make sure his name's in the subject. This situation sucks a lot.

Flamingemu

Our company usually has the subject line of "In Memoriam: FN LN" or something like that.

BarefootContessa

Our department usually states in the subject : "The Passing of FN LN".