DEAR MISS MANNERS: My father has passed, and we received many condolence messages, memorial donations, meal deliveries, flowers and assistance in other ways. My mother, sister and I all live in different cities.
My dad, sister and I share a last name, but my mother’s is different. I will be writing the thank-you cards on behalf of the three of us. What is the best way to sign them? My name first? My mother’s? We can’t sign with “the Smith family,” as my mom is not a Smith, so to speak.
GENTLE READER: Generally, there is only one signature to a letter, and others are included by preceding it with something like “Charlotte and Kevin join me in thanking you for ...”
However, Miss Manners will allow you to shorten this by identifying all of you as “the family of the late Horace Smith.”
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
