Suggestions please

If you have some photos of your times (old and new) together, you could always make up a photo book and send one to each of them and even keep one for yourself. I did one when my MIL died and sent one to each of her sons. They were very much appreciated and do not take long to do.
for you.

My aunt died at the beginning of the year. I knew she loved animals so I gave a donation to Battersea dogs and cats home.

So sorry for your loss - I always like the idea of a donation to a charity in the memory of a loved one

Do you have any photos of you and your friend that her family may not have? It is easy to take digital photos of them, download them to your computer and send them, or a link to them to the family.

If you have kept letters from her, copies of them might be appreciated too.

Sorry for your loss - loosing a good friend is never easy.

Summerstorm , I loved your suggestion of inviting them for a wee holiday . They might pounce on the chance .

Apologies if this has been mentioned earlier, but what about two nice picture frames, maybe silver and they can each put a favourite photo of their wife/mum when they feel able?

I agree with the photo album idea if you have many photos of you and your friend together (or even some of your friend before she met her husband), but if you only have a few you could pick the best two and put them into frames for her husband and daughter. These, sent with a letter recalling all the good times you had together and expressing your feelings, would be a great gift for them to treasure for many years.

I have to say that my first thought was photos, but the idea of ordering a rose bush/tree on line here in the UK and having it delivered is a very good one, especially if you can include a nice message with it. Then they can enjoy seeing it bloom every year ... how lovely. Maybe do both!

Meanwhile I send you all best wishes and want to say how sorry I am that you have lost this dear friend. A similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago when one of my best and oldest friends died. She lived abroad but we kept in constant touch and I still miss her so very much. Hang in there Sue ... ❤?

Yes, a charitable donation or perhaps a restaurant gift voucher of your friends favourite restaurant so they can go and celebrate your friend's life, when they are up to it of course. Sorry for your loss which must be very difficult being so far away.

A donation to a charity that may have been of help to your friend or if interest to her would be good. A letter of remembrance will be very acceptable. Or a token of remembrance say a plant, tree planted in your own garden (if a available to you) with a photo sent to the family.

When my Mum died one of her friends wrote to me and told me that my Grandma had told herself and my Mum the facts of life. She remembered scuttling down the stairs together afterwards giggling and laughing convinced it wasn’t true! It cheered me up immensely.

My best friend died nearly six years ago...we were best friends for over 35 years. Our husbands were friends, and our children were the same age, went to the same school for some time and we lived close by. When she died I went through all the photo albums we had going back to when we first met and had all the photo's with my friend in, copied. I bought a photo album and stuck the pics in with captions underneath. They told me it was one of the most wonderful gifts as they didn't have any of the photo's previously. Its often the personal things, like a letter or a photo that is so precious.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, there are many there to consider and some I had already thought of. As for inviting husband and daughter for a "wee visit" I'm afraid that is not possible for many reasons. I'll send letters to both and am now aware of a charity to make a donation to in her honour. My friend was also Chairperson of a dog breed club and it was through our mutual love and involvement of this breed that we met. I will explore the posibility of donating a memorial sash for the club's annual show.

I will not be able to go to the funeral as I am scheduled to have major surgery a couple of weeks later and have been advised not to fly (long haul) for 4-6 weeks pre or post that.

The family are arranging for a video to be made so that those of us unable to attend will still be able to feel part of the service.

I will mark the occasion by wearing pink (her favourite colour) and sipping gin at the appropriate time here.

Something to plant in the garden as a remembrance? Or a tree somewhere?