How to Write a Eulogy
Posted in Communication
I attended a funeral last week for a woman who had lived a good, long life. There were two eulogies given, one be a long-time friend and the other from a family member. It was interesting to hear the similar themes that came out as they spoke of someone who had played an important part in their lives.
I’ve never given a eulogy. Deaths of family and friends have been few and far between; nor am I anxious to give my first. If called upon to give a eulogy, here is a simple template I would use.
- Introduce yourself and your connection to the deceased. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Ian and Mavis was my aunt.”
- Briefly summarize the life of the deceased:
- When they were born
- Where they were born
- Growing up
- Marriage, family, etc
- Briefly summarize the accomplishments of the deceased:
- Education
- Skills
- Career
- Hobbies
- Share happy memories. Mix in tasteful humorous memories, but be careful. Only talk about the good times if the final years have been sad. For example, cite a characteristic expression or an activity that everyone will recognize.
- Talk about something(s) you learned from this person:
- Their motivation or passion
- How they changed someone’s life
- Tell why you’ll always remember the person.
- End with a final goodbye.
Keep it flowing. A eulogy should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It should have one theme. It shouldn’t jump around from topic to topic, but rather stay tightly focused. In other words, while the occasion is sad, a eulogy is still a speech. Treat it like one.
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