Writing a Eulogy
Delivering a eulogy or funeral speech is an opportunity to share the things you cherished about someone, brag about their accomplishments, and tell friends and family about their unique charms and funny quirks.
Giving a kind and respectful speech is always a good way to deliver a eulogy. However doing a little research and can help you deliver a speech that truly has special meaning to both you and to the immediate family. To make it a bit easier we have listed a few things that can help you.
Brainstorm and Research
Start by simple gathering information. Begin with the basics; where were they born, their education and employment, their spouse, how many children they had, and much more.
To capture the best parts of the person’s life think about what was meaningful to their loved ones and which memories truly celebrate the person’s life. Talk to family members and friends about their favorite stories and memories.
- Ask their siblings to share stories from their childhood.
- Have their children reflect on a time their parent made them feel special.
- Ask the grandchildren to share their favorite memory.
- You can even ask their work colleagues questions about their career.
Organize your thoughts and pick a theme
Once you’ve gathered the information you can start writing. Organize your thoughts, pick a theme. Talk about what they loved most, or something they enjoyed doing every weekend.
Make it personal, let it convey the personality of the person who is deceased.
Once you’ve written your Eulogy, practice. Read it in front of a mirror. Practice in front of a sibling. Make sure that what you wrote sounds as good said out loud as it does on paper. Don’t worry if you need to make edits, that’s part of what practicing is for. When printing your eulogy make they type big, and make sure it’s double spaced. You want to make sure that it’s easy to read.
Reading a eulogy can be very emotional. If you do get emotional, pause, take a deep breath, and continue speaking when you’re ready. Reading in front of people can be stressful. It’s something that not everyone is good at. Don’t worry about that. Reading a eulogy is about the person you’re mourning. Try to look up and make eye contact with family and friends, that may help. Just do your best, that’s all anyone can ask of you.