Writing and giving a eulogy is a way of saying farewell to someone who has died. You don’t have to be a great writer or orator to deliver a heartfelt and meaningful eulogy that captures the essence of the person who has died.
There is no right or wrong way to write a eulogy: each is as unique as the person giving it and the person it describes. But even if you’re used to speaking in public, finding words to say can be difficult because of the special circumstances of a funeral. You may be coping with your own grief. You may feel a heavy burden of responsibility to get it ‘right’, in terms of what to say and how to say it. You may prefer to ask someone else to write it, or perhaps have them on standby to deliver it for you.
A good eulogy doesn’t just tell the audience about the person; in a sense it brings the person to life in their imagination and gives them something by which to remember them. You can do this by telling stories about the person: the happy things, the funny things, the sad things, the unusual things that happened, which sum up their life. Talking about these and the enduring qualities which describe what they were really like as a person, will help you build a picture for the audience with your words.
We have compiled a list of hints and tips to help you to deliver a good funeral tribute for your loved one.