How can you condense a person’s entire life into a 15-minute eulogy? It’s a privilege to deliver a eulogy for a deceased loved one, but it can be difficult to convey everything that needs to be said.

Find creative ways to highlight the most meaningful experiences in life rather than giving the funeral audience the impression they are reading an encyclopedia from cover to cover. A eulogy should represent the deceased, highlighting some of their finest qualities and achievements while sharing some of their most endearing and unforgettable anecdotes.

Looking for eulogy examples and tips online is a great place to start. However, remember that quality, not the number, matters most. There are no hard and fast guidelines for writing a eulogy, but we hope this guide will help you pay tribute to a loved one in a meaningful way.

What Exactly is a Eulogy?

To deliver a eulogy is to speak words of recollection during a funeral or memorial service to honor the deceased. A member of the deceased person’s family or a very close friend delivers this eulogy at the funeral or memorial service.

A eulogy is a speech of memory delivered during a funeral or memorial service by a member of the deceased person’s family, a close friend, or a coworker. It is common practice to have a single individual deliver a eulogy at the memorial service. Still, having several people share their thoughts and experiences is standard practice. Since many mourners will have traveled some distance to be present at a funeral or memorial ceremony, eulogies provide a welcome moment of solace and contemplation.

The death of a loved one leaves you with the demanding responsibility of writing a eulogy. Preparing anecdotes and anecdotal evidence for recitation in public will be required. It is essential to remember that eulogies’ beauty lies in the solace they provide to mourning loved ones and the perpetuation of the deceased’s memory that they foster. Don’t be intimidated; anyone is capable of writing a touching eulogy. The secret is to put your true feelings down on paper.

One of the hallmarks of a moving eulogy is its focus on the deceased’s indelible mark on their loved ones and the world at large. Talking about them in your speech will allow you to highlight their individuality while highlighting the positive change they inspired in others.

Just how can you pay tribute to that special someone? Writing a eulogy for a loved one who has passed on can be an emotional and cathartic experience and an excellent opportunity to reflect on the person they were and the things you will miss most about them.

Eulogy Examples

We’ve produced a few eulogy samples for you to use as inspiration.

A parent’s eulogy

I’ve wanted to be like my mum since I was a little girl, from wearing her high heels to making up false lesson plans so I could educate my brother in my kitchen classroom. My love for Mom grew as I grew older, only pausing briefly during the agony of middle and high school.

After college, I began to seek solace in the same activities she tried to instill in me as a youngster. Things I used to despise, such as wandering in the woods, skiing on bogs, and kayaking local rivers, became my new happy place.

Now that she’s gone, I’ll return to the places that brought us peace. Always knowing she’s watching over me and telling me to come back before dark.

A partner’s eulogy

My wife’s love of birds was one of my favorite aspects of her. Most of us ignore these tiny insects, but she saw every wing flutter that flew by. She could spend hours studying their flying patterns and listening to their sounds in a field. I tried to quicken her pace at first, tired of all the time we wasted staring at the sky.

I understood her need for this private respite from society as we got older. I wanted to follow her into the fields to see the excitement in her eyes. What I wouldn’t give to spend one more moment in a field with her, holding her bird book or listening to her try to entice birds our way.

I’ll never look at birds the same way again. My wife will always remain my wife. I was soaring above the worries of the world and tuning out to tune in. I hope she finds the same peace wherever she is today.

How Long Should A Eulogy be?

It may seem impossible to put into a eulogy the depth of your feelings for the person who has passed away. It can be challenging to summarize a person’s life in the typical 5-10 minutes allotted for eulogies. Consider it a tribute speech aimed to reflect the spirit of who they were and what they stood for, commemorating their positive impact on the world. Prioritizing the anecdotes and experiences you wish to share is the first step.

What to Include in a Eulogy

Each eulogy should be written from the heart, but here are some ideas to get you started:

1. A synopsis of their life, highlighting significant events
2. Your favorite recollections with them, including a specific tale or two
3. Information about their immediate social circle
4. What significant achievements have you achieved in your professional, academic, or extracurricular pursuits?
5. Songs, poems, and prose produced by the now-passed
6. Words of praise from respected writers and poets

Eulogy Sample Outline

There is no standard outline or template for a eulogy. However, like any writing and public speaking, an attention-grabbing start, a solid middle portion divided into three parts, and some ending remarks are recommended. This is the standard three-point outline you learned in school, and it will help you write a eulogy:

Introduction

An excellent introduction can include a humorous or exciting tale, a profound remark, or something demonstrating their personality.

Establish a topic in the introduction (a theme that you can come back to throughout the eulogy)

Mention your connection to the dead and thank everyone for attending on the family’s behalf.

Set a timer for one to two minutes.

Part One: Personal Information

• Keep this portion concise, up to one minute.
• Include only the highlights, some but not all: Birthplace, family history, education, employment, marriage, children, hobbies, religion, community engagement, awards, accomplishments, locations lived, and travel.
• Only mention some things; otherwise, your speech will be dry and dull.

Part Two: Reminiscences

• Share a recollection or two that highlights one or more of the person’s attributes, something that will connect with anybody who knew them.
• Allow at least two minutes to share some recollections properly.
• Aim for two or three stories.

Part 3: The Legacy

• Connect the stories, recollections, and introduction to the subject you’ve constructed.
• This is what you want to emphasize about their legacy.
• Instead of just saying, “She was loving, kind, and kind,” demonstrate how she was loving, caring, and kind.
• This can be short; one minute is sufficient.

Closing

• As with the beginning, a tale, quote, or graphic is an excellent way to end.
• Your concluding remarks can range from ten seconds to a minute in length; simply a few brief phrases to wrap things up.
• Consider saying your final goodbyes to a loved one.
• Finally, simply say “Thank you.”

How to Write a Great Eulogy

A eulogy can be written in whatever way the writer sees fit. If you have been asked to give a eulogy, the deceased likely had a deep connection to you, and you have a gift for storytelling. You can trust yourself and your abilities throughout this process, and if you feel anxious, you can draw strength from the memories you have of your loved one.

Recall past experiences

Start by making a timeline highlighting some of their most memorable life events, such as getting married, starting a family, achieving professional success, experiencing the world, or contributing to their community. Having a written record of their milestones in front of you can help you decide what aspects of their life are most worth eulogizing.

1. Go through your old mail, messages, and texts.
2. Think back on old things
3. Going back to cherished landmarks
4. Look at vintage home movies and photos with the family.
5. Try listing all the adjectives that come to mind when you think about that person.

Consider using some of these words and phrases in your eulogy. Spending time putting down on paper the things you loved about their personality and your time together will help to bring back vivid memories.

Close friends and family members can also be a great sounding board for new concepts. Inquire about their most treasured recollections, any new insights they may have had into their relationship with the departed, or any particular times of year or locations that bring back fond thoughts of your loved one.

To get motivation, try asking the following questions your loved ones:

1. If so, what were some of their most memorable times spent with them?
2. What distinguishing characteristics of their character stood out to you?
3. Was there a particular line or phrase in a song or a favorite statement they lived by?
4. Which uplifting tales best portray them?

The best eulogies have a unifying subject, and you can find that theme by collecting ideas from several sources.

Practice with family and friends

When you have finished writing a eulogy you are pleased with, it is time to practice it in front of an audience. You’ll have to deliver the eulogy you’ve written, so it’s wise to do some dry runs before the memorial ceremony. Have an observer time it to get a sense of how long your speech will be. It’s important to remember to pause and catch your breath whenever you find yourself speaking more quickly than you anticipated.

After practicing, you might ask close friends and family members pointed questions about the areas you believe need improvement. That might look like this:

1. Was my reading speed off?
2. Were you able to follow the story of her mother?
3. Would you like to add anything to this?
4. Did this properly honor the life of the person who passed away?

The best way to find out where your eulogy needs refining and editing is to read it aloud to someone who will be honest about what they think.

Create a touching eulogy

The average length of a eulogy is five to ten minutes of speaking time or seven hundred fifty to one thousand words. Don’t overthink your first draft; just sit down and start typing away. Eulogies don’t need to be flawless, but they should emphasize why and how the deceased was significant to the speaker.

It can be beneficial to take time away from a first draft and come back to it with new eyes. Talk to close friends and relatives about your rough draft. Make sure the tales and highlights in your eulogy help bring to life the characteristics you’ve chosen as the focus, whether that’s the person’s adventurous spirit or talent as a good listener.

Even though it can be difficult, writing a heartfelt eulogy for a loved one who has passed away can be a moving and healing experience. It’s an opportunity to remember the good times you shared with your loved one and carry that spirit forward after they’re gone.

6 Tips for Writing a Heartfelt Eulogy

Don’t drag it out

Eulogies are meant to summarize the deceased’s life rather than exhaustively analyze every aspect. The length should be around a thousand words, and the time allotted for delivery should be between six and eight minutes.

Keep an idea in mind

Create a theme out of a single tale, phrase, or quotation. Remember that there is insufficient time to do justice to the deceased’s life in a short eulogy. Use a statement or narrative encompassing multiple facets of their life and personality to highlight their best qualities.

The details aren’t necessary at this stage

A summary of the person’s family, achievements, and legacy is expected. Don’t let the eulogy devolve into a dry list of names and dates, though. Concentrate on who they were and how they impacted the world around them.

Be genuine, but try to see the bright side

Even if the person’s flaws are acknowledged, a fitting eulogy will focus on their many positive traits. Include details about your cherished one’s significant life events, hobbies, passions, religion, volunteer activities, and professional and personal successes.

Imagine the best parts of their lives and the qualities they possess

Start with a personal anecdote or recollection of the individual and relate it to their distinguishing trait. It’s also possible to flip the process around and start with the qualities you most want to highlight in them before recalling any specific anecdotes or statements. This easy method should provide you with enough information to write the bulk of your eulogy; from there, you need to locate a good outline and start writing.

Put more effort towards becoming understood

If you’re reading the speech in preparation for a speech, you can speed through it. Be sure to enunciate your words well and work on speaking more slowly. The need to take breaks Take a few deep breaths before getting up to give the eulogy.

Bottom Line

The most important thing to remember as you read through these funeral eulogy samples is that there is no one correct approach to writing a eulogy. Instead, think about how you might honor that person with your sharing, honoring how they would want to be remembered. Now is the time to express your feelings and remember your departed loved one.