Having a loved one pass away is probably one of the most difficult things to deal with. Whether the death of a loved one was expected or a surprise, giving a eulogy at their funeral is also a very difficult task. If you have been asked to give the eulogy, you may not know where to start or what to say while you’re in front of all of your relatives and friends. By following these few simple tips, you will notice that you are able to flow freely when writing the eulogy so that it sounds sympathetic and sincere.
1. Discuss Your Friend or Relative in Detail
The whole point of a eulogy is to write a speech remembering your loved one. Because of this, you should jot down a list of all of the person’s strong points, accomplishments, and quirks. When writing the eulogy, you should start off by talking about some of the funny or interesting things that person did in their life. You might even want to write the eulogy as a timeline, discussing things the person did as a child, up until the time of their death.
Many people have also found it beneficial to talk about some of their loved one’s struggles in the eulogy and state the methods the person used to overcome them. It might also be a wonderful idea to walk down memory lane with the people in the funeral home and talk about different scenarios you or other people might have gone through with the deceased. The eulogy should be a compilation of that person’s life, meaning that you’ll talk about the good, bad and even the bizarre.
2. Keep it Light, Funny and Touching
Humor plays a huge role in how many people cope after the death of a loved one. Because of this, you might find it beneficial to keep things on the light side. This will also help you if you tend to cry easily and are afraid of sobbing while giving the eulogy. Try to add humor to most things that you talk about, but try not to make the entire speech a stand-up comedy routine. Even just a few notes of humor are enough to lighten the mood and get people laughing in the funeral parlor.
3. Keep it Sincere with Quotes and Poems
One of the most important things about giving a eulogy is that you want to keep it sincere. You should never exaggerate a person’s life accomplishments because most of your relatives and friends at the funeral will be able to see right through this. Instead of adding exaggerated endings to life event stories, just talk about what really happened in that person’s life. You might also find that adding poems or quotes to the eulogy helps, especially if it was a poem or quote that the deceased loved one admired themselves. One of the best tips for writing a eulogy is to simply take your time with it and do not be afraid to ask relatives for help if you’re struggling with the material.
Justine is Funeral Director from Brisbane, Australia. She says that many people over-complicate things when writing a eulogy and she hopes that these tips are helpful to you. Justine recommends having a look at funeral insurance quotes, so that your family isn’t hit with unexpected expenses at an already sad time.
