8 Tips To Write And Deliver A Memorable Eulogy

How do you encapsulate the many beautiful things about someone who passed away in about five minutes? This is how challenging it can be to write a eulogy. A eulogy is a speech delivered during memorial services to pay tribute to a departed loved one. Along with giving sympathy gifts such as memorial gifts for loss of father, delivering a heartfelt eulogy is one of the simplest ways to commemorate someone’s life

If you’ve volunteered or have been nominated to deliver one, this read is for you. Here are eight tips for writing and delivering a memorable eulogy.

Choose a theme and tone – Writing a tribute speech for a departed loved one is overwhelming. To help you narrow down what you have to say and make everything sound cohesive, you have to first decide on a theme. It can revolve around that person’s best-known trait or biggest passion or hobby. Then, choose an appropriate tone as well. This depends on the personality of the deceased, the audience, and the situation. Some eulogies are solemn through and through while others are sprinkled with humour.

Ask around for information – Everybody has something good the say about the deceased. To make sure your eulogy packs an emotional punch while remaining accurate, it’s best to gather information from reliable sources (e.g. Parents, partner, siblings, best friends). You can also take a cue from sympathy gifts. For instance, if someone gave you memorial gifts for loss of father like a sympathy cross knowing how your dad was a very religious person, you can ask that giver about certain anecdotes about your dad’s being religious.

Select the stories you will tell – Eulogies, in general, are personal and positive. And what will make yours so is the kind of stories that you’ll include in your speech. Based on the theme, choose relevant fond anecdotes about the deceased.

Organize all your thoughts and write the speech out – There are three main parts of a eulogy: the intro (where you’ll introduce yourself and share some biographical information about the deceased), the body (where you’ll share stories and expound on the good characteristics of the deceased had), and the extro (where you can say your final farewell directly to the deceased and/or leave some hopeful words for the audience).

Have someone check your eulogy – After writing and editing your eulogy, it’s best to get input and feedback from someone you’re comfortable with and someone who also knows the deceased.

Practice reading it aloud – Once you’re satisfied with your speech, print it out (use a huge font size and a readable font style) and set aside time to read it aloud. This is especially helpful if you’re not comfortable speaking before a crowd.

Keep it short and sweet – As mentioned, eulogies are typically five minutes long. However, this ultimately depends on the program and how many will be giving a speech. But no matter how much time you’ve been allocated with, it’s safer to keep your eulogy brief. This will lessen the chances of you committing mistakes or of your audience getting bored or feeling awkward.

Deliver it with sincerity – While speaking slowly and making eye contact while giving a eulogy is standard, what makes it really memorable is how you’ve sincerely delivered it. Just like when you’re giving memorial presents like memorial gifts for loss of father — it all boils down to your honesty and genuineness. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable or shed tears, because, after all, eulogies aren’t about you. They’re about the deceased and the life that they had meaningfully lived.