Funeral Speeches Are The Last Goodbye

By Author: speech-writers
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Funeral speeches or eulogies are as different as the people they eulogise. They can be given by a family member or, at public funerals, by some dignitary. They can be given in church, at a funeral home or even at the graveside. One thing they have in common though is the fact that the speaker is saying a last goodbye.

That doesn't necessarily mean that funeral speeches have to be sad. Quite often they are simply a celebration of the life of someone who has lived a long and good life. Instead of sadness there is gratitude for what that person achieved during his or her lifetime. He or she will be missed of course but the sadness is tempered by the fact that the deceased's time had come.

That is not the case when a child dies or says a young husband or wife. Then it is difficult for the funeral speeches to be anything but sad because we feel they have not lived long enough to fulfil their potential and that they are being taken from us before their time. Yet however long a person has lived they deserve a eulogy because in it we say our farewells.

Funeral speeches or eulogies are difficult to write because ...
... how can you summarise years in a few minutes? What you have to do is to summarise by giving a word picture of the person in question. You speak of his or her qualities, personality and achievements. In funeral speeches it is important to remember that you are not the only one grieving and that others too are mourning. So your description of the person should allow for the fact that he or she was a good neighbour, a well respected colleague or a popular student as well as being close to his or her family.

Funeral speeches or eulogies should contain some gentle humour because all the nicest people have a sense of humour and it helps to lift the sadness of the occasion to remember that. If they meant something very special to someone it should be mentioned. So a beloved godchild or indeed grandchild should be part of the picture you paint. Everyone who lives leaves an impression on life and you should summarise your eulogy by mentioning that. A teacher, for instance, may have changed the life of some students in a deprived area. Funeral speeches or eulogies are our way of saying, We will miss you but thank you for all you have done and what you have meant in our lives.

Niamh Crowe has written Eulogies for 20 years. She has written thousands of speeches for Eulogies, Eulogy Verses, Funeral Speeches, funeral poems (family, colleagues or friends), Funeral Reflections (spiritual/non-religious) & more.