Sections of a eulogy
How do you sum up somebody's entire lifetime in an only minutes long speech? It’s an honour to hold the responsibility of eulogizing your loved one, but it can feel like a challenge to fit everything you want to say in one speech.
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We'll show you generally how to write a eulogy and overcome your writers block. You should be aiming to keep around 10 minutes, but we understand if you feel more needs to be said.
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First Section: Introduction
In the opening section, you need to cover a few basic pieces of information before moving onto the main section of the eulogy. You could set the tone by beginning with a poem, quote, or scripture that was meaningful to the person, or is relevant to the person. Also mention names they were known by, including nicknames and maiden names. To remind the audience why you're special to the person, provide a brief insight into your relationship with the individual.
Second Section: Main Part of Eulogy
Now that the introduction is over, you can move onto the most important part of the eulogy. This section will be the longest part of the eulogy. Many people choose to highlight a person’s life chronologically, or they choose a theme for the stories. The centrepiece of the speech can include a variety of talking points: accomplishments, major life events, stories or fond memories, how the person affected others, childhood years, travel adventures, marriage and children or any other thoughts you want to share about the person.
Last Section: Summarising Their Life
The end is typically the shortest section of the eulogy. This is a quick wrap-up that sums up a person’s life. Finish the eulogy with a few of these options:
A final take away from your theme, how you want family and friends to remember the individual, what the person would want you to remember them for, quote, scripture, or song lyric and thank attendees for participating.
More Help
If you still feel stumped and need help writing a eulogy, reaching out to trusted family members who were close to them could help with ensuring the eulogy remains personal.