A eulogy honors a lost loved one. This speech allows you to reflect on your loved one’s life, share cherished memories with fellow mourners, and comfort grieving family and friends. Follow these tips as you write a eulogy for a funeral service for a loved one.

What’s Some Advice for Delivering a Eulogy?

1. Consider Your Audience

Understanding the size and type of funeral service can guide you as you write the eulogy. If you are delivering a speech to a small crowd of family and close friends, you probably don’t need to provide a biographical sketch of your lost loved one.

On the other hand, if you expect the service to be well-attended by a larger crowd, including acquaintances and coworkers, you may want to incorporate some biographical information into the eulogy so that you can share more about your loved one’s life.

2. Add Happiness or Humor

Interject happy or even funny memories into your eulogy. The funeral service is, naturally, a somber occasion, and joyful memories can help uplift up the grieving crowd. These memories also celebrate the life of your loved one and remember the positive aspects of their life. Plus, these stories add a personal touch to your eulogy and highlight your unique relationship with your loved one.

3. Seek Input

Once you’ve drafted your eulogy, have a friend or family member read it. See how your reader reacts emotionally to your speech. You want to balance emotions, adding some lighthearted moments to this naturally heavy material. Ask for both positive and negative feedback from your reader so that you can make any necessary revisions.

4. Practice

Once you’ve refined your speech, rehearse it. You don’t need to have the speech memorized, but you also do not want to read it directly from the paper. Be familiar enough with the material that you only use the paper as a guide.

When you practice, focus on speaking slowly and pausing at appropriate intervals. The most challenging aspect of practicing your eulogy will be controlling your emotions. While it’s expected that you’ll be emotional when sharing the speech, you can deliver it in a composed manner with enough practice.

Contact Conner & Koch Funeral Home in Bellbrook, OH, to plan a thoughtful service for your loved one. These experienced and professional funeral directors will help you plan your service, whether you prefer a traditional one or a more creative celebration. This funeral home also offers preplanning services so that you can design a service to suit your preferences. To schedule an appointment, call (937) 848-6651. Learn more about available services on the website.