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If someone you’re close to has passed away, you may be asked to prepare a eulogy. This traditional funeral service component is a speech that reflects on the deceased’s life, interests, accomplishments, and viewpoints. However, it can be challenging to choose words that respectfully encompass your loved one’s qualities and lasting impression. To deliver a message that resonates with family and friends, follow these tips.

How to Honor a Loved One With a Eulogy

1. Focus on a Theme

A complicated part of preparing a eulogy is finding a way to unify the message, especially if your loved one led a rich and detailed life. If you’re having trouble identifying a throughline, consider potential themes to structure the speech around.

For example, you might share a specific memory of the deceased and discuss how it represented their life as a whole. You might also share one of their favorite quotes or song lyrics and explain how it encapsulated their essence.

2. Select Key Moments

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Although eulogies should be respectful and accurate, they're more impactful when they're delivered within a brief period. In general, a good eulogy will last around five minutes.

To keep your speech short, it helps to avoid long lists about the deceased, such as all the places they've lived, their entire career trajectory, or every military service accolade. While these details are important, it's better to pull out only a select few that you believe best represent them.

3. Convey a Lesson

Surviving family and friends often have difficulty envisioning life without their loved one and how they should move forward. A eulogy can help people with these matters by offering a broad but meaningful lesson related to the deceased.

In some cases, a eulogist will pass on advice from the deceased. In other instances, they may encourage funeral service attendees to remember a key detail about the individual, such as their positive outlook. It might also be appropriate to reflect on their ability to improve the world and how loved ones can adopt a similar approach.

 

Whether you’re concerned about writing a eulogy or unsure of how to announce a death, funeral planning involves many important tasks. That’s why the caring staff at the Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Home in Cincinnati, OH, is committed to helping families manage each responsibility with confidence. With support from their experienced funeral directors, you and your loved ones will prepare a service that cherishes the deceased in a dignified fashion. To learn more about this team, visit them online. To speak with a compassionate professional about an upcoming funeral service, call (513) 385-0511.

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