The purpose of the eulogy is to pay tribute to the deceased as a distinct individual, with unique talents and gifts, who will live on in the memories of the people who loved him. Perhaps the best way to start approaching the task of writing a eulogy is to go back to the meaning of the word eulogy, which is derived from Greek words translating broadly as a good word.
Poems can be the perfect way to get across what you want to say. Written by someone who is close to you, an obituary becomes an intimate view of what made you memorable to others. An Irish Funeral Prayer, derived from a sermon delivered in 1910 by Henry Scott Holland during the funeral of King Edward VII at Westminster, has been used for years in Irish and Christian funeral services.
As an obituary also serves as a notification that an individual has passed away, it is best to check with the newspaper services if they have space. If you attended school with the deceased, you might want to focus on your school days. Many families and friends choose to write their own poems or essays about the deceased to have read at memorial services or posted on online memorial sites.
The eulogist has a chance to ease the pain of others by providing them with a picture of the best things about that person, something they can hold on to in the difficult days to follow. Grief is not something we can simply set aside.
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