Writing a Eulogy
Eulogy examples: what good looks like
The best way to understand what makes a eulogy work is to see it in action. Here are annotated examples — with notes on exactly what each passage does and why it lands.
Reading eulogy examples can be genuinely helpful — not to copy, but to understand the craft. To see how a specific detail creates emotional resonance. How an opening line sets the whole tone. How a short ending can carry more weight than three paragraphs of conclusion.
The examples below are original passages written in different styles, for different relationships, with notes explaining what each one does well. Use them as a guide for your own writing — not as a template to fill in. Each one is annotated so you can see exactly which choice made it work, and apply the same principle to your own memories.
Example 1: Opening with a specific detail
Example opening — for a mother
"My mother kept a notebook in the kitchen drawer. Not for recipes — she had those memorised. It was for things she overheard us saying that she wanted to remember. She never told us about it until we found it after she died. It was full of our voices."
Why this works: It opens with a single, specific, unexpected detail that tells us everything about who this woman was — her attentiveness, her love, her quiet way of holding her family. It creates an immediate emotional image and makes the listener feel they already knew her.
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See our speech types →Example 2: Capturing character through habit
Example passage — for a father
"Dad had a thing he did whenever someone at the table was quiet for too long. He'd pour them more tea — whether they'd asked or not. It was his way of saying: I see you. I'm here. You don't have to explain. He never made a fuss of it. He just poured the tea."
Why this works: A habit — pouring tea — becomes a window into an entire way of loving. The passage shows rather than tells. It doesn't say "he was attentive and caring." It demonstrates it through a specific action that anyone who knew him will immediately recognise.
Example 3: Holding complexity with kindness
Example passage — for a complicated relationship
"We weren't always easy with each other. I think we were too similar for that. But here is what I know: every time it mattered — truly mattered — he was there. Without being asked. Without needing thanks. He showed up. And in the end, that is the whole thing, isn't it. Showing up."
Why this works: It acknowledges difficulty without dwelling in it. It finds the truth that redeems the complexity — the showing up — and gives the room something to hold onto. It is honest and generous at the same time.
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Let us help you →Example 4: A closing that leaves space
Example closing — for a spouse
"I don't know yet how to be in the world without you. I expect I'll be learning that for a long time. But I know what you'd say if you could hear me right now. You'd say: go on. And so I will. I'll go on. And I'll carry you with me — every single day — for the rest of my life."
Why this works: It is short, direct, and completely personal. It doesn't wrap grief in a bow — it acknowledges how enormous the loss is while finding a small, true resolution. The imagined voice of the person who has died makes them briefly, achingly present in the room one last time.
What these examples have in common
Look closely at the four passages above and a pattern emerges — one you can apply regardless of who you're writing for:
- They use specific, concrete details rather than general statements
- They show character through action, habit, or voice — not description
- They are honest about who the person was, including their complexity
- They leave space for the listener to feel — they don't over-explain
- They sound like a real person speaking, not a formal speech being delivered
What to avoid
Just as useful as knowing what works is recognising the phrases and habits that quietly weaken a eulogy, even with the best of intentions:
- "She was loved by all who knew her" — true of almost everyone; says nothing specific
- "He touched so many lives" — another placeholder that does no real work
- A list of achievements — a CV is not a eulogy; character matters more than accomplishment
- A comprehensive biography — you cannot cover a whole life; choose what matters most
- An ending that ties everything neatly — grief is not neat; don't pretend it is
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We write every speech with the same attention to detail, specificity, and emotional truth as the examples above — built entirely around the person you have lost and the memories you share with us. 100% personalised. 100% confidential. Delivered when you need it.
Order your personalised eulogy →Frequently asked questions
A few of the most common questions people ask us when looking at eulogy examples, answered directly below.
What is a good opening line for a eulogy?
The best opening lines are specific rather than general. Instead of "We are here today to celebrate..." try opening with a concrete memory, a characteristic phrase the person used, or a detail that brings them immediately into the room. The goal is to make everyone present feel that this eulogy could only ever be about this one person.
Can you use a eulogy example as a template?
You can use examples as structural guides — to see how a eulogy is paced, how it opens and closes, how specificity works. But the content must be entirely your own. A eulogy that borrows another person's memories or phrases will never feel true, because it isn't.
What makes a eulogy bad?
The most common problems are: being too general (telling rather than showing), running too long, trying to cover everything, using clichés that could apply to anyone, and spending too much time on biographical facts rather than on the person's character and what they meant to the people they loved.
How do you end a eulogy well?
End briefly and personally. A final line addressed directly to the person who has died, a short farewell, or a return to the image or memory you opened with. The ending should leave space for feeling — not fill it with more words. Less is almost always more.