You know how well an eulogy is written when you observe the responses of all those present when the eulogy is being delivered. Often, the best eulogies trigger highly emotional responses, simply by delivering past deeds of the deceased that are worth remembering.
Therefore, it is not uncommon for eulogies to be written by a close family member or friend - for those are the people who know best the past deeds of the deceased. By calling forth memories of these worthy deeds, family and friends are reminded of these achievements. And by the end of the funeral, everyone leaves with fond memories. The eulogy has served its purpose.
But that's an easy thing to say in theory. In reality, everyone knows that writing an eulogy charged with emotions is not as easy as it sounds. As you probably deduced from the above, the first task that an eulogy writer has to overcome is to recall all note worthy events in a person's life. Usually, many details of important events are lost in the passage of time. So anything that will help the eulogy writer recall important details will help - such as photographs, trophies, souvenirs and so on.
Everyone would have thought the worries of an eulogy writer would be over with a list of the deceased achievements. Unfortunately, remembering the important events is only a tiny part of the whole process. Now the eulogy writer has to write the events out in a flowing manner that will (hopefully) touch the audience. Here is when the writer will have to call on all his writing skills. This is also where writing becomes an art. When emotions are involved, grammar, spelling and sentence structure hardly matters. In fact, this part of the writing process appears hardest to many eulogy writers. It is not surprising to see writers crushing paper after paper, rewriting eulogy after eulogy. Why? The eulogy just doesn't sound right. The writer is in deep trouble.
Fortunately, an eulogy writer can always refer to eulogy examples that are readily available on the internet. These examples provide a reference point and much needed ideas for writing a great eulogy. Eulogy examples will show the writer several ways to start an eulogy, different ways to fill it up with content, and explore several different conclusions. The writer's job is made much simpler - it's now all about choosing a writing style that feels right.
Let's face it, not everyone is charged with the task of writing an eulogy everyday. But if you are one who finds yourself charged with the honor and responsibility of writing an eulogy, do it with pride and fulfill your duties. You will be glad that you put in your heart and soul in coming up with the perfect eulogy.
Margaret Marquisi is a retired novelist and fulltime grandmother. For an actual eulogy example, please visit the eulogy examples website.