You can find examples of a touching eulogy that says how dear your friend is to you. With a few easy tips and examples, you can either revise an existing eulogy or write your own.
How to Choose a Touching Eulogy for a Dear Friend
The criteria for choosing the right eulogy for your dear friend depends on the sentiments you wish to express. Consider what your friend meant to you and write down the various sentiments that best describe your friendship. Choose one sentiment and then use it to build your eulogy; these are printable using Adobe and can be edited as needed. The examples are also included at the end of this article.
Long Eulogy for a Friend
If you're the main speaker, your eulogy will naturally be longer and cover more of your friend's life.
Short Eulogy for a Friend
When several people have been asked to speak, you will want to keep your friend's eulogy on the shorter side to allow everyone a time to speak.
How to Write a Eulogy for a Friend
Once you know the sentiment you wish to express, it's time to start writing your eulogy. You can divide the eulogy into sections so it's easier to write.
- Welcome and introduction - The first part of your eulogy is the welcome and introduction. Thank those for coming to celebrate the life of your friend. Follow this with a brief introduction about your relationship with the deceased before going into more eulogy information.
- Share a few memories of your friend - Choose moments everyone can relate to and illustrate the sentiment you choose as the centerpiece of your tribute to your friend. This might be a story about spending summer vacation together at the beach or hiking in the state park.
- Illustrate your friendship with a story - Reveal your friend's personality and your friendship. Don't make these long, detailed stories, just hit the high points. Use a few snippets that are touching and warm.
- Mention deceased's family - Acknowledge family members; if possible, include them in the stories or select one of your friend's endearing qualities and relate a story demonstrating that quality that includes their family.
- Uplifting conclusion - You want to conclude your eulogy with something that is spiritually and emotionally uplifting, yet relative to your friend and your friendship.
Eulogy for a Best Friend Poem
You may decide that a poem is the best approach for a eulogy for a best friend. Sometimes, a poem can express your sentiments better than you. It may be that your friend had a favorite poem and its significance is perfect for a eulogy.
Eulogy for a Friend Quotes
When you write a eulogy for a dear friend, you may decide to include a quote or two. The quotes should express your thoughts and feelings about your friend. It may be that your friend had a favorite quote or used a quoted as a life mantra, so including it in your eulogy would be very appropriate.
Long Example for a Friend
You might find an example of a touching eulogy for a dead friend helpful. At the very least, you may be inspired and gain a better understanding of what you wish to include in your eulogy. Long version of dear friend eulogy:
"First, I'd like to thank everyone for being here to help Josie's family and friends celebrate her life. I met Josie on a school field trip to the state aquarium. At the time, we attended different schools, but our two groups ended up on the same tour.
"I immediately liked Josie's sense of humor. The tour guide named all the species and told a little about each one. When the tour guide asked if anyone in the group knew the name of the shark swimming in the tank behind him, Josie raised her hand and replied, 'Maneater.'
"We kept in touch after the field trip and a year later Josie's dad, Frank, took a job here in town and Josie and I became inseparable. It was a dream come true that we were able to see each other every day.
"We went on each other's family vacations. We shared everything from our first boy crushes to our first dates. We texted each other all the time, sent selfies and made plans about our future lives. Those plans won't come to pass now. She was taken from us by a drunk driver. In that one moment, her life ended. Everything we planned vanished.
"But my memories remain. I still laugh whenever I think about us trying to sneak back into her bedroom one night while on vacation. We didn't realize the rental property had an automated sprinkler system. I can still hear her squealing and giggling as we tried to dodge the sprinklers, only to be blinded by floodlights triggered by a motion detector.
"Her parents, Frank and Maude, weren't giggling when they opened the front door holding towels. They dried us off and fixed us a midnight snack and then promptly grounded both of us for a week.
"I shall always miss my dear friend. She made me laugh, and she was always there to help me figure things out, listen to me when I was upset, and cheer me up when I was down.
"Josie was fearless and forever curious about - everything. Her favorite quote was from an ancient history class we took together a few years ago. The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus said, "There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will." Josie lived this quote and I'll try to live it. For certainly, her no longer being here is something well beyond the power of our will."
Short Eulogy Example for a Friend
Sometimes a short eulogy for a friend is an ideal choice. You want to consider the funeral venue and frame your eulogy according to the setting and those in attendance. For example, if your friend was a musician, you may want to have a shorter eulogy so you can play your friend's favorite song. Short eulogy written for a fellow musician:
"Thank you all for being here today to give John a proper send off for a fellow musician. I met John about six years ago when we were both playing gigs in Memphis. We connected that first set and went on to form our little jazz band, ending up playing here in New Orleans. John wasn't a formal guy and would never want me eulogizing him. He was humble and the only thing he valued almost as much as his family and friends was his music. John once told me, he could give up beer, pizza and chocolate peanuts - and we all know how much he loved those foods - but the one thing he couldn't live without was music. So, John this song is for you, brother, with all my heart, you are the one thing in life I never thought I'd have to give up!"
Tribute to a Friend at a Funeral
When you give a touch eulogy for a dear friend, you want it to convey your emotions about your friend. You want the eulogy to serve as an example of who your friend was and how he/she touched your life and the lives of others.
