If you are looking for a eulogy template, you’ve come to the right place.
Some eulogy templates exist online for you to consider, but we’re going to make it easy for you. We have included everything you need to create your best eulogy right here. Authored by a professional eulogy writer, these two eulogy templates will help you honor your loved one with a simple outline and easy writing process.
In this article we will provide you with:
- A simple eulogy template for you to easily download, fill in the blanks, and print. Once you fill in your answers, it will be (just about) ready to read. Keep in mind that this template is for an adult, and extremely general. You may want to tweak it more toward the personality of your loved one before speaking it at the funeral.
- A detailed eulogy outline. This “template” is not for copying and filling in answers, but rather it contains descriptions of the different parts that are usually included in eulogies. The writing will still be up to you, so this option is much more personal. If that’s what you’re looking for, we are just glad we can help!
Eulogy Template, Outline, and Tips
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Writing a Eulogy
You have just been asked to give the eulogy for someone you love who has recently died. Of course you’ve agreed to give the eulogy… what an honor! You want to create the perfect tribute to honor your loved one and the life they lived. But you also know that there is a lot of work ahead to do it right.
Writing a eulogy takes a lot of time, energy and thought. It’s a process filled with the intensity of emotion, as you are required to recall and relive precious memories of your loved one.
Once you’ve put all these memories on paper, you’ve got to put them in some kind of coherent order, and hope that it will make sense to your audience on the day of the funeral.
You have a lot of questions about what should be included in your eulogy, because it shouldn’t just be a speech about your memories, right? Should it also contain a biography, Bible verses or a poem? Does it have to be a certain length or take a certain amount of time to speak?
Surely there has to be an easier way to complete this task.
Two Eulogy Templates, Three Ways to Find Help
Thankfully, there are several ways to get help. First, the eulogy template.
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Option A. With our eulogy template, all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your loved one’s name and basic info. Add in your own personal memories and a few other details, and you’re done!
When following a template like this, you do not have to worry about the chronology of your eulogy or making sure that it “reads well.” It’s all done for you in the template.
If at any point during your writing process, you feel like this is just something you aren’t able to take on by yourself, keep in mind that you have additional options to get help with the eulogy.
Option B. Turn to a trusted family member or friend to help you with the writing and organization. Ask for their opinions if you are stumped, or for advice on anything you should add or are leaving out.
Chances are that you know someone who has previously given a eulogy, and they’ll be able to offer you the guidance you need.
Also keep in mind that you do not, by any means, have to be a natural writer or gifted speaker to give a eulogy. No one is going to expect that from you…remember that it’s all about your loved one.
Option C. If all else fails, you can hire a professional. I write eulogies for a living, and would be honored to help write your loved one’s eulogy. If you believe that you would benefit from a professional writing service, see here for more information.
So there is help available! Whether you ask a friend or family member, hire a professional, or take advantage of our eulogy templates, you are not alone.
1. Simple Eulogy Template (Fill-in-the-blank)
If you choose to utilize our simple eulogy template, it will take you a bit of time to fill out (don’t worry-it’s pretty self-explanatory).
Once you’re done filling in the blanks, it’s a good idea to practice it a few times to make sure that it sounds just how you want it to. As mentioned above, this template is for an adult and very general (and the tone is serious). So you may wish to customize it a bit more. Feel free to add more sections as needed.
Also, it probably won’t take you very long to speak on the day of the funeral (a typical eulogy contains about 1,000 words and takes between six and eight minutes to deliver). Again, practicing ahead of time will give you an idea of how long your eulogy will take you to speak.
Simply copy and fill out the simple eulogy template below, or download it at the links above.
Hello, everyone. Thank you all for being here today. My name is _____________, and I am ______________’s _____________. _______________ was one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known, and I am honored to be standing here in front of you today to illustrate (his/her) life’s legacy.
_____________ was born on _____________. (He/she) was taken from us much too soon, on ______________. There is so much that happened between those two dates, and there is simply no way I could possibly reiterate in a single speech the life ___________ led. But I’m going to do my very best.
_____________ was born to ____________ and ________________, and grew up in ___________________. (He/she) was one of _______________siblings. Growing up, ____________ made many wonderful memories, some of which were ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________.
When ________________ came of age, (he/she) decided to ___________________________________________. (He/she) graduated from __________________ in _____, and soon found work at __________________ as a ________________________. (He/she) worked there for ____ years.
In ______, _________________ met and fell in love with ____________. Their love story was one for the ages. They courted for ____________ and were finally married on ____________. They were married for ____ long and happy years.
If I could describe ______________ to you in only a few short words, it would be _____________________________ __________________________. (He/she) lived life to the fullest, and wasn’t afraid to show the world who (he/she) really was. Some of ________________’s favorite activities revolved around ________________________________ _______________________________________________. It was also one of (his/her) greatest joys in life to _____________________________________________________. The wonderful thing about _______________ was that (he/she) didn’t live for just (himself/herself). Helping others, brightening other people’s lives also brought _________________ much joy in life. (He/she) was always helping and encouraging others by ________________________________________________________________.
______________ had many things to be proud of in life, but (he/she) was most proud of________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________. Allow me to elaborate: _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________. And it was always obvious who the apple of (his/her) eye was, ______________________________________________.
I have many wonderful memories of _________________, too many to share and not nearly enough time to. But I can’t not share these few special memories with you, ones that I will forever hold in my heart. One time, ___________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. Another time, _____________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. But my favorite memory of all has to be ________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________.
At this time I would like to share _____________’s favorite (verse/poem/quote). I think it really goes to show just the type of amazing person (he/she) was: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________.
In closing, I want to thank you all once again for being here today with myself and my family as we prepare to say goodbye to _____________________. I also want to say a special thank-you to ____________________________ for ____________________________________________. All of the support, encouragement, and words of comfort over the past several days will always be remembered.
Finally, I want to say goodbye to you, _____________________. You were such a special person to so many, and your legacy will live on in the beautiful memories you leave for all of us. I will always love and remember you.
Thank you.
2. Detailed Eulogy Template (Outline)
This outline will describe to you in detail – yet simply – how to write your eulogy. From getting your initial thoughts out on paper to practicing your completed work, we have laid it all out for you in step-by-step format.
Get our eulogy template/outline here:
Here’s how to use this outline to craft your own funeral speech.
Get your thoughts on paper.
Write down any special memories you have that you wish to express in your eulogy. Make notes of important dates like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and date of death.
This first step may seem tedious, but it is vital to a complete, quality eulogy. Writing out your memories like this can also act as a form of therapy, helping you to process your grief.
Write your rough draft.
For help with organization, it can help to look at other eulogy examples online. Click here to read a few of my own examples for reference.
For simplicity’s sake and for good flow, put your information in the following order:
- Introduction. Introduce yourself and also your loved one. Include the date they were born, who their parents were, their siblings, where they were born, and their date of death (this will be like a mini biography). If you’d like, open with a Bible verse or special quote that illustrates who your loved one was.
- Childhood, school, adventures, family. Describe your loved one’s upbringing. Next (if applicable), talk about their graduation, moving from home, falling in love, getting married and having a family.
- Occupation, achievements, interests. Talk about what they did for a living. Elaborate on any noteworthy achievements, trips, hobbies, beliefs, or special relationships they had. How did they help others? What were they most proud of?
- Share your memories. Writing down your memories in the order of time that they happened will help your eulogy to flow smoothly. Share the most often-retold stories, small moments that have never been told, or both.
- Say thank you. Express your thanks anyone or to any community who has supported your and your family during this time.
- Say goodbye. Lastly, but certainly not least, say farewell to your loved one. You may also wish to close your eulogy with a favorite verse, poem, quote, or prayer.
Practice speaking the eulogy aloud.
Some people find it helpful to practice in front of a mirror, or in front of a few trusted friends or family members.
Speaking your eulogy out loud, just as if you were already speaking at the funeral, can help you fine-tune any parts that may need revision. Practicing ahead of time will also help you avoid becoming overly emotional during your delivery of the real thing.
Print out your final copy.
You can either print your eulogy or write it out by hand. Consider making keepsake copies for anyone else who make want to take it home after the funeral.
It’s also a good idea to make an extra copy for someone you pick to be your support person. This is someone you can trust to help you finish reading your eulogy at the funeral, if you need them to.
For a more in-depth look at how to write a eulogy, take a look here, where we lay out the writing process in seven simple steps.
Eulogy Template Downloads
Now that you’ve read through all the details, you are ready to get started. Here, again, are the eulogy template downloads which you can print as-is in a pre-formatted PDF or in an editable Word document.
Simple Eulogy Template (fill-in-the-blank)
Eulogy Template Outline
I hope that you found this article helpful as you get ready to write your eulogy. It won’t be easy, but you are not alone in your grief, nor in the writing process.
Remember, I am a professional writer who also composes eulogies for a living. Should you need extra help in getting your thoughts in order, I may be able to help. See here for more information.
Read next: Inspirational Eulogy Examples to Help You Craft the Perfect Speech
Thank you,
very helpful.
Thank you,
very helpful.