How to Write a Eulogy for a Friend

Death is quite difficult to deal with. Even more so when the deceased is someone very close to you. The death of a dear friend can leave a gaping hole in your heart, a place that no one can ever take again. Writing a eulogy for a friend who has been with you in good times and bad, is something that can help ease the pain, not by much though.

A eulogy, being a speech most commonly read at a funeral or memorial service, should include the basic introduction of the deceased. So, make it a point to first introduce your friend, with his name or nickname that he was fondly called by.

Mention the kind of relationship that the two of you shared. Speak about your conversations, mention anecdotes that will make people smile, state how you supported each other through thick and thin, and all the things that you learned from him.

The basic purpose of a eulogy is to extol the recently departed. And since this person was your friend, you are sure to have a lot of wonderful things to say about him. You can begin with how you both met, and how through the course of your relationship, he evolved as a person.

Tell people about all the things that you loved about him, things he inspired you to do, things others learned from him, things he did for others, what people around him thought about him, and other such things which will highlight his personality.

You can conclude the eulogy by speaking about things that you knew he always wanted. Talk about how you hope that his family and friends will find the strength to cope with the loss, and try to fulfill any last wish that he may have had.

It is understandable that summing up the life of a person who was so important to you in a mere page or two is close to impossible. However, try to keep the speech comfortably short, so that you don't intrude on the time allotted for other items scheduled on the program.