Funeral Eulogy Tips

Posted on December 23, 2018 by MayFuneral under Blog Posts
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Funeral Eulogy Tips

Dealing with the stress of a funeral is difficult enough, so when it comes time to write a eulogy, many people find themselves under even more pressure. It is often one of the small things that people either forget to plan for or overlook during a time when there are so many other important things to attend to. Nonetheless, writing a memorable eulogy to honor your loved one is something that can fluster even the most season writer. There are things to remember though before writing a eulogy, approaches that help make the process easier.

 

Remember you’re not grieving alone

Remembering that you are not alone and that a community is grieving with you is important. A funeral is the place and the time to come together as a community of friends and family and to be vulnerable. Making sure that your eulogy isn’t just about your grief, but about the deceased and their place in the community can help others relate to your experience. Tell a personal story that others can relate to, something that speaks to the nature of the deceased.

 

Be positive

It can be difficult to see the light through the darkness, particularly when we have lost a loved one. Sometimes showing strength of positivism in the face of loss can give others courage. Reminding people of the amazing things that the deceased brought into the world rather than the loss everyone has experienced can help provide comfort to others. An uplifting message in a eulogy can definitely help your audience.

 

Brevity makes for a good eulogy

A common mistake many make in public speaking, is letting a talk go on for too long. A good eulogy is one that is more impactful than it is long. Keeping things simple and to the point is much better than going on for a long period of time. The longer a talk becomes, the more possibility you have of your audience becoming bored, losing interest and takes away from time that others may want to say a few words. Keeping things simple and sticking to a story or two that mean something to you is far more personal and far more efficient.

 

Write your thoughts out

Writing out your thoughts beforehand is always helpful for planning. Not only does it afford you the opportunity to reflect wisely on what you want to say, but it helps you prepare for saying it out loud. Writing your thoughts down and practicing ahead of time will ensure that your eulogy will go more smoothly. Repetition and practice of it will also help reduce the possibility of mistakes. Reading it out loud to family and friends to rehearse in advance is also advisable.

 

Ultimately, the most important thing in a eulogy is speaking from the heart. The fundamentals don’t really change and that’s that you are there among friends and family to say goodbye one last time. The most important thing is that the memory of your loved one lasts in both dignity and respect they deserve.


May & Son funeral home has helped families and loved ones through the grieving process for more than a century. We have locations in Columbia, Boonville, Sedalia and serve the Fayette Missouri area. To find out about how to plan aheadcontact us today.

The funeral business that became H.T. May & Son was founded in Boonville in 1911 by Riley Martin; great-great uncle of Tom May. Following the death of Riley Martin, his nephew; Holwell J. May took over the reins of the business and continued to operate it until his death in 1974. After the death of Holwell, his son H.T. May began to run the business. When H.T. died in 2005, son Thomas E. May began to run the business and is now the fourth generation to operate May Funeral Homes. The newest location, in Columbia, opened in April 2009. Thomas, was married in November 19 of 2011 to Pastor Jennifer Baker. Jennifer is a pre-need specialist for the business and currently pursing her funeral directors license. Thomas also has two sisters; Kathryn May who is a licensed funeral director and Melodia Whitmore. Thomas has three children; Holwell J. May II, who graduated from KCKCC with his Mortuary Science Degree, and is now a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, Brittany N. May, and Jeremiah Baker. May and staff are are dedicated to serving families from all ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs in a personalized manner, with knowledgeable, caring, and professional staff.

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