Creating & Delivering a Eulogy: Example For a Departed Friend

Have you ever been requested to make a eulogy by the parents of a friend of yours who just passed away? If the person you will be writing and delivering a eulogy for happens to be your best friend, then the pain may still be fresh and it may be quite difficult to maintain your composure while delivering it. Nonetheless, you would not want to disappoint your friend’s parents, much less let the opportunity to say good things about a dear friend pass you by. So you graciously accept and start mulling over which among the many endearing personal qualities of your friend you can highlight.

Since a eulogy is given as some sort of loving tribute to someone who has departed from his/her earthly existence, it must focus on how the person has touched the hearts of people he/she has interacted with, including his family, friends, mentors, colleagues, and other people who have been part of his/her personal world. If the eulogy is intended for a best friend who has met an untimely demise, the friend who has been tasked to deliver a eulogy may still be reeling from shock and unbearable sadness. As such, delivering the eulogy can be a disconcerting task, but one that can nevertheless be gladly done as a labor of love.

I have heard some really remarkable eulogies from a handful of young people expressing their thoughts about departed friends. I do not even think they based what they composed on some eulogy example culled from the internet. One smart girl I know whose college best friend became terminally ill and eventually passed away was offered the chance to say a eulogy for her close friend. Without batting an eyelash, she accepted. She simply asked her mother, who was an articulate career-minded lady, if she has a nice eulogy example, but was not offered any, so it was left for her to create one on her own. The girl who passed away had been active and was well-liked in school, and was a bundle of talent who always offered a helping hand to her classmates when completing projects and doing group studies. It was therefore easy to focus on these positive traits. After gathering her thoughts, creating a first draft, letting the ideas gel and finally polishing the eulogy to appeal to the expected audience (an all-Catholic group), my friend was ready to deliver it. Even I was surprised how my friend pulled it off and left many people at the wake totally touched and teary-eyed. My friend began her eulogy with a psalm which reminded people that even in the midst of a very painful situation, they can hold on to God, who has a plan and purpose for everything.

She then lapsed into a fond recollection of how her departed friend was at school – friendly, likeable and helpful. She mentioned how the young, deceased girl had always been there for her even during the most trying circumstances in her own life (my friend’s father battled with cancer but has since recovered). Her parting statement was phrased beautifully that it remained on everyone’s mind long after the funeral and burial services. She said that her friend (who was only 4 feet and 10 inches tall) was the tallest girl she ever knew. It spoke volumes about the kindness of her deceased friend, and for me, it was by far the best eulogy example for a best friend I have heard in years.

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