Modeling Famous Eulogies

Eulogies, or funeral speeches, are orated or written works that are created in order to celebrate and remember the personal attributes and accomplishments of a person who has recently passed away. In most cases, eulogies are either given by a family member or a close friend of the deceased person. Sometimes, however, in cases involving elderly or terminally ill people, what is referred to as a living eulogy will be delivered. This type of eulogy is performed while the person is still alive so that the person is able to listen to and appreciate all of the loving and sycophantic words that their friends and family members have to share about them.
Writing eulogies can often be a very difficult task to accomplish. The writer of the speech is most likely dealing with feelings of grief and sorrow over the recent passing of their friend or family member. In order to make the writing process easier, it is beneficial to read over examples of other eulogies, especially eulogies of famous people, which are typically very well crafted. In doing this, you can learn effective ways of structuring your eulogy and what kinds of information you should include.
One of the most celebrated funeral ceremonies in recent history was the funeral of President John F. Kennedy. After JFK’s untimely death, millions of people gathered together to mourn the loss of this great political figure. A eulogy from JFK’s funeral would be a great example to use to get some helpful format and content tips.
One of the best speeches delivered during the funeral ceremony was made by JFK’s brother Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Given the tragic nature of his brother’s death, Senator Kennedy sought to establish a somber tone in his speech. He proceeded to recite some memorable lines from the famous speeches that his brother made during his years in office. Kennedy concluded his brother’s eulogy with a quote from JFK that he has come to be known by, “Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and say ‘Why not?’” The person that you are writing a eulogy for most likely was not a gifted orator like JFK was, but including quotes, expressions, and anecdotes are all great ways of recapturing and remembering the persona and character traits of the person who has passed away.
Some other examples of exemplary eulogies that you could use as models include the eulogy made by Robert Kennedy for Martin Luther King Jr. and the eulogy that Charles Spencer delivered for his sister Princess Diana. The best place to find examples of eulogies is the Internet. Search engines like Google and Yahoo will provide you with a copious amount of quality eulogies that you can use as models and teaching guides.
Consummate eulogies do not have to be limited to those written for important political, social, and entertainment figures. If you invest the time and energy into researching and reading previously written well-crafted eulogies, you should be able to gather some excellent insight as far as what types of information you should include in the eulogy that you are writing.