When a grandparent dies, it feels like part of our own childhood dies along with them. The pain of their loss can be intense, especially to those who are still young. Losing a grandparent can often be our first experience of losing someone and is a reality check that our life on this earth is limited. During this difficult time, you may be asked to give a eulogy for your grandpa. This can be a daunting task, but it is important to honor your grandfather's life and memories in the best possible way.
In this post, we’ll talk about 4 steps to writing a beautiful eulogy for your grandad.
1. Gather memories and stories about your granddad
When considering what to say in your grandfather's eulogy, think about his life story. What were some of the most memorable moments you shared with him? What made him special? What did he love to do? What kind of person was he? What were his best qualities?
Gather and write down all of these thoughts and the memories you have of your grandpa. Make a list of his best qualities and record some unforgettable moments. If this is too difficult for you to do alone, ask others who knew him well to share their stories and memories.
An effective way to capture all the memories of your granddad, is by creating a timeline of his life including photos, videos and short stories. This can be done with an online memorial platform like Memories. For a small, one-off fee, you can create a personalized timeline of their life and upload your own photos, videos and stories. This can then be shared with friends and family to add their own memories.
Many memories of your grandpa may not be in digital form, however it’s easy to digitize photos and other memories with a smartphone. As a grandchild, you may be more digital savvy than many of your family members and can help with this process.
Going through this process will no doubt spark ideas of what you should include in your eulogy.
2. Organize and highlight what you want to include in your eulogy
After gathering memories and thoughts of your grandpa, organize them into categories such as hobbies and interests, favorite sayings and quotes, every day family life, important milestones and anything else you believe speaks to his character and your recollection of him.
Once organized, think about how each category reflects on your grandfather's personality traits. What are the things he loved most-- what was special about them? How did they shape him? What made him unique?
Finally, create an outline of the key points you want to say in the introduction, body and closing. This will help to make sure that your eulogy flows smoothly from one topic to another.
Be clear on the tone of voice you want to deliver with each part of the speech. In some cases, you will want to be sensitive however you may want to include some humor if that’s part of your granddad’s character.
3. Write your eulogy from the heart
Your writing may flow naturally and smoothly after spending time on preparing and gathering your grandfather’s memories. Start with a first draft and don't think about it too much, just write the stories that come to you. Perhaps it may help imagining your grandad was present in the room listening to every word. Write from the heart, be your authentic self and your eulogy will be meaningful and memorable.
You can write your eulogy in a bullet point list or write it out as paragraphs. Think about how each paragraph flows into the next.
Once you have created a draft, go back over it and make sure it's structured correctly with an introduction, body and closing statement.
Introduction
In the introduction, be sure to introduce yourself and your relationship with your grandfather.
In the body of the eulogy, talk about the life of your grandad. Consider key life events such as:
Place of birth and where he grew up
Education, travel, work and marriage
The family he helped to create (such as his children and grandchildren)
Hobbies, achievements and place in the community
After talking about his life events, move onto Grandpa as a person. Who was he and what were his shining characteristics? Relate this to any memories that you or other family members have of him. A story that represents who he is will help people to relate as they will have their own similar stories.
Before you move onto the final summary, talk about the legacy they left behind. This would have been indirectly highlighted already in the stories and memories you shared.
Closing
End the eulogy by thanking others who were important to your grandpa including relatives, friends and those who may have cared for him during his final days or weeks on this earth.
You can finish with a final quote or characteristic that sums up your grandad for people to take away with them and hold in their hearts.
If you have created an online memorial of your grandpa, invite others to contribute their own memories of him on his timeline. If it’s on Memories.net, you can mention to visit this site and search his name in the search box (see below). You could also share it with them directly via email or text.
4. Practice by reading the eulogy aloud
When you are finished writing the eulogy and you are happy with it, read your eulogy aloud or to a close friend or family member as it always helps to get another perspective. This will help ease any nerves and ensure that everything flows smoothly on the day of the funeral service.
5. Review and edit
Review and edit your eulogy until you are satisfied with the outcome. There are tools, like Memories.net, that can help you review, edit and even add depth to the story of your loved one simply by answering a few guided questions. Give it a try for free today.
6. Delivering your eulogy
When delivering your eulogy, it's ok to read it from a printed copy if that makes you feel more comfortable. Remember to make eye contact with your audience so you can connect with everyone in the room.
The main thing to remember is to speak from the heart and your grandfather’s eulogy will resonate with those in the room not just on the day, but for many years later.