A touching eulogy is often the best and most memorable way to say goodbye to a loved one when they rest. But not everybody can write a perfect eulogy.
Therefore, if your grandmother has just passed on and you want to write the best eulogy for her, you need to know the essentials of writing a eulogy. This article offers 5 touching sample eulogies for a grandmother to help you get started. To ensure that the eulogy that you wrote for your loved one reaches as many family and friends as possible, consider the funeral live stream to be able to watch the funeral online in real-time.
What’s a Eulogy?
A eulogy is a statement (written or spoken) in praise of a person who has just died. This statement is usually delivered by an appointed individual as part of the funeral service. In the United States, a eulogy is normally delivered at the funeral home during or after the wake. Websites like Forevory also provide a platform for creating and sharing eulogies online, allowing individuals to honor their loved ones in a digital space.
However, you should not confuse a eulogy with an elegy, which is a poem or song written in tribute to a dead person. Neither is a eulogy the same thing as an obituary, which is a published biography recounting the life of the dead person.
If you are a catholic priest, you are prohibited by the rules of the Mass from delivering a eulogy for the dead as part of a homily during a funeral Mass.
The term eulogy was first recorded in the 15th century as a Medieval Latin term eulogium. A eulogy is usually delivered by a relative of the deceased or a close family friend. It is also important to mention that a eulogy is not limited to only humans; animals and things can also be eulogized.
The Difference Between an Obituary and a Eulogy
As above-mentioned, a eulogy is completely different from an obituary. In simple words, a eulogy is a statement made at a funeral in honor of the deceased, while an obituary is the announcement of the person’s death. Obituaries are normally printed in newspapers or advertised on TV.
Also, the term eulogy is derived from the Greek word eulogia, which is translated in modern English to mean something related to “praise” or “true words.”
The word eulogy only has a connotation of a funeral service, and while this is mainly where eulogies are delivered, it is not a strict rule at all. Eulogies can also be delivered at retirement parties, graduations, or even birthdays.
But having said that, “eulogies” for people who are still alive are normally referred to as toasts or just simply speeches. On the other hand, the term obituary was first recorded in English in the early 1700s. It also has its roots in Latin.
To be exact, the term comes from the Medieval Latin term obitarius, which means a record of the death of a person. It is also related to the Latin word obitus (departure or death), and the verb obire, which means to go toward.
Why a Eulogy for a Grandmother is Important?
A eulogy is one of the best elements of a funeral service, as it serves as a way of honoring the departed soul. It is also a way of celebrating the life of the deceased and stating how much the deceased person means to you. Through a eulogy, you are able to remember who the person was and what they did in their lifetime.
That’s why writing a eulogy for a grandmother has to be brief and well-organized. You have to tell different things about your grandmother’s life and celebrate her accomplishments in a short period.
Also, a eulogy for your grandmother will serve as an inspiration to the people in attendance, encouraging them to live a more fulfilling and successful life and to accomplish even more than what your grandmother has accomplished.
4 Tips for Writing a Eulogy for Your Grandmother
While eulogizing your grandmother is one of the most difficult moments, you will ever go through in your life, it is also the perfect time to celebrate her life and accomplishments.
Therefore, you can make this a memorable moment by writing a touching and unforgettable eulogy for her. Here are the most important steps to take when writing a eulogy for your grandmother.
1. Take Your Time to Reflect
Before you start writing the eulogy, take your time to reflect on the life of your grandmother recalling how she impacted the lives of other members of the family and the community at large. Let your mind wander down the memory lane to reminiscence all the amazing things about your grandma.
This will bring back to life all the sweet memories you had forgotten about. And each sweet memory will lead to another. Just give in without restrictions and allow yourself to think of everything you and your grandmother shared together.
2. Write down Your Memories and Feelings
This is your opportunity to write down every good memory, feeling, and anecdote about your grandmother. So, engage in freewriting, turning all your thoughts into words.
Don’t worry about order or theme; just write your thoughts as they come and be as specific as possible. That way, it will be very easy for you to write the actual eulogy because you will have enough details to pull from.
3. Make an Outline for Your Eulogy
Read through the memories you’ve written down and organize them into a neat, consistent, and comprehensive theme. Finally, create an outline for your eulogy, ensuring you have a clear introduction, content, and conclusion. Then, go through your items and see how you can tie them together.
4. Write the Actual Eulogy
When you are writing your eulogy, make sure you identify the main areas of focus and ensure the main theme revolves around them. Use this opportunity to tell the true story of your grandmother. With simple words, let everyone in the room have a clear picture of your grandma, allowing them to share the bond that comes through grieving.
Sample Eulogies for a Grandmother
1. “It’s the little things that seem to stand out the most—her rolled-up Kleenexes, her colorful muumuus, her iced tea and fried chicken, the aroma of her kitchen or a “yoo-hoo” from the other side of the door letting you know it was all right to come in. I’ll remember her tapping her foot to Lawrence Welk or cheering for Johnny Bench (her favorite ballplayer).
There are so many things that I can see and feel as if they had just happened. I’m sure everyone here has memories much like mine. They are good memories, something we’ll always have to cherish. It isn’t often in our lives that we come across someone so special that that person stays with us forever. Grandma was that kind of person.”
2. “The only way to get hurt in this life is to care. Grandma cared more than most, loved more than most, and was made to suffer more than most because of just how much she cared.
But no matter how many times she was knocked down or made to endure things that no one should, she just kept coming back; caring more and loving more — opening herself up to even more pain. Yet there were never any complaints or bitterness — it was the only way she knew how to live.
The kind of love Grandma felt for us was love without condition. She may not have approved of everything we did, may not have liked some of the decisions we made, but she didn’t lecture, she didn’t judge.
She just kept loving us, letting us know that she was there and if we ever needed her, we could count on her to listen, to comfort, to help. She lived a simple life. It didn’t take much to make her happy—a phone call, a card, a visit, or a kiss before saying good night. We were the most important people in the world to her. She lived to make our lives better and was proud of us.”
3. “Money can be squandered and property ruined, but what we inherited from our grandma cannot be damaged, destroyed, or lost. It is permanent, and it keeps her from becoming just a wonderful memory.
It allows her in so many ways to remain just as alive as always — alive through us. There have been and will be times in our lives when situations arise where we’ll want so much to talk to her, be with her or ask her just what we should do.
I hope that, when those times come, we can begin to look to each other and find that part of her that she gave to each of us. Maybe we can learn to lean on each other and rely on each other the way we always knew that we could with her.
Maybe then she won’t seem quite so far away. So, for your wisdom, your courage, your humor, tenderness and compassion, your understanding, your patience, and your love; thank you, Grandma. After you, Grandma, the mold was indeed broken. Thank you so much. I love you.”
4. “My name is Jackie and I am one of Annette’s grandchildren. It is difficult to put into words how much my grandmother meant to me. She was a strong-willed and intelligent woman. She was very successful and achieved a lot in her life.
She passed a lot of wisdom down to her children who I am happy to say passed it on to me. I didn’t get to spend as much time with my grandmother as I would have liked, but even though our time together was limited I felt like we developed a strong bond.”
5. “My grandmother loved life; she loved her family, she loved her friends, she loved her pets, she loved nature and she loved god. No matter what situation she was presented with, no matter how challenging; she was able to overcome it.
My grandmother always taught me that no matter what happens in life, if you remain calm and positive you could overcome it. It was lessons like that, that I will remember the rest of my life.
It is incredible what a smile and kind heart can do. For as long as I can remember my grandmother always shared with me the importance of faith.
My grandmother was a very religious woman, but would never preach her faith. She showed me how a belief in God helped shape her life. I owe my grandmother for my passion and faith in God.”
In Summary
With these sample eulogies for a grandmother, you should be able to eulogize your grandmother in the most memorable and touching way. Although these samples may not say the exact thing you want to say about your grandmother, they should serve as your inspiration.