I wrote the Eulogy for my Grammy who passed away last year. However, often times in Maine you can't bury your loved ones in the winter; so, my family had a memorial service for her a few days after she passed. I could not make the trip in the winter for the memorial and I wanted to be there when we laid her to rest in the summer.

So the pastor read my eulogy at the memorial service. My cousin video streamed it for me. A little weird to listen to someone else read what I had written. My uncle and my cousins said it was spot on after the fact! Made me very pleased that I was able to capture the beauty and the essence of my grandmother so well.

Glad you could be a part of it while not being there.

CAme up with this one in about 5 minutes:

He had a lot to say
He had a lot of nothing to say
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
He had a lot to say
He had a lot of nothing to say
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
We are going to miss him
We are going to miss him
So long
We wish you well
You told us how you weren't afraid to die
Well then, so long
Don't cry
Or feel too down
Not all martyrs see divinity
But at least you tried
Standing above the crowd
He had a voice that was strong and loud
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
Ranting and pointing his finger
At everything but his heart
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
We are going to miss him
No way to recall
What it was that you had said to me,
Like I care at all
So loud.
You sure could yell.
You took a stand on every little thing
And so loud
Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his facade cuz I'm so
Eager to identify with
Someone above the ground,
Someone who seemed to feel the same
Someone prepared to lead the way, with
Someone who would die for me
Will you? will you now?
Would you die for me?
Don't you ****in' lie
Don't you step out of line
Don't you step out of line
Don't you step out of line
Don't you ****in' lie
You've claimed all this time that you would die for me.
Why then are you so surprised when hear your own eulogy?
He had a lot to say.
He had a lot of nothing to say
He had a lot to say.
He had a lot of nothing to say
Come down
Get off your ****in' cross
We need the ****in' space to nail the next fool martyr
To ascend you must die
You must be crucified
For our sins and our lies
Goodbye

I did my dad's. He was ill so I had started composing his obituary about a week preceding his death. I got input on both from other family, his friends and co-workers, etc. I finished the eulogy the night before the funeral. I offered my siblings as well as the grandkids the opportunity to go up and say something, but none of them thought they could stay composed.

As the oldest sibling, I kind of felt it was my job to take care of, so I read it numerous times before the service to make sure I could get through it myself. Unknown to anybody but my wife, I had with me a bottle of water that I had spiked with just a little bourbon. Took one last sip and gave my wife a wink before I started. Helped take some of the heaviness off of the setting for me.

My dad was an interesting guy, so it wasn't hard to find things that spoke to his character. I tried to keep it light hearted.

I'm just going to add this. Nothing to do with the eulogy. After his funeral service, we had so many of his peers come up to us, some in tears, talking about what he meant to them. We all think we know our parents, but we don't know everything about them. I never realized how respected my dad was in his field. It was a beautiful part of the whole experience for me.

I rattled this off on the can:

We listen to the tales and romanticize,
How we'd follow the path of the hero.

Boast about the day when the rivers overrun,
How we rise to the height of our halo.

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize,
Our way into the arms of the savior.

Feigning all the trials and the tribulations.
None of us have actually been there,
Not like you...

Ignorant siblings in the congregation.
Gather around spewing sympathy,
Spare me...

None of them can even hold a candle up to you.
Blinded by choice, these hypocrites won't see.

But enough about the collective Judas.
Who could deny you were the one who illuminated
Your little piece of the divine?

And this little light of mine, a gift you passed on to me
I'm gonna let it shine
To guide you safely on your way.

Your way home...

Oh, what are they gonna do when the lights go down?
Without you to guide them all to Zion?
What are they gonna do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly?

High is the way,
But our eyes are upon the ground.
You are the light and the way.
They'll only read about.
I only pray heaven knows,
When to lift you out.

10,000 days in the fire is long enough.
You're going home...

You're the only one who can hold your head up high.
Shake your fist at the gates saying,
"I've come home now!
Fetch me the spirit, the son and the father.
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended.

It's time now!
My time now!
Give me my
Give me my wings!"

Give me my [5x]

Give me my wings

You are the light, the way,
That they will only read about.

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance.
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers.
You were my witness, my eyes, my evidence,
[Decedant's Name], unconditional one.

Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence.
Difficult to see you in this light.
Please forgive this bold suggestion.
Should you see your maker's face tonight,
Look him in the eye.
Look him in the eye and tell him,
"I never lived a lie, never took a life,
But surely saved one.

Hallelujah
It's time for you to bring me home."

It is just another corp trip men, we are going in behind the band...

Did my Dad's... Class of 60.

DrZ said:

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Yes. Two of them. MIL and FIL.

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I did my MIL as well. I opened with something like you know you lived life well if you ask your son-in-law to say a few words at your funeral.

She was a great lady.