Eulogy for a friend: sample and template
A tribute for a close friend, suitable as a eulogy or a tribute in the programme.
Eulogy
I met [name] in [year] at [school / work / church], and from that first day we were friends. On behalf of all of us who were blessed to call [him/her] a friend, thank you to the family for allowing me to speak.
[Name] was the kind of friend who showed up. When my [father died / business failed / child was born], [he/she] was the first to call and the last to leave.
[He/She] loved [hobbies] and had a laugh you could hear across the room. [He/She] was proud of [his/her] work as a [profession] and even prouder of [his/her] family.
We will miss the long conversations, the jokes and the advice we did not always take. To the family: you raised a good person, and we will continue to stand with you.
Rest well, my friend. Gone too soon, never forgotten.
Put it in a printable programme
Tips
- Thank the family first. As a friend you speak with their permission.
- Share one story the family may not know.
- Keep it shorter than a family eulogy, around three minutes.
How do you write a eulogy for a Friend?
Follow their life in order: birth and early life, education, work, family, faith and character, a brief and gentle word on their passing, and a farewell. Add one or two true stories. Thank the family first. As a friend you speak with their permission.
How long should a eulogy be?
When read aloud, about five to seven minutes, or 700 to 900 words. In a printed programme it can be a little longer.