Bespoke eulogies | examples
Reggie
After years of dealing with his recurring cancer, Reggie and Olivia are now trying to come to terms with a terminal diagnosis. They’ve faced some challenges in their time together, but this is the most painful.
The one thing that helps is taking whatever control they can and Reggie decides he’d like me to help them plan his funeral. There turns out to be far more laughter involved than anyone anticipated as they grapple with the enormity of it all, but that’s no bad thing.
At the centre of it all they would like 3 group eulogies to be read, nominating not only the contributors they’d like me to gather information from directly and helping shape the questions they’d like me to ask, but selecting the readers as well. As the most poignant of tributes flood in, there is thankfully still time for Olivia to read them to her love.
Lillian
The matriarch of her family, Lillian’s loss will be felt by every generation she nurtured in her 95 years: children, grand-children and, her latest delight, her great-grand-children. Her death has left her loved ones reeling.
With everyone wanting to contribute to her funeral at the crematorium but nobody with the energy or experience to co-ordinate that effort, the family ask me if I’ll help. First, we establish a structure for the ceremony and once we’ve allocated roles and sections, I then work directly with different members of the family, either supporting them in creating their own text or writing for them once they’ve gathered their thoughts.
Professional, experienced and sensitive assistance at a critical time means this loving family is able to give Lillian a send off she would have been so proud to see: the family she adored, united, and able to give voice to all she meant.
Hannah Wroe Gill | Words and Wisdom
