Estate Planning

Eulogies

By Hull & Hull LLP

A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing. The word derives from the Greek (gotta love those Greeks) word “eulogia”, meaning “good” and “words”. Although a eulogy can be used for a living person, it normally refers to a funeral oration, given in tribute to a person who has recently died.

A eulogy can be contrasted with an “elegy”, which is a poem written in tribute to the dead. A eulogy can also be contrasted with an “obituary”, which is a written biography recounting the life of the deceased. However, a eulogy can often cross the line into an elegy or obituary.

As usual, the web has a myriad of resources to help those called upon to prepare a eulogy.

Speech-writers.com offers “a pack of relevant, proven and 100% risk free speeches and or poems for your eulogy”, as well as a 100% immediate refund if you are not satisfied! (It is not clear whether the guarantee extends to the satisfaction of the deceased or other funeral-goers.)

Eulogyspeech.net offers eulogy writing guides, samples, poems, quotes and famous last words, amongst other resources.

Suite101.com has a short by helpful guide to composing and delivering a funeral tribute.

And then there is Eulogy, a 2004 movie starring Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, Debra Winger, Ray Romano, Kelly Preston and Rip Torn. Described as a ”black comedy that follows three generations of a family, who come together for the funeral of the patriarch - unveiling a litany of family secrets and covert relationships”, the movie received 6.6 stars out of 10 on IMDB.com.

Thank you for reading.

Paul Trudelle

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on February 04, 2009 (boomark / email).