How to Write a Eulogy for Your Coworker - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Writing a eulogy for a coworker can feel awkward and heavy and it also matters a lot. At work they were part of your daily routine the person who covered the morning stand up or the friend who brought soup when someone was sick. This guide gives you clear steps to write something genuine without overthinking it. We explain any workplace words you might see and offer examples and templates you can adapt. Read through pick an example that fits your vibe and start writing with confidence.

Who this guide is for

This article is for anyone asked to speak about a coworker at a funeral memorial celebration of life or a workplace remembrance. Maybe you were the teammate who sat next to them for three years or you were their manager. Maybe you worked remotely and only knew them over video calls. There are sample scripts for quiet professional tones funny but respectful tones brief notes and full length tributes.

What is a eulogy and how is it different at work

A eulogy is a short speech that honors someone who has died. At work a eulogy can focus on the person s professional contributions the small rituals they brought to the team and the way they impacted colleagues. It is different from an obituary which is a written notice with basic facts and service details. A workplace eulogy is personal and practical. It remembers the person as both a human and a teammate.

Workplace terms and acronyms explained

• HR Human resources the team that handles benefits time off and workplace policies. They often coordinate bereavement leave and workplace memorials.
• PTO Paid time off the company policy for vacation sick days and personal days.
• FMLA Family and Medical Leave Act a US law that allows eligible employees to take unpaid job protected leave for family and medical reasons. Ask HR if you think this applies.
• All hands A company wide meeting where leadership gives updates. It is sometimes used for memorial announcements.
• Celebration of life A less formal gathering focused on sharing stories photos and music rather than strict ritual.
• Obituary A written notice that announces a death and often includes service details donation wishes and basic biography.
• Order of service The schedule for a funeral or memorial listing readings songs and speakers. It helps a workplace plan where a eulogy fits in.

How long should a workplace eulogy be

Less is usually more at work. Aim for two to five minutes for a short tribute and up to seven minutes if you were a close colleague or manager. If multiple people will speak coordinate so the whole program fits the time the family or event organizer has planned.

Before you start writing

Do a quick check before you type the first sentence.

• Ask the family or HR about tone and content Confirm whether the family prefers religious language or if they want a celebration of life vibe. Also ask if there are topics to avoid.
• Confirm logistics Find out how long you should speak whether the event will be live or virtual and if you will use a microphone or read from a screen.
• Gather details Collect a few work stories dates projects roles and nicknames. Check facts with a teammate if you are unsure about job titles or project names.
• Pick two to three focus points Choose a couple of traits or memories you want people to leave remembering. Too many points dilute the message.

Structure that works for workplace eulogies

A clear structure gives you something to hold on to when emotions show up. Use this shape as your basic map.

• Opening Say your name your role and why you are speaking. Keep it simple and honest.
• Work sketch Briefly explain what the person did at the company and what projects or roles mattered most.
• Anecdotes Tell one or two short stories that reveal character. Make them work related or personal if they fit the audience.
• Impact Summarize the legacy they left on the team the culture or the product.
• Closing Offer a goodbye line a call to action like sharing memories online or lighting a candle or a short quote.

Writing the opening

The opening is a friendly anchor. Start with your name and role then say one sentence about what the day is for. That gives you a second to settle and helps the audience orient.

Opening examples

• Hi everyone I m Jenna I worked with Mark on the design team and I m honored to say a few words about him today.
• Hello I m Omar I was Sam s manager for three years and I want to share how he made our work better and our Slack unreadable in the best way.
• Good afternoon I m Priya from operations I met Maya on day one and she quickly became the person who reminded us all to hydrate and to actually read the calendar invites.

How to write the work sketch

This is not a resume. Give simple facts that help people remember why this person mattered at work. Mention their role the projects they owned and small rituals that made them themselves.

Work sketch templates

• [Name] joined [company] as a [job title] in [year]. They led the [project or team] and were known for [skill or trait].
• [Name] started on the support team and soon became the person everyone asked when a tricky ticket arrived. They loved fixes that made customers smile.

Anecdotes that work at the office

Stories are what people remember. Pick one or two short anecdotes with a small payoff. Keep them specific sensory and honest. If you use humor make sure it is kind and does not single out coworkers in an embarrassing way.

Office friendly anecdotes examples

• Every Friday Jake brought store bought bagels and a spreadsheet of which flavors disappeared first. He was quietly competitive about cinnamon sugar and spectacularly generous with his comments on pull requests.
• During the big launch Maya slept under her desk for two nights and still stood in the demo looking like she had slept for eight hours. She would say we are not shipping until it feels right and then make everyone believe it could be done.
• Sam had a habit of turning any problem into a story. One time a server went down and within an hour he had written a narrative about a heroic hamster named Al who fixed database shards. The ticket was resolved and we all laughed when the status update read Al saved the day.

When you had a complicated relationship at work

If your relationship with the coworker was not perfect you can still speak with honesty and respect. At work complexity is normal. You do not need to air grievances. Acknowledge the truth and then speak about what you learned or how things changed.

Examples for complicated relationships

• Alex could be direct to the point of bluntness. It was hard sometimes. I learned to appreciate that clarity when it mattered. Alex wanted work to be better and pushed us toward that even when it was uncomfortable.
• We disagreed about priorities more than once. In the end Alex s focus on the smaller details taught me to stop and look closer. I m grateful for that stubbornness today.

Using humor the right way

Humor at a memorial can feel like permission to breathe. Use small earned jokes that celebrate a trait or ritual. Avoid anything that might embarrass family members or single out another coworker in a negative way.

Safe humor examples

• She insisted every meeting start with a cat moment. If you had a cat that day you earned bonus points. We will miss the feline cameo and the way it made the room softer.
• He had a rule that any presentation must include at least one meme. He kept our decks honest and very memeable.

What to avoid when writing a workplace eulogy

• Avoid making it a place to settle workplace scores or bring up personnel issues.
• Avoid long lists of roles and dates without any human detail.
• Avoid inside jokes that most of the audience will not get.
• Avoid revealing private family matters unless the family has invited that topic.

Full eulogy examples you can adapt

Below are complete examples that follow the structure above. Replace bracketed text with your details and practice out loud. Each example matches a different workplace relationship and tone.

Example 1: Manager tribute 4 to 5 minute version

Hello I m Priya and I had the privilege of managing Daniel for four years. Daniel joined us as a data engineer in 2018 and quickly became the person we trusted to untangle messy problems. He led the migration to the new data pipeline which improved reporting speed and saved the product team countless late nights.

Daniel had a way of making complex problems feel smaller. He would sketch diagrams on a napkin or a Post It note and explain things with a patience that never felt condescending. He also had a habit of bringing chai for whoever was in the war room. That small ritual felt like care in action.

One quick story that captures him was the week before our big launch when everything seemed to go wrong. Daniel stayed calm and insisted we break the problem into parts. He sat with us until three in the morning and then went home and came back with breakfast. That morning the launch worked and Daniel refused any credit. He said the team had done it together.

We will miss his steadying presence his quiet generosity and his ability to make the intimidating feel manageable. If you want to honor him please consider making a small donation to [charity if family requested] or share a memory on the company tribute board so the team can read it. Thank you.

Example 2: Teammate short and warm 90 to 120 second version

Hi everyone I m Marcus from product. I worked with Elena on feature work and I want to share one small memory. Elena loved naming our internal branches after obscure movie references. She also loved solving the problems other people avoided. She made work fun in the way she asked good questions not loud ones. I will miss her laugh in the stand up and the way she asked Did you try turning it off and on again with a grin. Thanks for being here and holding her memory.

Example 3: Remote coworker tribute thoughtful and brief

Hello I m Sara I met Tom on Zoom three years ago and never met him in person but he felt close. He had an absurd collection of coffee mugs and he always typed in full sentences even in Slack. Tom reminded us that being thoughtful matters whether you sit next to someone or not. He made remote work feel less remote. Thank you Tom for showing up for all of us.

Example 4: Funny but kind celebration of life tone

Hey I m Ryan from marketing. If you ever got a late night Slack from Nina you know it was equal parts idea and gif. Nina could sell a chair to someone who did not realize they needed to sit down. She also had a rule about snacks which was any snack left unguarded belonged to the tribe. Today we are celebrating her energy her terrible puns and the way she made our spreadsheets prettier. Please laugh as you remember her messy perfect self.

Fill in the blank templates for coworkers

Use these templates to speed the writing. Fill them in then read out loud and trim anything that sounds forced.

Template A: Short professional

Hi I m [Your Name] I worked with [Name] on the [Team or Project]. [Name] joined [Company] in [Year] and was known for [one trait or skill]. One memory that shows who they were is [brief story]. They taught me [lesson]. We will miss [what people will miss]. Thank you.

Template B: Manager to direct report

Hello I m [Your Name] and I managed [Name]. [Name] brought [trait] to the team and led [project]. I remember [story about reliability or leadership]. That kindness and competence made the team better. If you want to honor [Name] please [call to action].

Template C: For remote relationships

Hi I m [Your Name]. I met [Name] over Zoom and we worked together for [time]. Even though we were remote [Name] made us feel connected by [habit or story]. I will miss [small memory]. Thank you for being here.

Practical tips for delivery at a workplace memorial

• Keep a backup Print your speech and bring a digital copy. For virtual events have your notes open and tested.
• Use cue cards Small cards with one or two lines reduce the chance of losing your place.
• Pause for emotion Put a bracket where you plan to pause take a breath and regroup. Pauses feel natural to the audience.
• Practice out loud Run through the speech three to five times. Practice with the mic if there will be one.
• Coordinate with other speakers Agree on tone and length so the program flows and you do not repeat the same story.
• Be mindful of the family s wishes Ask if they want the tribute recorded posted on social media or included in the program.
• If you think you will not finish Arrange for a colleague to finish a sentence or read a closing line. That is okay and helpful.

Saying the eulogy if you are very emotional

Feeling emotional is normal. If you start to cry slow down and breathe. Look at your notes and read the next line slowly. If you need a moment step back and let a trusted colleague read one line you prepared. Audiences will wait and they want you to succeed.

If you are asked to write a group statement instead of a speech

Many companies prepare a group message from leadership or from the team. Keep it short mention the person s role express sympathy for the family and give practical details like links to memorials or donation pages. Use one clear call to action such as share a memory on the tribute board or donate to a specified charity.

How to follow up with the family as a coworker

• Ask HR for guidance They may have a designated point person.
• Send a condolence note Keep it short and sincere. Mention the person s impact at work and offer support if appropriate.
• Collect memories If the family wants a memory book gather short notes from teammates and send a compiled document or printed book.
• Respect privacy Follow the family s wishes about sharing photos stories and posting about the memorial online.

What to put in a sympathy message or card from the team

Short and heartfelt messages work best. Examples you can use or adapt.

• We are so sorry for your loss. [Name] brought kindness and care to our team and we will miss them dearly.
• Thinking of you. [Name] made work better every day. Please let us know if there is anything we can do.
• With deepest sympathy. We will remember [Name] for their generosity and humor.

Legal and HR practicalities to know

HR will likely handle formal notifications benefits handling and bereavement policies. If you are a manager coordinate with HR about paid time off benefits who will handle the person s mailbox or accounts and any memorial donations the company might coordinate. If family requests something from the company follow HR guidance to honor those wishes respectfully.

Glossary of useful workplace terms

• HR Human resources the team that handles employee relations benefits and policies.
• PTO Paid time off time employees can use for vacation sick days and personal time.
• FMLA Family and Medical Leave Act a US law allowing eligible employees time off for family or medical reasons. Check HR for details.
• All hands A meeting that includes most or all of the company. Sometimes used to share major news or memorials.
• Celebration of life A gathering that emphasizes stories photos and memory rather than formal ritual.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start a eulogy for a coworker if I am nervous

Start with your name and your role then say one sentence about the person. For example Hello I m Maya from customer success and I worked with Rob for five years. That gives you a moment to breathe and centers the audience.

What if I forget my place or weep while speaking

Pause and breathe. Look at your notes and pick up the next clear line. If you cannot continue have a trusted colleague ready to read a closing sentence you prepared in advance. People understand and will support you.

Can I include work jokes and inside references

Only include jokes that most of the audience will understand and that do not single out or embarrass others. Small rituals like snack rules or meeting habits are usually safe and bring warmth without excluding listeners.

Should I check facts with someone else

Yes check job titles project names and spellings with HR or a close teammate. Small factual errors can be distracting and take away from the sincerity of your tribute.

Is it okay to speak about both the person and their work

Yes. Combining personal warmth and professional impact is often the strongest approach. Mention what they did and how they did it. That shows the person as a whole not just a role.

How do we include remote employees in memorials

Host a virtual memorial with an open invite include chat for sharing memories and record the session if the family is okay with it. Create a shared document or tribute board for people to post stories photos and messages asynchronously.