How to Write a Eulogy for Your Great Grandfather - Eulogy Examples & Tips

You want to honor him without sounding like a robot or reading a grocery list of facts. You also want to be honest, clear, and maybe even make people smile between tears. Writing a eulogy for your great grandfather is an act of care. It is a chance to shape how family remembers him and to tell one or two truths that feel like nails holding a story together.

This guide is for the millennial who has too many digital memories and not enough words. It is for the person who wants real phrases, practical templates, and a delivery plan that does not require theatrical training. We keep it blunt and human. You will get concrete structure, examples you can paste and edit, tips for reading with composure, and a final checklist so you do not forget the small but meaningful things.

What a Eulogy Is and Why It Matters

Definition. A eulogy is a short speech or tribute delivered at a funeral or memorial service to honor a person who has died. It is not an exhaustive biography. A strong eulogy highlights character, shares meaningful stories, and leaves the audience with a clear sense of who the person was.

Related term clarification. Obituary is a public notice of death that often includes dates and funeral details. An obituary can be factual and civic. A eulogy is personal and interpretive. Officiant means the person leading the service. Celebrant is a non religious officiant who guides ceremonies. If you hear these words you now know what they mean.

Why Write the Eulogy Yourself

People often ask whether a family member should write the eulogy or whether the clergy or officiant should. Writing it yourself gives the speech authenticity. No one knows the private jokes and the small rituals that defined your great grandfather like you do. That is what matters most in a room full of people who loved him for different reasons.

There is practical value too. Writing forces you to collect scattered memories. The process can be part of your grief work. You will also deliver something that helps other people remember him the same way you do. That alignment matters more than perfection.

How Long Should a Eulogy Be

Short answer. Aim for three to seven minutes when read aloud. That is roughly 400 to 900 words depending on your pace. Longer can be fine if there are many speakers, but keep in mind attention and emotion. Long speeches tire ears and hearts.

Why timing matters. A concise eulogy gives each moment space. If you go too long, the details blur. If you try to include every anecdote you have, you lose the larger shape. Pick a few true things and let them breathe.

Who Should Speak First or Last

If multiple family members are speaking coordinate. Traditionally the person with the closest, most representative relationship goes first. If your great grandfather had a spouse who will speak, check with them. If you are the family historian and your voice pulls together different branches of the family tree, you might be the natural closer. Talk it through with the officiant.

Step by Step Process to Write the Eulogy

1. Collect raw material

• Talk to family members and record the conversation on your phone. Ask for two stories they think about when they hear his name.
• Pull photos, letters, social media posts, and any recorded interviews. A short video clip can give you a line you did not know you needed.
• Note practical facts like birth date, military service, career, and survivors. Keep these facts simple and confirm them.

2. Decide the tone

Pick the vibe you want. Serious and reverent works best for formal services. Warm and funny works if he would have hated too much formality. A mix is usually safest. Humor should be gentle and kind. Never use jokes that single out or embarrass someone present.

3. Choose a structure

Use a simple structure to guide you. A reliable shape is opening, memory or two, what he taught us, and closing. Each part serves a purpose. The opening sets context. The memory makes him real. The lesson connects his life to the listener. The closing offers comfort.

4. Draft quickly then edit

Write a first draft without self editing. Aim for three to five short stories or moments. Then edit for clarity and length. Read aloud every edit and time your reading. Cut any detail that does not help listeners understand him better.

5. Practice the delivery

Practice aloud multiple times. Record yourself and listen for pacing and clarity. Mark your printed copy with where to breathe and where to pause. If you cry during practice that is okay. Plan for that emotion in the actual delivery rather than trying to eliminate it entirely.

What to Include in a Eulogy for a Great Grandfather

• Full name and preferred name start by saying his full name and then how people called him. That orients everyone quickly.
• One or two facts like birthplace, career, military service or hobbies. Keep them short and correct.
• Representative stories pick two to three anecdotes that show character. Use sensory details and small actions.
• Lessons or values say what he taught the family. Did he teach resilience, thrift, curiosity, kindness?
• Family roles acknowledge his role as father, grandfather, and great grandfather and list who survives him if appropriate.
• A closing end with a short reflection, a quote he loved, a poem line, or an invitation for others to share stories.

Tone Guidelines and What to Avoid

Be authentic. You do not have to manufacture emotion. Speak in language you would use in a quiet conversation with a cousin. This voice lands better than ornate language that sounds like a press release.

Avoid gossip and unresolved family fights. Funerals are not the place to air grievances. If you must mention a difficult relationship, frame it as growth or learning rather than blame.

Avoid private details that the family might not want in public. Respect privacy when it matters. Ask close relatives if a story is safe to share when in doubt.

Writing Real Stories That Move People

Stories beat summaries every time. A single scene gives texture and memory. Instead of saying he loved to garden, describe a scene. For example imagine him kneeling in a small backyard, his hands covered in soil, humming some song while he planted peas. That image does more work than a paragraph listing his hobbies.

Make sensory choices. Mention a smell a place or a repeated action. Small repeated rituals are gold. Maybe he always folded newspapers in a certain way or always poured tea into the saucer for the cat. These are the details people remember and repeat later.

How to Use Humor Safely

Lighthearted moments can ease tension and keep the audience with you. Use humor that celebrates rather than mocks. Self deprecating jokes about your own awkwardness are safe. Short, kind stories about his funny habits are usually well received.

Example of safe humor line. He never learned to use a smartphone. He could, however, spot a bargain from a mile away. If you want to laugh stand with me in that bargain bin memory for a second.

Practical Templates You Can Use

Below are templates you can copy paste and personalize. Replace bracketed text with simple specifics. Keep names and numbers short and spoken like normal speech.

Short template for three to four minute eulogy

Hello. My name is [Your Name]. I am [relation] to [Name].

[Full name] was born in [place] in [year]. He worked as [job] and spent his free time [hobby].

The thing I remember most is [short memory]. That moment says everything about how he lived. He believed in [value].

He is survived by [list only immediate survivors you have permission to name].

Thank you for being here to celebrate him. I would like to close with [short quote or line you know he liked].

Medium template for five to seven minute eulogy

Hello. I am [Your Name]. I grew up listening to stories about [Name]. We called him [nickname].

He was born in [place] and served in [if applicable mention service]. He worked as [career] for [number] years. But those facts do not hold the man the same way a single afternoon does.

My favorite story is the time he [short story with sensory detail]. When I think of him I see [image]. That story taught me [lesson].

Another memory I want to share is when [second story]. It shows how he treated people and what he expected from himself.

He showed us to [value], and he loved [list a few things]. He leaves his family to remember him especially [names of close relatives].

We will miss him but we will remember him when [small everyday ritual that will remind people]. Thank you. If anyone wants to share a memory please do so after this.

Long template for ten minutes or for multiple family speakers

Greeting and declaration of name and relation. Brief life facts. Two to three longer stories each with setup and emotional note. Mention of contributions to community or service. A short reading or quote if appropriate. A section listing survivors and family roles. Closing reflection that connects stories to how family will continue his legacy.

Sample Eulogies for a Great Grandfather

The samples below are ready to copy paste and edit. Each one uses different tone and length so pick the one that fits the service and your voice.

Sample 1 Short and Warm

Hello. I am Maya Cunningham and I am his great granddaughter. We called him Pop Pop Len. He was born in 1930 in a small town where everybody knew your business and your favorite pie. He worked as a carpenter and built things that lasted because he believed in doing something well once rather than twice.

My memory is of him teaching me how to measure twice then cut once. He would say measure twice then cut once and laugh at my impatient hands. What he taught me was patience and care. If you think of him think of a man who fixed broken things and made room at his table for one more.

He is survived by his daughter Ruth his son Daniel six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Thank you for sharing in his life and in these memories.

Sample 2 Medium with gentle humor

Hi everyone. I am Jordan Park. I am one of his great grandchildren. He went by Harold but in the family he was known as Grandpa Hal. He would drive an ancient pickup and he would never throw away a jar even when it had nothing in it. Little jars of nothing were his trophies.

One summer he taught me how to catch crabs. He sat me on the dock and said do not be afraid of getting wet. He showed me how to bait the trap tie the knot and wait. We did not catch much but we laughed until our bellies hurt. Even in simple things he wanted you to learn patience curiosity and how to laugh at small failures.

He volunteered at the local school box office for twenty years and every kid there knew him by name. He made people feel seen. He is survived by his wife Anna three children and a small army of grandchildren and great grandchildren who will keep up the jar collecting in his honor. Thank you.

Sample 3 Longer reflective eulogy

My name is Samuel Reyes and I am a proud great grandson of Eduardo. He was born in 1927 in the old city near the river. He served in the navy where he learned how to read a map in the dark and to respect strangers who might become friends. After service he worked as an electrician and later taught young men hands on trade skills.

Two stories stand out. The first is a winter in the mid eighties when our neighborhood lost power for three days. Everyone was stuck inside and the mood could have been bleak. Eduardo showed up on the second day with a thermos and a stack of board games. He set up a table under a lamp and invited people in. He played chess with a boy who had never learned the rules and taught an old woman how to fix a lamp shade. The room warmed not just from the lamp but from his insistence that people matter.

The second story is shorter. He kept a small box of cinema tickets from films he loved. He would sometimes hand a ticket to a grandchild with instructions to watch the scene where the hero decides to be brave. He wanted us to see courage as a choice not a suit you put on only when convenient.

He taught us to be handy with both our hands and our hearts. He leaves behind his children and a legacy of service. When you see a small act of kindness remember him. When you measure twice and cut once remember him. Thank you for remembering Eduardo with me today.

Sample 4 Religious tone

Good morning. I am Ellen Ford his great granddaughter. We remember Arthur Thomas as a devoted husband a loving father and a faithful member of this congregation. He loved the hymn Amazing Grace and he lived a life that echoed its words. In church he taught our children patience at Sunday school and he showed hospitality to strangers.

One memory is of him hosting a Christmas dinner for a neighbor who had no family left. He put his best dishes on the table and insisted the neighbor sit at the head. Arthur believed service is worship. We find comfort in knowing he rests in the same grace he sang about. He is survived by his wife Margaret three children and their families. Let us pray together and then share a few more memories.

Sample 5 Light and funny with permission from family

Hi. I am Avery Lee. I am a great granddaughter and his designated seafood taste tester when I was a kid. He was a man who loved rules especially his own rules. One of his rules was never throw away a sandwich wrapper because you might need it to wrap a sandwich later. He taught us the value of reuse and a particular brand of stubbornness that made trash can become treasure.

The story I keep telling is the Great Cookie Heist of 1999. He pretended not to know anything but the crumbs betrayed him. We all laughed and he winked as if he had planned the whole thing just to see us smile. He loved small mischief and he loved larger kindness. That is how I will remember him.

How to Personalize a Sample

Do this in three quick steps. Step one replace every bracket with a concrete detail. Step two remove anything that feels false or irrelevant. Step three read aloud. If the words do not come naturally when spoken make them simpler. You want to sound like you not like a script from a movie.

Handling Strong Emotion While Speaking

It is okay to cry. The room expects it. If your voice breaks pause and take a breath. Keep tissues handy. If you cannot continue ask someone beforehand to stand by and step in if needed. You can also read from a printed page rather than reciting from memory. That can make you feel steadier.

Practical breathing tip. Place one hand lightly on your chest and one on your belly while practicing. Breathe into your belly before each sentence. That stabilizes the voice and the pace.

Delivery Tips

• Use a printed copy with large font. Mark where to pause and where to breathe.
• Speak slowly. Emotion makes people rush. A slower pace keeps the message clear.
• Make eye contact with a few family members. It feels less like a performance and more like a conversation.
• If you tear up put your head down briefly look up and continue. The audience wants you to be real.
• Bring a backup copy. Give one to the officiant in case you cannot continue.

Modern Elements to Consider

Millennials often have digital memories. Consider including a short photo slideshow of five to ten images. Share a voice clip of him telling a joke or a short story. These elements can be played before or after your eulogy and they help people who cannot put words together on the spot.

If the service will be live streamed check in with the organizers about camera placement and timing. A short, focused speech works best for cameras as well as for people in the room.

Editing Checklist Before You Print

• Confirm names and dates with a trusted family member.
• Read aloud and time yourself. Aim for three to seven minutes.
• Remove any private details you were not given permission to share.
• Simplify long sentences. Short sentences remain clearer under stress.
• Print on sturdy paper and bring a clean backup copy.

Examples of Lines You Can Use

• "We called him [name] because [reason]."
• "One thing he taught us was [value]. I remember the time he did this by [short story]."
• "He did not have much patience for small talk but he always had time for one good story."
• "When I think of him I hear [song line] or I picture [image]."
• "He is survived by [names]. We will miss him and we will remember him when [ritual]."

When to Ask Someone Else to Write or Read

If public speaking triggers severe anxiety or if the family asks for someone else to speak for conflict resolution consider asking a neutral party to read a short prepared statement. You can still write it. A friend or the officiant can deliver it. You will still have guided how he is remembered.

What If You Are Writing Long Distance

Collect stories via phone or video chat. Ask family for photos and small voice memos. Use email to confirm names and dates. Then choose a template above and personalize. Use local printing services to have copies available at the service if you cannot be there physically.

Permissions and Sensitive Topics

If you plan to mention medical details or family conflicts check with immediate family first. Some families prefer to keep certain things private. Respect those boundaries. A funeral is both a public and private moment and you do not want to cause additional pain by revealing things people were not prepared to hear.

FAQ

How do I begin a eulogy

Start with your name and your relation to the deceased. Say the full name and the name he preferred. Then open with a short memory or one sentence that describes the person in a clear way.

What if I forget what I planned to say

Keep a printed copy and use bullet points so you can look down and continue. If you lose your place pause breathe and read the next line. The audience is on your side and wants you to succeed.

Can a child deliver a eulogy

Yes children can and often should speak if they want to. Keep it short and give them help writing and practicing. Offer an adult to stand beside them while they speak for support.

Is it okay to read a poem instead of a personal speech

Yes a poem can be powerful. Poems work well combined with a short personal introduction that explains why it matters to you. Combine the two for balance.

How do I handle different languages in a eulogy

Include a short line in the other language and then translate it. That honors multilingual family members and keeps the meaning accessible to everyone in the room.