Eulogy
A gentle, step-by-step eulogy you can print on cue cards: a welcome, who they were, a few true stories, what they gave others and a calm farewell.
Speech8 cardsAbout 5 min to speakBeginnerFamily
Eulogy for a friend
Cue cards for a eulogy for a close friend: how you met, what they were like with friends, a story the family may not know, and comfort for those who loved them.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Opening
My name is [your name]. I was [first name]'s friend for [number] years.
To [their family / partner / parents], thank you for letting me speak today. We loved [her / him / them] too.
- 2
How we met
We met [at school / at work / in a band / on a terrible first day at university].
My first impression was [honest first impression], and I was [right / completely wrong].
- 3
What they were like as a friend
- The one who [always answered the phone / planned the trips / turned up with food]
- Never [judged / forgot / gave up on people]
- Could make anyone [laugh / feel welcome]
- 4
A story from the friends
[A story the family may not know but would be glad to hear. Keep it kind and suitable for every age in the room.]
Look at the family here.
- 5
When things were hard
When I [lost a job / went through a break-up / moved away], [first name] [what they did].
I don't think I ever told them properly how much that mattered. So I'm saying it now.
- 6
What I learned from them
Being [first name]'s friend taught me [to take risks / to listen more than I talk / that a cup of tea fixes most things].
[One sentence on a time you used that lesson.]
I think many of you could say the same.
- 7
What we will do
[First name] would want us to [keep the group together / go on that trip / look after their family / laugh loudly].
So that is what we will do.
- 8
Goodbye
[First name], thank you for [one thing]. You were the best [friend / bandmate / teammate] anyone could ask for.
[A shared joke, a phrase you always said to each other, or simply "See you later, mate."]
How to use this template
This eulogy template is for a close friend speaking at a funeral or memorial, often alongside family members. A friend's eulogy has a special job: it shows the family a side of the person they may not have seen, and it speaks for everyone in the room who knew them as a friend. The cards go from how you met to what they were like with friends, a story from your shared life, a time they helped you, what the friends will do now, and a personal goodbye. It works whether the person died young or after a long life. Fill in the brackets with specific details, and keep stories warm and suitable for children, grandparents and colleagues who may be listening.
Tips
- Ask the family before the day which topics, nicknames or stories they would rather you leave out.
- Collect one memory from each close friend and choose the story that represents the group best.
- If the death was sudden or young, it is fine to say how unfair it feels, briefly, before moving to the stories.
- Print the cards large and ask another friend to stand near you with a copy in case you need them to continue.
- Speak to the family on the story and goodbye cards; they are the people your words are mainly for.
- Leave out stories that rely on in-jokes; if you need three sentences of background to explain why something was funny, choose a different story.
Make it fit
- For a memorial organised by friends rather than family, you can lead the gathering and invite others to share afterwards.
- For a faith service, ask the officiant where the eulogy fits and whether a short prayer or reading reference on the last card would suit.
- For a friend you knew through one setting, like a club or band, rename the cards to match that world.
- For a two-minute slot, keep the opening, how we met, one story and goodbye.
- If the friendship was mostly online, through gaming, a forum or a group chat, say so plainly; the family will be glad to know about a part of their life they may never have seen.
Updated October 28, 2026