Quotes to Use in Your Eulogy

30 Quotes To Use In A Eulogy

Sentimental, Poignant & Light-Hearted Quotes That Help You Say It All

When you’re writing a eulogy, it’s tempting to feel like every word needs to be original, poetic, and deeply personal. But sometimes, the most powerful line can come from someone else.

A well-chosen quote can sum up an entire personality, express a complex feeling, or make people smile when they need it most. It can be used to start a eulogy (to set the tone), end it (to leave a lasting thought), or even weave through the speech to build a theme.

As a eulogy writer, I’ve worked with many people struggling to find the right words and often, a quote becomes the key that unlocks the rest of the story.

Here are 30 quotes we’ve used, loved, and recommended. We’ve grouped them by tone – Sentimental, Poignant, and Light-Hearted – so you can find something that fits.

🌸 Sentimental Quotes

Gentle, warm, and emotionally resonant.

• “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” – Irving Berlin. A poetic metaphor for the lasting presence of someone’s spirit. Perfect for those who left a deep emotional imprint.
• “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller
  This quote gently captures the idea that love endures beyond physical presence. Ideal for honouring a lifelong bond.
• “Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II
  Short, regal, and wise. This quote reminds us that our pain is a reflection of how deeply we loved—and were loved in return.
• “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell
  Timeless and reassuring. This quote is often used to close a eulogy with a sense of quiet hope.
• “You gave me a forever within the numbered days.” – John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
  For someone whose time was too short, but deeply significant. Honest, romantic, and full of feeling.
• “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)
  Gentle and childlike in tone—but profoundly moving. Ideal for a eulogy that celebrates closeness and enduring love.
• “Life has to end. Love doesn’t.” – Mitch Albom
  This quote puts grief into perspective: it’s not just an ending, it’s a continuation of love in a new form.
• “It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
  A wonderful way to celebrate someone who made the most of their time, no matter how long—or short—it was.

💭 Poignant Quotes

Reflective, philosophical, and bittersweet.

• “Death is not the opposite of life, but part of it.” – Haruki Murakami. A reminder that death isn’t an ending so much as a chapter in something bigger.
• “The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.” – Chuck Palahniuk. This quote invites reflection on what your loved one gave to the world—memories, kindness, humour, or legacy. It’s a great line to use before listing their impact or achievements.
• “When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” – Kahlil Gibran. A powerful way to reframe grief as a measure of love. Perfect for softening sadness with gratitude.
• “Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.” – Buddha. This quote adds a sense of peace and dignity. It’s ideal for honouring someone who lived thoughtfully, simply, or with quiet purpose.
• “We are all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.” – Steven Moffat, Doctor Who. Brilliant for someone who lived with passion, humour, or a flair for drama. A modern quote that captures the essence of legacy and storytelling.
• “They may forget what you said – but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou. Use this to highlight how someone made others feel loved, heard, or important. It’s perfect for teachers, caregivers, and those with big hearts.
• “It is not length of life, but depth of life.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ideal when the person passed away young, or simply lived meaningfully. This quote celebrates quality over quantity.
• “Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.” – J.K. Rowling. Emotive and quietly profound. Great for honouring someone whose life was full of love, connection, and generosity.
• “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King Jr. For those who stood up, spoke out, or stayed loyal. A powerful tribute to courage and conscience.

😄 Light-Hearted Quotes

Warm chuckles and wry smiles. Because sometimes, laughter is love.

• “If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death.” – Samuel Butler. It’s a quote we come back to time and again when writing eulogies. Because for some people, a little mischief, sarcasm or silliness was the point of life. And their memory deserves to be honoured with that same spark.
• “I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” – Winston Churchill. Perfect for those with big personalities and a twinkle in their eye.
• “I hope to arrive to my death late, in love, and a little drunk.” – Atticus. Great for someone who truly lived—and did it on their own terms.
• “I told you I was ill.” – Spike Milligan. If your loved one had a wicked sense of humour or would’ve appreciated one last punchline, this one never fails to get a knowing smile.
• “I’ve had a wonderful life. I just wish I’d realised it sooner.” – Colin Firth, The Railway Man. For those with quiet depth and gentle wisdom. Often overlooked, always unforgettable.
• “Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” – Voltaire. Wry, philosophical, and surprisingly comforting in the middle of grief.
• “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die.” – George Bernard Shaw. A tribute to those who squeezed every last drop out of life—and encouraged others to do the same.
• “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” – Robin Williams. For the beautifully eccentric, the mischief-makers, the ones who danced to their own tune—and made life better because of it.

🧠 A Personal Touch

Of course, the most powerful quotes are often the ones that meant something to them. Think about their favourite book, band, film, or football team. Did they have a catchphrase? A lyric they loved? A line from a TV show they always quoted?

Whether it’s a line from Bruce Springsteen, Ted Lasso, or their most overused dad joke – those personal references often carry more emotional weight than anything you’ll find on Google.

Look through old birthday cards, texts, or their social media captions. You might find something that’s not just a quote, but a memory in itself.

• “It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• “We’ll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees… and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams…” – Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass. This quote is long, lyrical, and utterly beautiful. I’ve used it with clients who wanted something poetic and spiritual, without referencing religion.
• “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” – Leonard Cohen. A powerful lyric for someone who lived with vulnerability, resilience, or quiet strength. Honest and hopeful.
• “To infinity and beyond!” – Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story. Ideal for a big-hearted soul with a sense of adventure, a love of life, or a playful streak that never faded. Sometimes the simplest lines carry the most emotion.
• “You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.” – E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web. Gentle and heartfelt. A beautiful tribute to someone who was always there—quietly loyal, deeply loved.

✍️ Need Help Crafting Your Eulogy?

Writing a eulogy is one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do—but also one of the most meaningful. At Speechy, we help people all over the world tell their loved one’s story with humour, honesty, and heart.

We’re an ‘Excellent’ rated team on Trustpilot, and our eulogy templates and bespoke eulogy writing service help people find words when they feel lost for them.

Remember: it’s not about perfection. It’s about love. And standing up to speak at a funeral is one of the bravest and most generous acts you can do.