speech for a brothers funeral

Notifications

How to write a eulogy for a brother.

Writing a eulogy for a brother is a wonderful opportunity to express how special your relationship was, how unique your brother was, and what made your brother stand out from the crowd. Never written a eulogy before? Don’t worry. These steps will guide you through the process of writing a eulogy for your brother so that you can feel confident sharing it.

First off, what’s a eulogy?

A eulogy is a short piece of writing or a small speech that’s done in honor of someone who has recently passed away. They are typically read by someone who was close to the deceased and take around 3 - 10 minutes in total time to read.

Does a eulogy have to be serious and somber?

A eulogy can be anything you want it to be – it can be as serious or as funny as you prefer. The key is to stay authentic and true to the person who passed away. If they were a serious person, writing an over the top funny eulogy may not ring appropriate for their personality, but it’s up to you as the eulogy writer to decide the kind of eulogy you’d like to write. It can help to think of the tone of the event you’re holding and the audience that will be attending. If it’s a celebration of life, you may feel more inclined to write a lighthearted eulogy compared to one that’s focused on the loss of life.

I’ve never written a eulogy. Where do I start?

Wondering how to write a eulogy for a brother? This guide has got you covered. Here are the steps you’ll need to take in order to craft a eulogy for a brother:

• Start by looking through eulogy examples for brothers. Looking at a sample eulogy for a brother before you get started writing one for your own brother is a great idea, especially if you’ve never written a eulogy before. Example eulogies will give you an idea as to the typical content, length, and style that many eulogies come in.
• Once you have an understanding of what a standard eulogy looks like, it’s time to reference a guide on how to write a eulogy . This guide will give you step by step instructions on how to write a eulogy.
• After you have looked through examples and read over the guide, you can get started on the eulogy for your brother. Some ideas to consider and reflect on when writing a eulogy for a brother include: What made your brother unique? What qualities of his did people remark on? What was he passionate about? What did he love? What did he hate? Did he offer any helpful guidance or advice? What kind of person was he?
• With your ideas and reflections written out, start organizing your thoughts into a eulogy format.
• Once you’ve written the eulogy, try reading it out loud in front of family and friends for guidance or feedback before you read it at the memorial service or event.

If you still feel uncomfortable writing a eulogy, you do have the option of hiring a professional eulogy writer to craft a eulogy in your stead.

Order a eulogy

Do I need to write a formal eulogy?

If you’re not comfortable writing a formal eulogy or would prefer something much more casual, you do not need to feel pressured to write a eulogy. Eulogies are technically just a short speech given at a memorial service, so you could consider just saying a few words about your brother when it comes time. You can also consider asking someone else to write the eulogy or asking someone else to speak in your place at the funeral. This choice is up to you.

Setting up a memorial website is an easy way to share memories, raise donations, collect photos, and share information on the life of your brother or loved one. When you’re ready, you can even post the eulogy you’ve written directly to the website for anyone visiting to see. Ever Loved memorial websites are free, easy to use, and stay up for as long as you’d like them to.

Start a website

Create a memorial website

Find a funeral home, get free grief support, how to write a eulogy for a grandmother.

A grandmother’s eulogy is an excellent time to include all attendees in a brief remembrance of your grandmother’s life. Here’s steps on how to write a eulogy for a grandmother, including ideas on what to say, how to structure the eulogy, and what to do if you’re not comfortable writing a eulogy.

How to Write a Eulogy for a Grandfather

Writing a eulogy for the life of a grandfather is a wonderful opportunity to remember his life, their personality, and the impact his life had on those around him. If you’ve never written a eulogy before, these steps will help guide you and will help you feel more prepared to honor the life of your

How to Make a Beautiful Memorial Service Invitation

Planning a memorial service on your own can be a lot, especially after the loss of a loved one. Sending out invitations is an important part of this process, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Here’s some easy ways to send out memorial service invitations to friends and family when the

Create a space to remember someone

How To Write a Funeral Speech With Eulogy Examples

Looking for the right words to say? We’ve compiled the most heartfelt, personal funeral speech examples to help you honor your loved one’s memory.

Standing in a room full of people to deliver a eulogy for a loved one is one of life's most challenging tasks. The weight of finding the right words to honor a life well-lived can be overwhelming. It’s nerve-wracking — but it’s also an honor.

You want to do your best to get it right. And we’re here to help.

This article contains practical advice and inspiration (plus, some funeral speech examples) to help you write a heartfelt and memorable eulogy.

Whether you're a skilled orator or someone who struggles with public speaking, these steps will guide you through the process of writing a funeral speech for a family member or a friend — something that truly celebrates their life.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Funeral Speech

From gathering memories and structuring your speech to writing with authenticity and emotion, here are the steps you can take to find the support you need to write a funeral speech for family members.

Step 1: Gather information and inspiration

Start by gathering memories, stories, and anecdotes. Make notes of what you feel about them. Reach out to family members and close friends to collect their memories and stories. Ask them about the moments that stood out, the qualities they admired, and the experiences that made an impact. 

These personal insights will provide the foundation for your eulogy, ensuring that it reflects the individuality and spirit of the person you’re honoring.

Additionally, spend time reviewing old photos, letters, and personal belongings. These items can stir memories and bring to mind moments you might want to include in your speech. 

Photos can remind you of significant events, travels, and achievements, while letters and other mementos might reveal your loved one’s thoughts, values, or personality in ways that words alone cannot. 

This process will help gather content and provide a comforting way to connect with your memories during this difficult time.

Step 2: Structure the eulogy

Once you’ve gathered your thoughts and stories, the next step is to structure the eulogy in a way that flows logically and emotionally. A well-organized speech helps to convey your message clearly and keeps the audience engaged.

Here are some typical components of a eulogy:

• Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction that acknowledges the gathering and sets the tone for the eulogy. You might start by introducing yourself, especially if not everyone in the audience knows you.  Then, briefly mention who the departed was to you (a parent, sibling, or friend) and touch on their importance in your life. You could include a quote, a poem, or a reflection that resonates with the person’s life. ‍
• Main body: This is the heart of your eulogy, where you share the memories, stories, and qualities that defined your loved one. Consider organizing the main body thematically or chronologically.  For example, you could focus on different aspects of their life — such as their childhood, career, hobbies, and relationships — or you might choose to highlight their character traits , like kindness, humor, or perseverance. Use the anecdotes and stories you’ve gathered to illustrate these points, making sure to balance lighter moments with more serious reflections. ‍
• Conclusion: Bring your thoughts together with a final reflection on your loved one’s life . This could be a summary of the impact they had on those around them or a message of hope and remembrance for the future.  You might also close with a quote, a final wish, or a call to action, encouraging those present to honor the deceased’s memory in their own lives. ‍

Organizing your thoughts (logically and emotionally) is crucial to delivering a eulogy that feels cohesive and heartfelt. 

Start by listing the key points you want to cover, such as specific memories, qualities, and messages. Then, arrange these points in a way that feels natural and emotionally resonant. 

For example, you might start with lighter, more joyful memories and gradually move toward more profound reflections, allowing the audience to journey with you through a range of emotions.

Remember, the goal is not to create a perfect speech but to convey your genuine feelings and memories in a way that honors your loved one. Take the time to structure your eulogy thoughtfully.

Step 3: Personalize the eulogy

This step makes your speech really resonate with those in attendance. Personalization honors the departed and provides comfort and connection to those who are grieving. Here’s how you can achieve that:

• Highlight achievements, hobbies, and passions: Reflect on the major achievements in your loved one’s life. This could include career milestones, personal accomplishments, or contributions to their community.  Discussing these achievements shows how they made a difference in the world and the lives of those around them. For example, if your loved one was passionate about volunteering, you could share stories of the impact they had on the lives they touched through their service.  ‍ If they were an avid gardener, you might talk about how their love for plants brought beauty into the lives of friends and family, perhaps even sharing a story about a particularly beloved garden or plant they tended to. ‍
• Use personal anecdotes to illustrate character and impact: Personal anecdotes bring to life the character and impact of the person being remembered. These stories can be humorous, touching, or a mix of both.  For example, you might share a story about a time when their sense of humor lightened a difficult situation or how their kindness helped a friend through a tough time. These anecdotes help highlight their personality and remind everyone present of the moments they shared. ‍
• Respect and integrate cultural traditions: Consider and respect any cultural or religious traditions that were significant to your loved one. This might involve incorporating specific rituals, prayers, or symbols into the eulogy or the service itself.  For instance, in some cultures, it’s customary to read a particular prayer or poem, light candles, or play a certain type of music. If your loved one was deeply connected to their cultural heritage, integrate these elements to make the eulogy more meaningful. ‍
• Quotes, poetry, or song lyrics: Do this to add depth and resonance to your eulogy. Choose words that reflect the spirit of your loved one or that express sentiments you find difficult to put into your own words. For example, you might include a line from a favorite poem that they loved or that perfectly captures their outlook on life. A short, meaningful quote can serve as a powerful conclusion to a section of your eulogy , helping to tie together the memories and themes you’ve discussed.

Step 4: Write with emotion and authenticity

Writing a eulogy is not just about recounting facts; it’s about conveying emotions and memories associated with your loved one. Here are some points to keep in mind:

• A well-rounded eulogy often incorporates a mix of emotions — there’s room for humor, sentiment, and solemn reflection . Humor can provide relief in a heavy moment and remind everyone of the joy the person brought into their lives.  For example, sharing a funny anecdote can lighten the mood and help the audience connect with the memories in a positive way. However, it’s important to ensure that the humor is respectful and appropriate to the setting. ‍
• Emotion and solemnity should also be present, as these reflect the seriousness of the occasion and the depth of your feelings. Share moments of tenderness, gratitude, and love, allowing yourself to be vulnerable. The audience will connect with your sincerity, and it will help them process their own emotions as well. ‍ ‍
• When writing your eulogy, speak from the heart. Use simple, direct language that conveys your feelings honestly. Instead of trying to impress with elaborate words, focus on being sincere and true to your emotions. Think about what you truly want to say to honor your loved one, and let that guide your words. ‍ ‍
• Don’t be afraid to show your emotions as you write — tears and laughter are both part of the grieving process . If you’re comfortable, let these emotions flow into your writing. This authenticity will resonate with your audience and make your speech more impactful. ‍ ‍
• It’s easy to fall into using clichés when writing a eulogy, but try to avoid them where possible. Phrases like “they’re in a better place” or “they’ll always be with us” can feel impersonal and overused.  Instead, focus on what made your loved one unique. Highlight their quirks, their habits, the little things that defined them — these are what the audience will remember and cherish. ‍
• Describe specific moments or traits that capture the individual’s essence. For example, rather than saying someone was kind, describe a time when they went out of their way to help someone else. These details bring the person to life in the minds of those listening and create a more personal and meaningful tribute.

Step 5: Craft a compelling opening and closing

Your opening should draw the audience in and make them feel connected from the start. You might begin with a powerful quote, a heartfelt memory, or a statement that captures your loved one’s spirit. 

For example, you could start with, “When I think of [Name], I’m reminded of how they always had a way of making everyone in the room feel seen and valued.” This immediately sets a warm, reflective tone.

Another approach could be to acknowledge the difficulty of the moment while expressing gratitude for those who have come to honor the person who has passed away. This helps to unify the audience in shared purpose and emotion.

The closing of your eulogy is your final opportunity to leave the audience with something meaningful. You may end with a message of hope, a reflection on the person’s lasting impact, or a call to action — encouraging those present to carry forward the values and love that their loved one embodied.

For example, you could conclude with, “Let us remember [Name] not just today, but in the way we live our lives — in kindness, in joy, and love, just as they did.” This provides a sense of continuity and honors their legacy.

Alternatively, you might end with a simple, heartfelt goodbye or a moment of silence to allow everyone to reflect on their own memories.

Funeral Speech Examples for Various Relationships

We’ve put together a few funeral-speech examples that you could gain inspiration from when writing your own.

These examples are entirely fictional and have been created for illustrative purposes only. Our goal is to inspire and guide you as you write something of your own.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental. Please use these examples as a starting point to craft a personalized and meaningful tribute that truly captures the essence of your loved one’s life and legacy.

1. Eulogy example for a parent

"My father, Robert 'Bob' Caldwell, was a man of few words. He taught me more through his quiet determination than any lecture ever could. As I stand here today, I'm reminded of the countless weekends we spent in his workshop, the smell of sawdust filling the air as he patiently guided my clumsy hands through each project.

“Dad never sought the spotlight, but his impact on our community was undeniable. For 30 years, he volunteered at the local animal shelter, arriving every Saturday morning without fail to walk the dogs no one else wanted to. I remember him coming home once, covered in mud and wearing the biggest grin, because he'd finally gotten 'Old Grumpy' (our notoriously difficult bulldog) to play fetch.

“My father's love for our family was as steady as his workshop routine. He may not have said 'I love you' often, but he showed it in a thousand little ways - from never missing a single one of my terrible middle school band concerts to learning to bake the world's most lopsided birthday cakes when Mom was ill.

“In his final days, as we sat together watching his beloved Red Sox, he turned to me and said, 'You know, kiddo, I think I did alright.' Dad, you did more than alright. You showed us all how to live with integrity, kindness, and purpose. Your legacy lives on in the values you instilled in us and the countless lives you touched. 

“Rest easy, Dad. We'll take it from here."

2. Eulogy example for a spouse

"Maria Gonzalez was not just my wife. She was my North Star and the love of my life for 37 incredible years. When we met at that crowded college party, I never imagined that the woman who accidentally spilled her drink on me would become the person I couldn't imagine living without.

“Maria had this infectious laugh that could light up a room. I swear, half the neighborhood knew when she found something funny. Her passion for life was matched only by her compassion for others. As a pediatric nurse, she touched countless lives, and I lost count of the times former patients would stop us in the grocery store to thank her.

“She turned our house into a warm, welcoming haven, not just for our kids but for every stray friend or neighbor who needed a safe place. Her famous 'emergency enchiladas' became legendary; I think she fed most teenagers in town over the years.

“Maria faced her illness with the same grace and humor that she approached everything in life with. Even on her toughest days, she'd find a way to make her doctors laugh or comfort a fellow patient. In our last conversation, she made me promise to keep her garden alive and to never, ever attempt to cook her secret salsa recipe.

“My love, I will miss your terrible puns, your off-key singing in the shower, and the way you always knew exactly what I needed before I did. The world is dimmer without your light, but I promise to keep shining it forward in your memory.”

3. Eulogy example for a child

"Our sweet Lily was only with us for six short years, but in that time, she filled our lives with more joy, laughter, and love than we ever thought possible. From the moment she entered this world, with her bright eyes and curious fingers, Lily had a way of making everyone around her smile.

“Lily was our little adventurer. She approached life with an enthusiasm that was both inspiring and, frankly, a little exhausting on some days. I'll never forget the day we found her in the backyard, covered head to toe in mud, proudly showing off the 'fairy house' she'd built for the garden squirrels. Her imagination knew no bounds.

“Despite the challenges she faced with her health, Lily never lost her spark. Even during hospital stays, she'd insist on wearing her favorite tutu and tiara, declaring herself a princess. The nurses adored her, often sneaking in extra Jell-O cups just to see her face light up.

“In her final days, Lily taught us about courage and grace beyond her years. She worried more about comforting us than herself, always ready with a hug and her favorite phrase: ‘I’m okay, Mommy and Daddy.'

“Lily, my darling, you were right. You’re okay now. You’re better than okay; you showed us how to find joy in every moment and love in every challenge. We'll carry you with us always, our beautiful, brave little girl."

4. Eulogy example for a sibling

"My brother, Marcus, was more than just my older sibling — he was my protector, my confidant, and quite often, my partner in mischief. Growing up, there was no adventure too daring, no tree too high to climb, as long as Marcus was by my side.

“As we got older, our adventures changed, but our bond grew stronger. Marcus had this uncanny ability to show up exactly when you needed him. I can't count the number of times he appeared at my door with a pint of ice cream and a terrible movie, somehow knowing I'd had a rough day.

“Marcus lived life with a truly unmatched passion. He threw himself wholeheartedly into everything he did, whether it was mastering a new recipe in the kitchen (his paella was legendary), training for marathons, or fighting for causes he believed in. His work with local youth programs changed countless lives, and I know many of those kids saw in Marcus the same hero I always did.

“In our last conversation, Marcus made me promise to keep living life to the fullest and to keep seeking out new adventures. He said, 'Life's too short for regrets, sis. Make it count.' And that's exactly what I intend to do.

“As we remember Marcus today, I ask each of you to take a moment to appreciate the loved ones in your life. Let's honor Marcus's memory by cherishing every moment we have with those we care about, just as he did.

“Now, I invite you all to join me in a moment of silence. Let's reflect on the joy he brought to our lives and the lessons he taught us about living fully and loving deeply.

[Pause for a moment of silence]

“Thank you. Let's carry Marcus's spirit of adventure, laughter, and love with us always. May we all strive to 'make it count' in our own lives, just as he did in his."

5. Eulogy example for a friend

"I stand here today to celebrate the life of my dear friend, Jasmine Chen. A force of nature — brilliant, passionate, and fiercely loyal.

“Our friendship began 20 years ago in college, in the chemistry lab. She saved our experiment from disaster with quick thinking and a fire extinguisher, grinning, 'Well, that's one way to break the ice.'

“Jasmine approached everything with determination and humor. From groundbreaking research to organizing charity runs in ridiculous costumes, she poured her whole heart into it. She brought people together, creating family wherever she went.

“I'll miss our coffee dates when we'd solve the world's problems. Well, at least we’d leave feeling like we did. Jasmine made you feel heard and understood, even when challenging your perspective. Her curious mind always sought to understand more about the world and its people.

“Jasmine lived by her favorite Toni Morrison quote: 'If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.' And she did. Her research will impact lives for years, but her greatest legacy is the love and inspiration she left in all of us.

“To my dear friend: Thank you for sharing your joy, support, and for showing us how to live with purpose. We'll honor you by embracing life with your enthusiasm. As you'd say, quoting your beloved David Bowie, 'I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring.' Your impact will continue to ripple outwards, Jasmine. Rock on, my friend."

Meadow Gives More Opportunities to Honor a Loved One Your Way

We hope this helps you find the right words for the funeral speech, whether for a family member or a friend. We encourage you to use the eulogy examples as a starting point. 

Here at Meadow , we specialize in compassionate and meaningful memorial planning.

Our comprehensive packages and support help you create a memorial service to reflect your loved one's spirit. We allow you to honor their memory on your terms because:

• We’re with you at every step. A brief call allows us to understand your needs and preferences. We'll then pair you with a professional memorial planner who will be your dedicated guide throughout the process.
• We focus on what matters. Our planner will handle all the logistics, from venue selection to vendor coordination, so you can focus on what matters most — spending time with loved ones.
• We take care of the details. Your dedicated planner will manage everything from food and flowers, sending invitations, booking catering, and managing your photo slideshow for the event.
• We customize. Tell us about your loved one's personality and interests. We create unique events to reflect their life for a truly personal celebration. ‍ ‍
• We’re transparent. Our cremation package is $1,295 , and you can add on a memorial service package starting at $1,970 .

Let us help you create a beautiful and lasting tribute to your loved one. 

‍ Explore our personalized memorial services .

California Cremation and Funeral Services

Cremation package.

The Meadow Cremation package includes everything you need for a simple cremation.

Chapel Service

Everything you need for a traditional memorial service at one of our partner chapels.

Memorial Celebration

We'll help you create a memory that will last forever at a Beautiful Venue across Los Angeles County.

from $3,900

We are here for you

Our team is standing by 24/7 to guide you through this process.

Meadow (FD #2441)

The Remembrance Process℠ - From Grieving to Remembrance

Eulogy for a Brother

We are gathered here today in the memory of my brother, Darrell, so that together we may acknowledge and share both our joy in the gift that his life was to us, and the pain that his passing brings. In sharing the joy and the pain together today, may we lessen the pain and remember more clearly the joy.

Darrell was just 67 years old when he passed away on Tuesday at St. Peter’s hospital. He was born on June 16, 1938 here in Springfield to Vernon and Emily (Thatcher) Green. Darrell spent his life in Springfield, farming for over 40 years.

Darrell was very close to his family, to his friends, and also his beloved cat, Crackers. Growing up with Darrell as an older brother wasn’t always easy for us. He would pick on us constantly, but let anyone else even look at us funny, and Darrell would be on our side, whatever may come. Darrell was good to his friends and employers, the Edwards family, and they were good to Darrell – their care and support during his last years especially, is very much appreciated by all of us. As a farmer, Darrell worked hard, but he also enjoyed his life. He loved to fish, and hunt deer, turkey and geese. There are a lot of stories about us hunting up North together, but I’m afraid that that those stories will have to stay up North. Sometimes it was suspected that Darrell may have found a nice spot under a tree and maybe did more napping than hunting. Darrell had planned to retire up North, and though that didn’t end up working out, he will be going back this spring when we scatter his ashes up at Marshall Point where he loved to hunt and perhaps nap.

There were other things besides hunting and fishing, Darrell collected farm toys- and we’ve brought some in today. He loved playing cards and going to the casino. He especially liked to play poker. Darrell loved to watch westerns-especially John Wayne Westerns, he enjoyed both kinds of music, Country and Western. A favorite was Singing Cowboy Gene Autry’s ‘Red River Valley’.

Many of you will recall Darrell’s huge garden. He enjoyed working in his garden and enjoyed sharing his produce with many of his friends in town- beautiful homegrown tomatoes. Darrell was a man who didn’t have a mean bone in his body, a warm friendly man who made his mark in the world not with grand gestures or fancy titles, but by the basic goodness and generosity of his character, by the quality of his involvement with his fellow man, and how he brought out these qualities in others.

There is a poem that speaks to these qualities ‘The House by the Side of the Road’ by Sam Walter Foss

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the place of their self-content;

There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,

In a fellowless firmament;

There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths

Where highways never ran-

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

Where the race of men go by-

The men who are good and the men who are bad,

As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner’s seat

Nor hurl the cynic’s ban-

I see from my house by the side of the road

By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,

The men who are faint with the strife,

But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,

Both parts of an infinite plan-

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,

And mountains of wearisome height;

That the road passes on through the long afternoon

And stretches away to the night.

And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice

And weep with the strangers that moan,

Nor live in my house by the side of the road

Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,

They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

Wise, foolish – so am I.

Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat,

Or hurl the cynic’s ban?

Let me live in my house by the side of the road

There were many wonderful aspects to Darrell’s life, and many ways that he touched our lives. He will be remembered as a wonderful brother, a great friend, a generous uncle, cousin, outdoorsman, a poker player, collector, and farmer, a friendly face in town, or in the yard of his house by the side of the road. In all these ways and more, he made our lives richer and fuller. Now that he has passed away, of course there is emptiness and pain, confusion and maybe even anger at death coming to a man of only 67 years, but in many ways, the gift of Darrell’s life is still here with us. He lives on in our memories and stories, and in what all of us have become because of him. So I encourage you to share –today, tomorrow and in the years to come- your memories and stories, and to share the pain of your loss as well. In this way we will keep the gift of Darrell’s life alive.

On behalf of the rest of the family, I’d like to thank you all for coming here today.

Funerals at Bethel

Let us help you create a meaningful farewell for your loved one

• Our purpose
• Leave a Legacy
• Our Impact Report 2022-23
• Planning a funeral
• Eulogy and remembrance
• Coping with grief
• Clergy and celebrants
• Remembrance

How to write a eulogy for a brother

Share this article, about eulogies for brothers.

It can be daunting to take on the challenge of writing your brother’s eulogy, especially at this emotional time when you’re coming to terms with his death.

Perhaps someone in your family asked you to write a eulogy for your brother. Or you might have volunteered to write it yourself. Either way, we’ll step you through the whole process of writing a heartfelt eulogy that captures some of the memorable events in his life and your special relationship with your sibling.

Writing your brother’s eulogy can also be an emotional yet wonderful process as you bring together your memories and connect the significant events in his life with the person he became, highlighting his unique character traits.

Many people are more worried about the delivery of the eulogy than they are about writing the eulogy itself. We’ve got some tips below you can follow that will help you deliver the eulogy with confidence.

If you want to start working on the eulogy now, download a copy of our Eulogy Workbook. It includes eulogy examples for brothers with helpful insights from expert funeral directors .

How long should my brother’s eulogy be?

Eulogies are not long. They’re a short funeral speech of about 3 to 5 minutes. This is around 2 to 3 A4 pages.

If several people are speaking about your brother at his funeral, then 3-5 minutes is a good timeframe to aim for. If you’re one of the only people speaking other than the celebrant, then it’s OK to speak for around 10 minutes. This would be around 5 or 6 A4 pages.

Choosing a theme for your brother’s eulogy

Working out which memories to share and which ones to leave out is often the hardest part.

If you choose a theme that represents your brother, then it will be much easier to filter your memories against this theme. The memories that relate to the theme are the ones you keep. The ones that don’t, you save for sharing in a different way.

To decide on an appropriate theme, think about what your brother was best known for or what he meant to you.

For example, he could have been best known for his:

• favourite hobby
• special skills, talents and abilities
• love of the people close to him
• career activities
• life adventures
• unique character traits.

Or you might remember him less for the things he did in life but more for the effect he had on you, such as:

• the support he gave you in troubled times
• how he had a knack for making you feel better about yourself when you were down
• how you knew he was always looking out for you even if you didn’t speak all that often.

Hopefully, you’ll feel a strong pull to a particular theme.

But if not and if you’re having trouble setting a theme, talk to your family and his friends. Ask them to share their memories and see if you can see a common pattern emerge.

Setting a theme isn’t a necessary part of writing your brother’s eulogy, but it’s a great way to filter those important memories and stories about his life that you want to share with the people who cared about him, too.

Collect your brother’s biographical details

A practical activity you can do is write down his biographical details, such as:

• when and where he was born
• his parent’s and sibling details
• significant relationships and his children if he had any
• work history

You can them move on to writing down:

• how he enjoyed spending his time
• who the important people were in his life
• volunteering activities
• his travel and other adventures
• career highlights
• any talents and special skills he had.

Write the eulogy opening

Once you have these details, you can start writing your opening, stating who your brother was, his relationship to you, when and where he was born, and any other significant details that you think are important to include.

You can also thank people for coming to his funeral or watching the live stream . If people have travelled a long way, you can acknowledge them, too.

Go through the details you’ve gathered about his life and weave them into your opening.

Gather your favourite memories

If you’ve set a theme, then gather the memories you’d like share that fit with your overall eulogy theme.

It’s OK to use humour as well in the eulogy. If you have funny memories to share, the people at the funeral will appreciate your humorous stories, so long as they’re shared with warmth and you’re not poking fun at your brother. Humour can help ease the tension and sadness people often feel at a funeral.

Consider the people attending the funeral, as well. There might be people at your brother’s funeral who only knew him at a particular time in his life. For example, an old childhood friend might love hearing about the things your brother got up to later in life. A more recent friend might enjoy hearing about the things he did earlier in his life.

But whichever memories you choose to share, it’s best to focus on the positive aspects of your brother and the good things he was known for. A funeral is not a time to shock people with revelations. A kind, thoughtful and heartfelt eulogy is always appreciated by anyone attending a funeral. Be honest about your brother and your relationship with him but focus on the positives.

A couple of significant memories connected to your theme might be all your eulogy needs. It’s OK to be personal as well. This is your story to tell.

Close the eulogy with your final goodbye

Stick with your overall theme and find a way to connect it to a final goodbye. You can share a quote or a brief poem, as well.

You can speak directly to your brother, to your audience, or both. It’s up to you.

To find some comforting words, think about what your brother would say to everyone there.

As you prepare the eulogy, remember the importance of capturing memories in the funeral guest book . Encouraging guests to share their stories and sentiments can provide comfort and keep your brother’s legacy alive.

Overcome nerves about public speaking

The key to feeling confident about delivering your brother’s eulogy is to practice reading it many times over. Read the eulogy out loud. Time yourself. You don’t have to learn your eulogy by heart, but the more familiar you are with it, the less likely you are to lose your way.

If you ask someone to review it for you, you don’t have to take their feedback on board if you don’t like it. This is your story to share about your brother’s life.

Plan to take a short break and few deep breaths if you think you’ll be overcome with emotion. Don’t rush through it to get it over with. Having a glass of water to sip from is also a helpful way to take a moment’s pause while you gather your thoughts and emotions.

Make eye contact with your audience. They’re not there to judge you.  They’ll be supporting you the whole time and will enjoy what you have to share about your brother’s life.

Print the eulogy:

• with page numbers on the bottom – this will help if they get mixed up
• in a large font so it’s easy to read and someone can take over if you’re too overcome by emotion
• and keep the pages flat so they sit neatly on the lectern.

We wish you well and hope you find the right words to capture how you feel about your brother.

Planning your brother’s memorial

Writing a eulogy for your brother can be a deeply emotional task. To make the process a bit easier, consider planning some aspects in advance. Pre-paid funerals can relieve the financial burden during such a difficult time, allowing you to focus on honoring your brother’s memory.

Additionally, selecting meaningful funeral urns is an important part of the ceremony. Choose one that reflects your brother’s personality and the love you shared. These details help create a heartfelt and memorable farewell.

Download our Eulogy Workbook

To help you craft a eulogy that will remember your brother with love, warmth and respect, download a copy of our Eulogy Workbook with a sample eulogy of what you could write.

• Find Local Vendors
• MAKE A MEME-ORIAL™
• Talking About Funerals
• Post-Death Paperwork
• Burials & Grave Markers
• Cremation & Urns
• Funeral Homes
• Everything You Need to Know
• Poems & Readings
• Procession & Pallbearers
• A Fitting Farewell
• Search Directory
• Write a Will
• Expressing Grief
• Coping With Holidays
• Parent / Grandparent
• Miscarriage / Stillbirth
• Partner / Spouse
• Grieving Children
• Grieving Adults
• Spirituality
• Inspiring Stories
• Healing Music
• Learn How to Make a Meme-orial
• Login to My Meme-orial Account
• Craft Videos
• Memorial Trees & Benches
• Cremation Jewelry
• Beautiful Memes to Share
• Celebration of Life Ideas
• Are You A Business? List In Our Directory Today

love lives on

Life . love . legacy.

The resource centre for when you’ve lost someone you love

FIND LOCAL SERVICES

27+ Best Funeral Poems For Brother

If you are grieving the loss of a brother, we hope you find comfort in our collection of 21+ best funeral poems for brother.

Our poems would be perfect to use as a reading at a funeral service, memorial service, or a celebration of life ceremony, as a tribute to a brother who has passed away.  Alternatively, one of our poems about brothers can be incorporated into a eulogy speech, or written in a sympathy card.

Our collection of funeral poems for a brother is organized into the following sections to help you easily find the type of poem you are looking for:

• Inspirational Funeral Poems: Tribute to a Brother Who Passed Away
• Comforting Funeral Poems: RIP Brother
• “I Miss You” Poems (After the Death of a Brother
• Special Funeral Poems for Brother From Sister or From Brother)

If you read to the end of the post, you will find a link that takes you to our Pinterest boards where you can find many beautiful images with heartfelt quotes.  Feel free to share them to your social media channels, as we created these memes to help you express how you are feeling.

Inspirational Funeral Poems: Tribute to a Brother Who Passed Away

This first funeral poem reminds us that a brother is always with us, even after he has passed away.  Every beautiful thing that we see and experience will remind us of his love.  We will also accept all of life’s challenges because our brother wisely taught us that they help us grow stronger.

Your Spirit

By Tram-Tiara T. Von Reichenbach

I know that no matter what You will always be with me. When life separates us I’ll know it is only your soul Saying goodbye to your body But your spirit will be with me always. When I see a bird chirping on a nearby branch I will know it is you singing to me. When a butterfly brushes gently by me so care freely I will know it is you assuring me you are free from pain. When the gentle fragrance of a flower catches my attention I will know it is you reminding me To appreciate the simple things in life. When the sun shining through my window awakens me I will feel the warmth of your love. When I hear the rain pitter patter against my window sill I will hear your words of wisdom And will remember what you taught me so well’ That without rain trees cannot grow Without rain flowers cannot bloom Without life’s challenges I cannot grow strong. When I look out to the sea I will think of your endless love for your family. When I think of mountains, their majesty and magnificence I will think of your courage for your country. No matter where I am Your spirit will be beside me For I know that no matter what You will always be with me.

While losing a brother is painful, this funeral poem reminds us that although his journey on earth is over, his journey is just beginning…

His Journey’s Just Begun

By Ellen Brenneman

Don’t think of him as gone away his journey’s just begun, life holds so many facets this earth is only one. Just think of him as resting from the sorrows and the tears in a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days and years. Think how he must be wishing that we could know today how nothing but our sadness can really pass away. And think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched… for nothing loved is ever lost and he was loved so much.

This consoling funeral poem written by Mary Elizabeth Frye in the 1930s is one of the most famous funeral poems.  It is appropriate for all types of funeral services, from a traditional, religious funeral, to a less formal, celebration of life ceremony.

Do Not Stand By My Grave and Weep

By Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. I am in a thousand winds that blow, I am the softly falling snow. I am the gentle showers of rain, I am the fields of ripening grain. I am in the morning hush, I am in the graceful rush Of beautiful birds in circling flight, I am the starshine of the night. I am in the flowers that bloom, I am in a quiet room. I am in the birds that sing, I am in each lovely thing. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there. I did not die.

This simple poem provides comfort to those grieving the loss of a brother.  It is written as if your brother is speaking directly to you.  The message is short and sweet: life goes on, and while it is natural to cry, don’t forget to be grateful as well.

Life Goes On

By Joyce Grenfell

If I should go before the rest of you Break not a flower Nor inscribe a stone Nor when I am gone Speak in a Sunday voice But be the usual selves That I have known

Weep if you must Parting is hell But life goes on So…sing as well

In our collection of brother poems, this one is a favourite.  We can weep inconsolably for a lost brother, but we can also celebrate the joy he brought to our lives.  This poem is perfect for a celebration of life service.

He is Gone (Remember Me)

By David Harkins

You can shed tears that he is gone, Or you can smile because he lived, You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back, Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him Or you can be full of the love that you shared, You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he is gone Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on, You can cry and close your mind be empty and turn your back, Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

This funeral poem is sweet and simple, and would be perfect for a young child to recite at a service for a beloved brother.

Love Lives On

By an Unknown Author

You went away so suddenly We did not say goodbye But brothers can never be parted Precious memories never die.

It gives us comfort to think of a brother who has passed away as enjoying a beautiful, garden-like dreamland after his passing. This touching tribute is filled with vivid imagery.

By Jenn Farrell

Somewhere in my dreams tonight I’ll see you standing there You look at me with a smile “Life isn’t always fair”

You say you were chosen for his garden His preciously hand picked bouquet “God really needed me, That’s why I couldn’t stay”

It’s said to be that angels Are sent from above I’ve always had my angel My brother – whose heart was filled with love

Wherever the ocean meets the sky There will be memories of you and I When I look up at the sky so blue All I see are visions of you “While there’s a heart in me, you’ll be a part of me.”

We  love this next funeral poem.  It eloquently conveys what our loved one would say to us after he is gone, if he could.  The death of a brother should not led us to be consumed by grief.  We should focus on how he enriched our lives.

Miss Me But Let Me Go

When I come to the end of the road And the sun has set for me, I want no rites in a gloom-filled room, Why cry for a soul set free!

Miss me a little – but not for long And not with your head bowed low. Remember the love that we once shared, Miss me, but let me go.

For this journey that we all must take And each must go alone; It’s all a part of the Master’s plan A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart Go to the friends we know, And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds. Miss me, but let me go.

Comforting Funeral Poems:  RIP Brother

This popular poem is appropriate for all types of funeral services for a dear brother, from a traditional, religious ceremony to a unique celebration of life gathering.  Our favourite line is: “In your memory I live on.”

Weep Not For Me

By an Unknown Author

Weep not for me though I have gone Into that gentle night Grieve if you will, but not for long Upon my soul’s sweet flight

I am at peace, my soul’s at rest There is no need for tears For with your love I was so blessed For all those many years

There is no pain, I suffer not The fear is now all gone Put now these things out of your thoughts In your memory I live on

Remember not my fight for breath Remember not the strife Please do not dwell upon my death But celebrate my life

If your brother suffered from an illness that left him in pain before his passing, this beautiful poem offers hope and comfort to friends and family.

His Peaceful Grave

Our brother lives with us in memory Before our eyes he grew weaker every day Doing all we could to save him Until God took him away Never shall his memory fade Our sweetest love lingers Forever round his peaceful grave.

This next funeral poem uses beautiful imagery to describe a lost brother’s journey to heaven.  It is comforting to think of our special brother being welcomed into heaven by adoring angels.

The White Chariot

By Julie Johnson

During your journey on your final flight home. White wings will carry you and you will be flown. To the pearly gates of Heaven, where they will usher you in. To the feet of your Lord, your Saviour, and your friend. He will hold you in his arms and the angels will sing. As another one of His children is delivered by white wings.

If your brother suffered from an illness or depression before he passed away, this beautiful funeral poem offers comfort to the bereaved.  He is now in God’s garden, a place where there is no pain, sadness, or suffering.

God’s Garden

By Melissa Shreve

God looked around his garden and found an empty place He then looked down upon the Earth and saw your tired face He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest With the help of his angels they flew you to your heavenly place

Gods garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best He knew you were suffering, he knew you were in pain He knew that you would never get well on Earth again

He saw the road was getting rough and the hills too hard to climb He closed your weary eyelids and whispered “Peace be Thine” It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t go alone For part of us went with you the day God called you home.

If your brother passed away too young, this is an appropriate funeral poem.  It focuses on celebrating and reflecting on the beautiful life of your brother, instead of focusing on the pain of his death.  “Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.”

The Final Flight

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free, I’m following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard his call, I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I’ve found that peace at the end of the day.

If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, Ah, yes, these things too I will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My Life’s been full, I savoured much, Good friends, good times, a loved one’ touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me, God wanted me now, He set me free.

This funeral poem was originally written for a sister.  Since the words are so touching and meaningful, we have modified it so that it applies to a brother’s death as well.

Sleep, My Brother (Modified)

By T. Hutchinson

I wish you sweet sleep, my brother dear. Although there’s so much that you’ve left bare I hate that you had to endure such pain On my mind, your saddened eyes have left a stain.

I want to know what crossed your mind Unspoken words you’ve left behind Undone things we’ll never do No sharing thoughts you never knew.

A peace has fallen upon your head A taste of sorrow we have been fed It really is like a hole in our lives One swiftly dug but carved out by knives.

But I have hope that those sleeping will rise The Bible says that God will open their eyes. No suffering, sickness, yes not even pain, Those who did good, eternal life they’ll gain.

So… sleep on my brother, sleep tight For now with you the sky is night. But after night will come daybreak Therefore I will wait hoping to see you awake.

This uplifting funeral poem is written in the voice of the person who has died.  He asks us to remember him with happiness, love and joy in our hearts.

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one. I’d like to leave an after glow of smiles when life is done. I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days. I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun of happy memories that I leave when life is done

Related Articles

Make a Social Media Obituary in Memory of Your Brother

This comforting funeral poem inspires you to live your life fully in memory of a brother, as he will be watching over you until you meet again one day.

When I Must Leave You

By Helen Steiner Rice

When I must leave you For a little while- Please do not grieve And shed wild tears And hug your sorrow to you Through the years,

But start out bravely With a gallant smile; And for my sake And for my name Live on and do all things the same,

Feed not your loneliness On empty days, But fill each waking hour In useful ways,

Reach out your hand In comfort and in cheer And I in turn will comfort you And hold you near;

And never, never Be afraid to die For I am waiting for you in the sky!

This next gorgeous poem was submitted to us by an Love Lives On reader and we absolutely love it. It was written in memory of his first wife who passed away from Lupus but is applicable to anyone grieving the loss of a brother.

Last Journey

By Timothy Coote

There is a train at the station With a seat reserved just for me I’m excited about its destination As I’ve heard it sets you free

The trials and tribulations The pain and stress we breathe Don’t exist were I am going Only happiness I believe

I hope that you will be there To wish me on my way It’s not a journey you can join in It’s not your time today

There’ll be many destinations Some are happy, some are sad Each one a brief reminder Of the great times that we’ve had

Many friends I know are waiting Who took an earlier train To greet and reassure me That nothing has really changed

We’ll take the time together To catch up on the past To build a new beginning One that will always last

One day you’ll take your journey On the train just like me And i promise that I’ll be there At the station and you will see

That Life is just a journey Enriched by those you meet No one can take that from you It’s always yours to keep’

But now as no seat is vacant You will have to muddle through Make sure you fulfill your ambitions As you know I’ll be watching you

And if there’s an occasion To mention who you knew Speak kindly of that person As one day it will be you

Now i can’t except this ending And as it’s time for me to leave Please make haste to the reception To enjoy my drinks, they’re free!

“I Miss You” Poems (After the Death of a Brother)

The bond you share with a brother will always be special.  This beautiful poem is the perfect tribute to a brother who passed away.  He will live in your heart forever until you meet again one day.

Dear Brother Your Memory Will Never Fade

My dear Brother now that you are gone You’re no longer here to share The bond we had together – A bond of love and care. Yet, somehow something tells me You are watching over me – Now that from Worldly cares You finally are free. I miss you so very much, And my tears I cannot hide Yet, within my heart, I feel You are always by my side. Ever since you went away Life has never been the same Yet, it comforts me to know That one day we’ll meet again.

This poem speaks of all the wonderful attributes that makes your sibling special and says: “I miss you brother.”

Miss You Brother

Your actions were always kind A generous hand and an active mind Anxious to please and loath to offend A loving brother and faithful friend We’ll all miss you very much

This funeral poem speaks about the deep grief we fell when a loved one dies, and our resolve to keep his memories alive forever.

In Our Minds

We stand motionless, consumed in grief. Sorrow has arrived, with smiles thief.

We’re gathered here, to mourn and cry. Our questions pointing, at the clear blue sky.

Why did you go, why did you leave, Life without you, is so hard to conceive.

Our hearts are damaged, and scarred severely. We shall miss you, much more than dearly.

For having you in our lives, we’ve all been blessed. But now the time has arrived, for you to rest.

We promise to cherish, our memories of you. You shall live in our minds, and all that we do.

We love this next poem.  It is simple, but says so much.  You could also use this poem as inspiration to pen your own original poem about the loss of a brother.

By Salena A. Hayes

I miss you, I miss the loud music coming from your room, I miss the warmth of knowing You’re just a call away, I miss the way we fought and played, I miss seeing your big bright smile, I miss getting kicked out of your room, I miss seeing you here and there, I miss cooking you breakfast lunch and dinner, I miss hearing you come in at night, I miss making you wear your seat belt, I miss holding your hand to pray, I miss your smell, I miss you with all my might, I miss the way we would fight, I miss my brother, I miss my friend, I miss you, I love you and that’s THE END!

Special Funeral Poems for Brother (From Sister or From Brother)

When a beloved brother passes away, let us think of him as watching over us forever.  This next poem expresses this sentiment eloquently.

It Will Never Be Goodbye…

If I should go tomorrow It would never be goodbye, For I have left my heart with you, So don’t you ever cry. The love that’s deep within me, Shall reach you from the stars, You’ll feel it from the heavens, And it will heal the scars.

The death of a brother leaves a whole in our hearts and in our lives.  We have not only lost a brother, we have lost our best friend.

My Beloved Brother

From day one all we did was fight, now all I do is fight back my tears. I wanted to do everything you did, because I wanted to be just like you. Now I sit here wondering what to do, because there’s no one to replace you.

I never did tell you all the things I felt, like how much I really did love you. I wish we could go back and start over again. I don’t want to be alone. I need my brother, I need my best friend.

When you think of me while your up in heaven, Think of how much you meant to me.

Its sad that you left without saying goodbye, But just remember we all love you as you began to fly.

You did so much for me, as I didn’t do much for you. I hope you will forgive me, for all the things I didn’t do

You were my brother and my best friend. I will always love you no matter how long its been, since your life came to an end.

This touching funeral poem is a beautiful tribute to a special brother and reflects on all the happy and wonderful memories you shared.  This poem is perfect for a memorial service or celebration of life ceremony.

In Memory of a Special Brother

Today is full of memories of a brother laid to rest and every single one of them is filled with happiness.

For you were someone special always such a joy to know and there was so much pain when it was time to let you go

That’s why this special message is sent to heaven above for the angels to take care of you and give you all my love

“Broken Chain” is a funeral poem that would be appropriate for a religious service.  This poem describes the passing of a loved one as a break in your family chain.  Although your family may feel broken after the passing of a brother, this poem reassures you that God will mend your family one day when you are all reunited in heaven.

The Broken Chain

By Ron Tranmer

We little knew the day that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, In death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you But you didn’t go alone. For part of us went with you The day God called you home.

You left us peaceful memories. Your love is still our guide, And though we cannot see you You are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one the chain will link again.

When it comes to poems about brothers, this one is favourite.  It gives tribute to the richness of our relationship with our brother; we fought, we laughed, we cried together, and shared our hopes and dreams.

As kids, we lived together We fought, we laughed, we cried. We did not always show the love, that we both had inside. We shared our dreams and plans, and some secrets too. All the memories we share, Is what bonds me now to you. We grew to find we have a love that is very strong today. It’s a love shared by our family, that will never fade away. You are my brother not by choice, but by the nature of our birth I could not have chosen a better one you were the best on earth.

This is the perfect funeral poem for a special brother to honour the legacy he left behind and to thank him for the impact that he had on all the lives he touched.

In Memory of a Wonderful Brother

I hold onto our memories The ones that are so dear To try to keep you always close Now you are not here You were called, it was your time But it is so true You have left a legacy There was no one like you You were very special And I want to say I feel lost in many ways You are not here today But I will never forget you And I know I have been blessed To have you for my Brother Because you were the best…

This funeral poem honours the life of a little brother that passed away at a young age.  “To us you were so precious.”

Precious…

Two smiling eyes stopped smiling, A golden heart stood still, We don’t know why God took you, And guess we never will. He only lent you to us, Then came and took you back, To us you were so precious, Your life was full of fun, A caring, loving brother, A darling little son.

Here is another poem about a little brother’s death.  While he missed out on growing up, he didn’t miss out on having an abundance of love.

By Mary Yarnall

This was a life that had hardly begun No time to find your place in the sun No time to do all you could have done But we loved you enough for a lifetime

No time to enjoy the world and its wealth No time to take life down off the shelf No time to sing the song of yourself Though you had enough love for a lifetime

Those who live long endure sadness and tears But you’ll never suffer the sorrowing years No betrayal, no anger No hatred, no fear Just love – only love – in your lifetime

It Helps to Share…

If you found this post on 27+ best funeral poems for brother helpful, follow our Pinterest board for more stunning images (with quotes) that you can keep and share online with family and friends.  We made them for you and all our readers to enjoy.

Use the comment box below to let us know if you have a suggestion of brother poems we should add to this post.  At Love Lives On, we’re always listening.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Compare Funeral Directors
• Help & Advice
• Funeral Hymns
• Funeral Poems
• Funeral Wishes
• View categories
• Bereavement
• Planning your future
• News & Events
• Tradition & Culture
• End of Life Planning

Funeral poems for a brother

Published: 12 April 2019

Credit: Kat Jayne/Pexels

Share this page

It might not be easy to put your feelings into words after the death of a brother. Writing a fitting eulogy for them is always going to be difficult so looking for inspiration in other writers words might be an interesting place to start. We’ve collected some of our favourite funeral poems for a brother to help you choose the right words..

His Journey’s Just Begun by Ellen Brenneman

This positive funeral poem looks at the death of a sibling more as the beginning of a new adventure than the end of a life. It could be perfect for a religious funeral service but works well for non-religious, spiritually minded people as well.

Don’t think of him as gone away his journey’s just begun, life holds so many facets this earth is only one. Just think of him as resting from the sorrows and the tears in a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days and years. Think how he must be wishing that we could know today how nothing but our sadness can really pass away. And think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched… for nothing loved is ever lost and he was loved so much.

Remember Me by Margaret Mead

A beautiful funeral poem written from the perspective of a loved one who has died. If you chose this poem you could imagine it was your brother, reciting it through you, to the people who came to pay their respects.

To the living, I am gone, To the sorrowful, I will never return, To the angry, I was cheated, But to the happy, I am at peace, And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen. I cannot be seen, but I can be heard. So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea, As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity, Remember me.

Remember me in your heart: Your thoughts, and your memories, Of the times we loved, The times we cried, The times we fought, The times we laughed. For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

He is Gone by David Harkins

This poem focuses on the life of a loved one, rather than the fact that they’re dead. It’s a beautiful way of bringing the attention back to the time which people may have spent with your brother.

You can shed tears that he is gone, Or you can smile because he lived, You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back, Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him Or you can be full of the love that you shared, You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he is gone Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on, You can cry and close your mind be empty and turn your back, Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

You’ve Just Walked On Ahead of Me by Joyce Grenfell

This is a thoughtful reflection on the emotions that can arise after such a profound loss. By focusing on how you process feelings after their death, it doesn’t come across too sombre and instead helps with looking forwards rather than back.

And I’ve got to understand You must release the ones you love And let go of their hand. I try and cope the best I can But I’m missing you so much If I could only see you And once more feel your touch. Yes, you’ve just walked on ahead of me Don’t worry I’ll be fine But now and then I swear I feel Your hand slip into mine.

This poem perfectly puts into words the ups and downs of having a brother. It acknowledges the fact that you can’t choose them, but honours the bond between two people who’ve shared much of their life. It could be a poignant way to end to a eulogy.

As kids, we lived together We fought, we laughed, we cried. We did not always show the love, that we both had inside. We shared our dreams and plans, and some secrets too. All the memories we share, Is what bonds me now to you. We grew to find we have a love that is very strong today. It’s a love shared by our family, that will never fade away. You are my brother not by choice, but by the nature of our birth I could not have chosen a better one you were the best on earth.

Some shorter readings

You might also be looking for something to inspire your funeral readings or looking for a shorter passage to add to a eulogy.

We’ve included some thoughtful quotes here that you can use. Often a few words can have the same impact as many.

When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life

• Antisthenes

A sibling may be the keeper of one’s identity, the only person with the keys to one’s unfettered, more fundamental self

• Marian Sandmaier

Because brothers don’t let each other wander in the dark alone

• Jolene Perry

For more funeral verses and inspiration for your loved one’s service, browse our collection of funeral poems .

115,598 verified reviews

You might also be interested in.

Join Mary Berry: Make for Mum this Mother’s Day

The TV favourite cook is fronting Child Bereavement UK’s #MakeForMum campaign to support its work helping children and families cope with grief

#News & Events

Wearing W for Winston's Wish

Fundraisers were inspired to come up with creative costumes inspired by the letter W, to raise funds for childhood bereavement charity Winston's Wish

Dear Annie: I miss him – should I be alone this Christmas?

If you’ve lost someone close to you, or been affected by a bereavement, psychologist Annie Broadbent is here to help

#Bereavement

Funeral Zone hits 1 million monthly views

Funeral Zone is now generating a million page views every month, cementing its status as the UK’s most visited funeral resource

Most popular blog posts

• Newsletters

Entertainment

Oasis reunites for tour, ending a 15-year hiatus driven by gallagher brothers' feud.

Danica Kirka And Maria Sherman

Associated Press

LONDON – Oasis, the Britpop band known for timeless hits like “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” is reuniting for a tour of the British Isles next summer, ending a 15-year hiatus and, presumably, the long-held feud between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher.

The guitar band will play 14 dates in Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland next July and August, Oasis said on Tuesday.

Recommended Videos

“This is it. This is happening,” the band said.

Oasis split in 2009 after many years of infighting, with Noel Gallagher officially leaving the band just before a performance at a festival near Paris. Even before the dissolution, the brothers had long had an antagonistic relationship and reportedly did not speak to each other for years after the breakup.

“People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer,” Noel Gallagher, the band's guitarist and songwriter, wrote in a statement at the time.

While the Gallagher brothers haven’t performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs at their solo gigs. They've also each fired off criticisms of the other in the press.

Noel Gallagher accused his younger brother of having a hangover that forced them to cancel a 2009 concert. The frontman disputed the accusation and sued, later dropping the lawsuit.

But now the brothers are preparing to reunite, with the band saying fans would experience “the spark and intensity” that occurs only when they appear on stage together.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday. A presale will be held on Friday. Attempts at registering for the presale ballot required users to name the band’s original drummer.

The tour will begin July 4 and 5 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Oasis will also perform at Heaton Park in Manchester, England, on July 11, 12, 19 and 20; Wembley Stadium in London on July 25 and 26 and Aug. 2 and 3; Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Aug. 8 and 9; and Croke Park in Dublin on Aug. 16 and 17.

There are plans for Oasis to perform in “other continents outside of Europe later next year,” the official tour announcement read.

Representatives did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment about future locations for the tour, as well as how the platform plans to handle demand for the shows.

The band also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement.

“The guns have fallen silent,” Oasis said. “The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

In 2011, Noel Gallagher told the AP in an interview that he left the band after an incident where Liam Gallagher started wielding a guitar “like an axe ... and he’s swinging this guitar around and he kind of you know, he took my face off with it, you know?”

In 2019, Liam Gallagher told the AP he was ready to reconcile.

“The most important thing is about me and him being brothers,” he said. “He thinks I’m desperate to get the band back together for money. But I didn’t join the band to make money. I joined the band to have fun and to see the world.”

“I don’t know what his problem is,” he continued. “I think he just wanted to go away and do his solo career, get all the coin and be surrounded by all the yes men you can fire and hire whenever he wants. You can’t do that with me.”

With the announcement, the Britpop progenitors ended a few days of fan speculation. A short video on the band’s social media accounts Sunday night had revealed the date “27.08.24,” and time “8 a.m.,” written in the same font as the well-known Oasis logo. The brothers shared the same to their individual accounts.

Of course, fans have long theorized a reunion might be on the horizon: In the wake of the 2017 bombing that killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in Oasis' hometown of Manchester, Liam Gallagher performed at a benefit concert that fueled speculation of a reunion. He criticized his brother's absence, but a spokesperson said Noel Gallagher couldn't attend because of a longstanding family trip. Benefit organizers said Noel Gallagher approved the use of Oasis' music and donated royalties from “Don’t Look Back In Anger” to the British Red Cross’ One Love Manchester fund.

Later that year, Liam Gallagher tweeted at his brother, leading some to believe they made up: “I wanna say Happy Xmas to team NG it’s been a great year thanks for everything looking forward to seeing you tomorrow AS YOU WERE LG x”

Prior to Tuesday's announcement, Oasis was already teed up to release a new collection, “Definitely Maybe - Deluxe 30th Anniversary Editions,” celebrating the anniversary of their debut album.

Rumors of a potential reunion were amplified this past weekend when Liam Gallagher responded on social media to unconfirmed reports of the band playing London's Wembley Stadium and Manchester’s Heaton Park. When one social media user criticized Heaton Park, the Manchester native wrote, “See you down the front,” calling the user a vulgarity. In another stand-alone post on X, he teased, “I never did like that word FORMER.”

“You tell me man,” Liam Gallagher replied. He also responded to several negative tweets about the potential reunion with “Your attitude sucks” and “SHUTUP.” Noel Gallagher, on the other hand, remained silent other than posting the teasers.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines.

• Professional Eulogy Writing Service
• Eulogy Guide
• Eulogy For a Husband Example
• Eulogy For a Wife Example
• Eulogy For a Mum Example
• Eulogy For a Dad Example
• Eulogy For a Grandfather Example
• Eulogy For a Friend Example
• Eulogy For a Brother Example
• Eulogy For a Sister Example
• Eulogy For a Son Example
• Eulogy For a Daughter Example
• Eulogy For a Work Colleague Example
• Eulogy For a Aunt Example
• Eulogy For a Uncle Example
• Eulogy For a Boyfriend Example
• Eulogy For a Girlfriend Example
• Cremation Services in USA
• Cremation Services in UK

Professional Eulogy Writing

Eulogy writing guide, funeral speeches for a work colleague, tribute speech to dad from daughter, funeral speech writing advice, what to say at brothers funeral.

• February 24, 2024

Losing a sibling is an incredibly challenging and emotional experience. If you've been tasked with delivering the eulogy at your brother's funeral, it's normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to say. You want to honour his memory, express your love and gratitude, and provide comfort to those grieving. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of crafting a heartfelt eulogy and offer advice on what to say at a brother's funeral. With the help of our Eulogy Assistant , you'll be able to create a touching tribute that celebrates your brother's life and legacy.

Are you struggling to write a meaningful eulogy during this difficult time?  Our professional eulogy writing service can help you honour your loved one in less than 48 hours, with no additional stress. We help you preserve the legacy of a cherished life, in your time of grief. Find out more →

Table of Contents

1. Personal stories and memories

2. family relationships, 3. influences, 4. your bond, 5. messages of gratitude and farewell, what to say at brothers funeral example.

Begin by acknowledging the significance of the occasion and the unique bond you shared with your brother. Express your gratitude for the opportunity to speak and share your memories. Remember: a eulogy doesn't have to be a formal speech. Instead, think of it as a conversation with friends and family who have gathered to share their love and support.

Example: "I'm honoured to be standing here today to speak about my brother, Daniel. As his older sister, I had the privilege of watching him grow from a mischievous boy into the caring, loving man he became. I'd like to take a moment to remember the many moments that shaped his life, and to share with you the extraordinary person he was."

To create a detailed and engaging eulogy, consider touching on the following points:

Need a Eulogy? Get a Personalized Professional Eulogy Written For Your Loved One

Writing a eulogy for a loved one you have just lost, can be both challenging and painful. Alongside the pressure of delivering a meaningful tribute in front of other funeral guests.

Let our expert Funeral Speech Writers create a heartfelt & personalized eulogy, that captures the amazing life and memories of your loved one.

Learn more about our Professional Eulogy Writing Service today, and see how we can help you.

Share anecdotes that highlight your brother's personality, interests, and accomplishments. Did he have a specific passion or hobby? Was there an event in his life that left a lasting impact on him? These details help paint a vivid picture of his life for those in attendance.

Talk about your brother's role within the family, such as his close relationships with parents, spouse or partner, and children if he had any. Detail how he impacted the lives of others and what family values he cherished.

Discuss the people, experiences, or values that shaped your brother's character. How did he show compassion, empathy, or determination? What lessons did he teach you that will forever be remembered?

Reflect on your relationship with your brother and how it evolved over time. Did you share any experiences or hobbies that brought you closer? Were there any challenges you overcame together?

Thank your brother for the impact he had on your life and express your deep love and appreciation. Offer a heartfelt goodbye and share any last words that you hope your brother will hear.

"When we were kids, Daniel developed a love for model trains. What started as a small collection in our basement grew to an elaborate exhibit that took up an entire room. Through this passion, he not only became an expert in model trains but also passed on his enthusiasm and knowledge to countless others, particularly his two sons. It was a true testament to his dedication and love for sharing experiences with the people he cared for."

Conclude your eulogy by offering words of comfort and hope to those mourning the loss of your brother. Remind them of the memories, lessons, and love he left behind, and encourage them to cherish those moments. As you close, express your gratitude to those in attendance for their support during this challenging time.

Example: "In the days, weeks, and years ahead, we'll continue to remember Daniel through the memories we share and the stories we tell. Through his love, laughter, and kindness, he enriched our lives, and for that, we are eternally grateful. Thank you all for being here today, to celebrate and honour the life of my beloved brother."

With the guidance outlined in this article and the help of our Eulogy Assistant , you'll be able to craft a heartfelt eulogy that honours your brother's memory and provides comfort to your family and friends. While this is a difficult task, the love and respect you have for your sibling will shine through as you celebrate his life and legacy.

Looking For Examples? Here Are Some of The Best Eulogies

• Login / Register

• Dealing with Grief
• Online Grief Counseling
• Loss of Parents
• Loss of Spouse
• Loss of Siblings
• Loss of Children
• Children and Grief
• Relationship Grief
• Alzheimer's Grief
• Disenfranchised Grief
• Coping with Suicide
• Other Types of Grief
• Stories of Grief
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Grief Forum
• Planning a Funeral

Funeral Flowers

Funeral Poems

• Funeral Eulogies
• Funeral Caskets and Urns
• Sympathy Gifts
• Sympathy Baskets
• Sympathy Cards
• Words of Sympathy
• Memorial Jewelry
• Memorial Trees
• Pet Loss Grief
• Pet Memorial Jewelry
• Pet Sympathy Cards and Gifts

Online Counseling

Keepsake Store

Free Eulogy Templates and Tips for the Perfect Send Off

Our printable free eulogy templates will help you to create the perfect funeral speech. Scroll down for the printouts.  

You’re asked to speak at a funeral and you have a short period of time to gather your thoughts and prepare your speech. Experiencing nervousness is completely normal, especially while you’re coping with grief and sorrow from the loss. It may feel like an overwhelming task. Which of the many details of their life do you include? How long should it be? What should you say?

Writing a eulogy doesn’t have to be scary. Even if you aren’t a writer or public speaker, using the guidelines below, you will be able to write and deliver a meaningful and heartfelt speech.  

Preparing to Write a Eulogy - Brainstorming

Begin by thinking of things you would be comfortable sharing about this person. The blank page is less intimidating if you start jotting down notes in each of the outline categories below. You won’t use every fact or memory, but will choose key pieces to include in the template. (Scroll down for ideas if the loss is of a child). 

Eulogy speech outline

• Thank everyone for coming.
• What was your relationship with the person? 
• What are some key topics you’d like to share about them? 

- Early life 

• Was he/she born elsewhere or somewhere special? 
• Is there anything interesting about their childhood and how it affected their life?  
• Education and work, marriage and children
• Did he/she have a mentionable education or career? 
• Jot down names of the family.

- Significant events and achievements, hobbies and service, beliefs and passions

• What stands out about them in these categories? 
• Significant events can be anything specific to them or their family, whether positive or negative. What are some events that made an impact on their life? 
• Achievements can be more than an award. Think of things that were important to them. Maybe he/she considered their children to be their biggest achievement. 
• Take a moment to think about what meant a lot to them, what did they value? 
• Write down several memories that come to mind when you think of this person. 
• To make a resonating speech bring it full circle at the end. That means, try refer back to something in the closing that you mentioned in the opening.  
• Lastly, thank everyone for coming to celebrate their life. 

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” 

Shannon L. Alder

If the eulogy is for a child, some of the above sections may not be appropriate. Avoid anger and despair over the loss of a young life. Instead, focus on positive memories and stories that honour their memory. Consider the following points in your brainstorming:

• Write your thoughts on how the death of a child affects those around them.
• What made the child special to you? 
• Was there a favorite book or poem or song that you can share? 
• What were the child’s favorite things? 
• What’s your favorite memory of them? 

If you get stuck brainstorming or populating the template, you have options. You can ask family or friends to provide details or recall stories about the deceased. If you have access to photo albums, see what memories start to surface as you flip through. Don’t forget social media accounts, reviewing a person’s profile, feed, and photos can give you insights into their lives. 

Review the facts and memories you’ve written down. It’s perfectly okay to insert bits of humour into the eulogy, but avoid anything inappropriate or embarrassing. As you’re reviewing your notes, cross out anything in poor humour or that you don’t want to include. Circle or highlight what you definitely want to keep.  

Now, take those ideas and pull it all together, into a template.

Example Eulogy Templates for Printing

Example Eulogy Template for an Adult     Click here for the downloadable PDF.

OPENING 

I’d like to begin by thanking everyone for coming to celebrate ________’s (name) life.   ________ (name) was the most ________(adjective) person I’ve ever known and I know many of you would agree. He/She ________ (include a bit of information about the deceased here, perhaps a memory).

EARLY LIFE 

_________ (name) was born on ________ (birthdate) in _______ (city). He/She was the 

______ (first, second, only) child of ________ (father) and ________ (mother). His/her sisters and brothers are ________, ________, and ________ (add more or less as needed). His/her childhood was ________ (include a bit of information about the deceased here, perhaps a memory or a humorous story about the siblings).

EDUCATION AND WORK 

_________ (name) went to _______ (name of schools) and graduated with ________ (name of degree or training). He/She spent most of her career at ________ (name of company) as a _______ (name of position). He/She ________ (include a bit of information about the deceased here, perhaps a memory. What was his/her work ethic? Did he/she enjoy the work?).

MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN

In ______ (year) ________ (name) met _______ (spouse) and they were married in_____ (year). They had ___ (number) children: _______, _______, and _______ (names of children). Last year, ______ (name) and _______ (spouse) celebrated their _____ (number) wedding anniversary. He/She ________ (include additional information about the family, perhaps a funny or sweet memory).

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

In ______ (year), ______ (name) received the award of ______ (award). This award was meaningful to him/her because ______ (reason). He/She ________ (include additional information available, if it’s significant).

HOBBIES AND SERVICE / BELIEFS AND PASSIONS

______ (name) was active in the ________ (church, community, volunteer, etc). He/She spent many hours doing _______ (activity) and was known for ________ (descriptor). ______ (name) was passionate about ______ (passion). He/She ________ (include additional comments or memories about their extra-curricular activities).

My favorite memory of ______ (name) is that time when ______ (memory). (try to tie this memory back to their character – how the deceased was as a person).

The world is a sadder place without ______ (name) in our lives. But ______ (name) touched each and every one of us and has left us with memories we will cherish forever. Thank you.

Eulogy Template for a Child    Click here for the downloadable PDF.

I’d like to begin by thanking everyone for coming to celebrate ________’s (name) life.   ________ (name) was the most ________(adjective) child I’ve ever known. He/She ________ (include a bit of information about the child here, perhaps a memory).

______ (first, second, only) child of ________ (father) and ________ (mother). His/her sisters and brothers are ________, ________, and ________ (add more or less as needed). His/her childhood was ________ (include a bit of information about the child here, perhaps a memory or a humorous story about the siblings).

MEMORIES AND STORIES

My favorite memory of ______ (name) is that time when ______ (memory). (Use this section to share the memories and stories about the child. Share their favorite things, their relationships with friends and family, what made them laugh.

CLOSING (an appropriate poem, perhaps the child’s favorite)

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they’re happy.” - Eskimo Proverb

Tips on Speaking the Eulogy

• Read the eulogy out loud several times and if you trip on any words, consider editing to make it easier to read next time. 
• Practice several times each day leading up to the event, it will prepare you for the tougher parts of the eulogy. Practice in front of the mirror. Practice in front of family or friends. Practice while standing up, as if you were at the service. Practice looking at the audience and referring to your note cards. 
• Time yourself to ensure you are around your target: no more than 5-10 minutes. 
• Your speech doesn’t have to be memorized, but the more you practice the less you’ll need to read and the more natural you will sound. You may feel comfortable switching to notecards with bullet points or you may prefer to keep to the script. Do what feels best.   
• You may fear being overly emotional or breaking down. Showing your emotion is perfectly normal. Focusing on the words on the page will help you maintain your composure.
• No matter how you choose to prepare, the most important thing is to give the best speech you can give; a speech from the heart.   

Related Pages: 

Funeral Speech Examples for Mother, Father, Friends and More

• Grief and Sympathy Home
• Funeral Speeches and Eulogies
• Free Eulogy Templates

For Remembrance: 

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Memorial Jewelry to Honour a Loved One

Check out our lovely range of memorial jewelry for any lost loved one.  Pendants, necklaces, rings or bracelets, we have them all in all kinds of styles.  Choose for yourself or buy as a sympathy gift. 

Click here to see our selection

Create an Online Memorial Website

Honour your loved one with their own memorial website.  Share photos, videos, memories and more with your family and friends in a permanent online website.  Free for basic plan with no ads. 

Find out more here. 

Find us here:

Sales made via this site will result in a small commission to us which enables us to continue our work helping those who are grieving. This does not affect the price you are charged and we will only ever recommend services and products in which we have complete faith. 

Expert and Effective Online Counseling - Get Started Now

Self-help hypnosis downloads.

Try gentle therapy using relaxing hypnotherapy tracks in the privacy of your own home.

  Click here to find out more.  

Copyright Elizabeth Postl e RN, HV, FWT  and Lesley Postle - GriefandSympathy.com 2012-2024

Any information provided on this website is general in nature and is not applicable to any specific person.  

For specific advice, please consult a medical practitioner or qualified psychologist or counselor. 

SiteMap      About Us     Contact Us

Affiliate Disclosure    Privacy Policy

Powered by Solo Build It

• Mideast News
• Art&Culture
• ynetespanol
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Wounded but returned, hundreds honor lone soldier who fell in Gaza

Sergeant first class (res.) danil pechenyuk, killed by explosive in gaza, laid to rest, with his mother attending from uzbekistan; ‘he told us not to worry; only now do we know what he did for this country,’ says brother.

You are using a version of browser which will not be supported after 27 May 2018. To continue to transact with MOM securely, please follow these steps to enable the Transport Layer Security (TLS) of your web browser, or upgrade to the latest version of your browser.

• Work passes
• Employment practices
• Workplace safety and health
• Statistics and publications
• Calculators

PH pay, COMPASS, Primary Care Plan, myMOM Portal, paying salary, annual leave

Speech at e2i Coaching Series

Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower, Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability

Sec-Gen Brother Chee Meng

Brothers and Sisters from NTUC

Ladies and gentlemen

1. Good Afternoon

a. It is my pleasure to join you at today’s Coaching Series.

 b.  My deepest thanks to NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) for inviting me.

c. I am very glad to see NTUC’s commitment to career coaching - this is a key element in developing the career health of all of our fellow Singaporeans, which is one of the Ministry of Manpower’s key priorities.

2. We want our workers to develop greater career resilience, and be ready to seize new economic opportunities.

3. When we look ahead, the pace of change will only accelerate. We are likely to see a higher incidence of job displacements. Because these are due to factors beyond any of our control, we should all come together to build our own career health.

4. As announced by the Prime Minister during the National Day Rally, we will be introducing a new SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme.

5. This scheme marks a paradigm shift for the Government:

a.  Today, we have various social assistance schemes like ComCare to support vulnerable households in financial difficulties.

b. But we know that beyond the most vulnerable segments of our society, there are others who face financial pressures, especially when they are involuntarily unemployed.

c. For the first time, we will be giving temporary financial support to involuntarily unemployed persons. But of course, the condition that comes with it is that they must undertake activities that will make it more likely for them to land a job.  This is our Government’s commitment to all Singaporeans – that we will always help and provide resources for those who step up and want to do more for themselves.

6. We have been studying this for quite some time. We have also considered multiple sources of feedback from our tripartite partners, as well as the public.

a. ASG Brother Patrick Tay – he was the first to call for unemployment support to tide workers through lay-offs in Parliament in 2014, which was one decade ago!

b. In 2021, the NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce echoed this call, proposing for income support for the involuntarily unemployed.

c. Some of you may recall the Citizens’ Panel on Employment Resilience, which was also held here at this e2i career centre in February last year. During the discussion, both Brother Chee Meng and myself heard similar calls for greater assurances for the unemployed, among some of the other issues facing workers such as career health.

7. The Government has studied these proposals and feedback carefully, meticulously, when it came to designing the scheme.

a.  Some countries have unemployment insurance. The point I want to drive across is that in our study of many of these countries, the experience has not been consistently positive. We have seen how in some of these countries, unemployment insurance can lull people and lead individuals to stay unemployed for even longer periods.

b. We have also heard from many of our business owners about rising business costs. We do not want employers to offset the costs of an insurance scheme by cutting wages or by stopping the practice of retrenchment benefit.

8. This is why we took it upon ourselves to create, to search for a better alternative, and to minimise the negative outcomes that we have seen elsewhere.

a.  Our starting point is to support displaced jobseekers to rebound into jobs that can fit their skillsets and experiences, instead of just rushing head on into the next available job.

b. But at the same time, we do not want displaced jobseekers to delay unnecessarily their return into the workforce, because this would diminish their employability. This scheme that we are launching today aims to strike a very careful and delicate balance.

9. I will provide more details on the scheme.

10. First, on who will qualify. We will support those who are more likely to face financial pressures, and who may then rush into jobs that do not fit them well.

a. As such, the scheme will target lower- and middle-income workers previously earning up to $5,000 per month.

b. Applicants must also have been employed for at least six months in the 12 months prior to scheme application. This will allow us to target the support to those facing more recent unemployment shocks.

c. We expect around 60,000 individuals to be eligible for the scheme per year. This will support more than 60% of involuntarily unemployed persons. It’s quite substantive.

 11. Second, we want to help jobseekers maintain an ethos of self-reliance – we want to be able to nudge and reward their efforts to get back on their feet.

a. From the Forward Singapore exercise, Singaporeans have shared that personal responsibility should remain a cornerstone in our social compact.

b. I agree, and I am fully on board. The scheme should encourage and support jobseekers to regain employment and not continued unemployment.

c. As such, we hope that through this, jobseekers will see the need to play their part, to take responsibility for their own actions and make an effort through active job search to bounce back into work quickly.

d. Together, we can then get through every setback, with the Government doing our level best to help you. Jobseekers can tap on a wide variety of employment facilitation support offered by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and partners such as NTUC’s e2i.

i. For example, jobseekers can participate in career coaching sessions like the one organised today.

ii.  When the scheme is launched, WSG will provide guidance to jobseekers on how they can meaningfully participate in and benefit from the scheme. We are mindful that jobseekers may be going through a challenging job search process. WSG will continue to be the port of call for them, ensuring they have access to employment facilitation support and they are able to navigate the scheme with relative ease.

12. Third, the payouts can provide sufficient assurance for jobseekers to tide them over whilst finding good-fitting jobs, and at the same time encouraging them to re-enter the workforce in a timely manner . Participating jobseekers can receive up to $6,000 over six months, provided they demonstrate active job search participation and fulfil the other criteria.

a. The quantum of the payouts – we are going to front load it, so it will be higher at the start to provide greater peace of mind immediately after involuntary unemployment. Jobseekers can receive up to $1,500 in the first month.

b. It will be gradually reduced from the second month onwards, to maintain the incentive for jobseekers to start work earlier if they can find a good-fitting job.

c. The monthly payouts will stop when the jobseeker gets back into a job.

13. I want to emphasise that the total payout of up to $6,000 over a six-month period should not be viewed in isolation. The scheme is not a social assistance scheme, and the quantum is sized to provide added assurance during your job search efforts.

14. The Government has in place various other schemes to provide financial support for those undergoing substantial reskilling or experiencing financial hardships.

a. For example, the SkillsFuture Level-up Programme is there to support those who are undergoing training for extended periods. A displaced mature worker earning $5,000 per month can apply for both the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme and a full-time long-form training programme. If he concurrently undertakes job search and training, he will be eligible for both the jobseeker support payouts and training allowance under the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.

b. Over a six-month period, he would receive up to $21,000, which comprises about $15,000 of training allowance, plus the additional $6,000 of jobseeker support payouts! So this is quite substantial.

c. Jobseekers from households with financial difficulties may also receive social assistance from ComCare based on their needs.

15. As such, you can see that this scheme builds on the existing support that we provide to workers.

16. WSG will launch the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme in April 2025 for Singapore Citizens, followed by Permanent Residents in Q1 2026.

 17. At launch next year, there may be some involuntarily unemployed persons who do not qualify as they have been unemployed for more than six months.

a. These individuals will not meet the qualifying condition of having been employed for at least six months in the 12 months prior to scheme application.

b. When the scheme is launched, we will provide a one-off concession and onboard those who become involuntarily unemployed from 1 April 2024, if they are still unemployed at the point of application.

This will allow workers in this segment the opportunity to still benefit from this scheme.

18. Let me now say a few words in Mandarin:

a. 劳动力发展局将在明年 4 月推出新的求职援助计划，帮助非自愿失业的求职者减轻财务压力并鼓励他们重新就业。 失业前每月收入不超过五千元的求职者将受益于这项计划。

b. 积极求职并符合条件的人士可在参与计划后的六个月期间获得高达六千元的现金援助，其中包括第一个月高达一千五百元的援助。

c. 我很了解，也很体谅，职业生 涯 很少会一帆风顺。 但是 我们希望这项计划能够雪中送炭，为求职者提供短期的财务援助，让他们有多一些时间和空间去寻找适合自己的工作。

d. 除了 求职援助计划， 求职者 也可以申请其它政府援助，减轻财务的压力。 积极参与再培训的求职者也可获得劳动力发展局和精深技能发展局的培训津贴。

e. 我希望大家能够齐心协力，一起帮助失业人士重返职场，闯出一番新天地！

19. The Prime Minister had said that a “major reset” is needed as we chart our beloved country, Singapore’s way forward. This is a reset in Government policies, and just as importantly, it is also a reset of our fellow Singaporeans’ views and our attitudes. The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme will be an added boost to Singapore’s ecosystem of support for unemployed individuals, empowering them to take ownership in navigating what could potentially be a difficult chapter of their lives, for them to have better outcomes.

a. We have set aside over $200 million per year to strengthen jobseekers through this scheme. And this is just the first step. The Government will regularly review the scheme to ensure that we provide the necessary support to the involuntarily unemployed.

b.  By providing jobseekers with financial assistance, complemented by training and employment facilitation support, we will strengthen our workers’ career health as well as their longer-term prospects.

c.  This is what our refreshed social compact is all about.  As long as workers continue to play your part to build your career health and your career resilience, by pursuing jobs and training opportunities in a very focused and intentional manner, the Government will walk each step with you.

d.  Together, we can overcome the challenges ahead. Together, we can help our workers bounce back better from setbacks.

e.  Thank you.

Information and Services

Social media.

Advertisement

Supported by

How Telegram’s Founder Went From Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man

Pavel Durov’s anti-establishment streak helped him create one of the world’s biggest online platforms, which emphasizes free speech. It also put a target on his back.

• Share full article

By Paul Mozur and Adam Satariano

Paul Mozur reported from Taipei, Taiwan, and Adam Satariano from London.

More than a decade ago, when Russia pushed Pavel Durov to shut down the pages of opposition politicians on a Facebook-like site he had created, the tech entrepreneur responded online by posting a cheeky picture of a hoodie-wearing dog with its tongue out.

“Official response to the intelligence services to the request to block groups,” he wrote unapologetically.

Thirteen years later, Mr. Durov’s anti-establishment streak appears to have gotten him into a fresh round of trouble with the authorities. On Saturday, he was arrested in France as part of an investigation into criminal activity on Telegram, the online communications tool he founded in 2013, which had grown into a global platform defined by its hands-off approach to policing how users behaved.

On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron of France referred to Mr. Durov’s arrest and said that the country was “deeply committed to freedom of expression” but that “in a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life.”

Mr. Durov’s arrest has caused a firestorm, turning him into a folk hero among those concerned about free speech and government censorship, especially as scrutiny of online content has increased globally. Elon Musk, the owner of X, and Edward Snowden, the American intelligence contractor who fled to Russia after disclosing classified information, were among those who raced to Mr. Durov’s defense. The hashtag #FreePavel spread on X as debate raged over the murky intersection between tech and freedom of speech.

Telegram said in a statement on Sunday that it abides by European Union laws. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company said.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .