Writing a eulogy for your dad

By the speechwriters.ai editorial team · Last updated 20 October 2026

A practical, gentle guide to writing a eulogy for your father – prompts to find memories, a simple structure, example passages and closing lines.

Writing a eulogy for your dad is one of the hardest things you'll be asked to do, and it usually has to be done in a few short days. We're sorry for your loss. This guide is here to make the writing a little easier: a few prompts, a simple structure, and some example passages you can shape into your own words.

Practical first steps

• Check the time available with the funeral director or celebrant. Three to eight minutes is typical; five minutes is about 650 words.
• Find out who else is speaking and what the celebrant will cover, so you don't repeat his life story.
• Talk to family – siblings, his friends, workmates, his own brothers and sisters. Dads often have whole chapters of life their children never saw.

Prompts to help you remember

• What did he do at the weekend? Football, the allotment, the garage, the pub quiz?
• What were his catchphrases and terrible jokes?
• What did he teach you – to ride a bike, to change a tyre, to stand up for yourself?
• How did he show love? (Many dads of a certain generation didn't say it – they showed it by checking your oil, fixing your shelves, or turning up.)
• What was he like at work? What did colleagues say about him?
• What was he proud of? What made him angry? What made him laugh?
• What will you miss on an ordinary day?

A simple structure

1. Who you are and your relationship to him.
2. A little of his life – briefly.
3. Who he was – two or three qualities, each shown through a story.
4. What he meant to the family and others.
5. Goodbye.

Example passages

Use these to spark ideas, then replace every detail with your own.

Opening

"Thank you for coming. I'm Mark, Ron's son. Dad would have hated all this attention. He'd be at the back, checking his watch and wondering what time the pub opens."

His life

"Dad grew up in Coventry, left school at sixteen and did his apprenticeship at the car plant. He worked there for thirty-four years, and he could tell you what was wrong with any engine just by listening to it. He met Mum at a works do in 1975 and, according to her, talked about carburettors all night. She married him anyway."

His qualities

"Dad wasn't one for big speeches. He showed his love by doing things. Every time I came home from university, my car had been washed, the tyres checked and a twenty-pound note left in the glovebox. He never mentioned it. If I thanked him, he'd say, 'Don't know what you're on about.'"

"He had a joke for every occasion, and most of them were terrible. He told the same one about the three-legged dog for forty years. I'd give anything to hear it one more time."

"And he was fiercely fair. He'd stand up for anyone being treated badly – at work, in the street, at the football. He taught us that you don't walk past things that are wrong."

What he meant

"Dad was our anchor. He was there for every match, every parents' evening, every crisis. He didn't always know what to say, but he always knew to turn up. That's what I'll carry with me."

Closing

"Dad, thank you. For the lifts, the lessons, the terrible jokes, and for showing us what a good man looks like. We'll look after Mum. Rest well."

Other ways to close

• His catchphrase: "As Dad always said when he left the house: 'Right then. Be good.'"
• Something he loved: a line from a song, his team's anthem, a favourite poem.
• A toast at the wake rather than the service: "Raise a pint to Ron – he'd be furious it's not his round."

Humour

If your dad was a joker, it's often right to include a bit of his humour. People will be glad to laugh – it's a way of remembering him as he was. Keep it gentle, and make sure the family is comfortable.

If things were complicated

Relationships with fathers are not always easy. You don't need to pretend he was perfect, and you don't need to explain the difficult parts. Focus on what's true and kind – what others valued in him, a few good memories, what you've learned. A short eulogy is completely fine, and so is asking someone else to speak.

Delivery

• Large print, double-spaced, page numbers.
• Someone ready with a copy to step in if needed.
• Water and tissues to hand.
• Pause as often as you need.

Read our full eulogy writing guide for more on delivery. The speech timer checks your length, and the outline tool (choose "Eulogy") can help you organise your memories.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a eulogy for my dad if he was a private person?

Focus on small, concrete things he did rather than grand statements – how he showed love, what he taught you, his habits. Talk to his friends and colleagues for stories.

Can a eulogy for my dad be funny?

Yes, if humour was part of who he was. A gentle story or one of his jokes can be a wonderful way to remember him.

How long should it be?

Usually 3–8 minutes, depending on the service – check with the celebrant or funeral director.

Should I mention how he died?

Only if the family is comfortable, and briefly. It's not necessary.

Related guides

• How to write a eulogy: a gentle, practical guide
• Writing a eulogy for your mum
• Writing a eulogy for a grandparent
• How to calm nerves before a speech