Memorial Writing
Eulogies, Obituaries, Memorial Poems and Tributes
Crafting a speech, eulogy, or obituary can feel like an overwhelming task, especially in the midst of complex emotions and responsibilities that arise from losing a loved one. When time and energy are in short supply, I offer my support to ease your mind by crafting a tribute that honors your special person.
Through collaborative conversations, my aim is to support you while understanding your vision for the piece. Your thoughts and memories will shape the foundation of a tribute that captures your loved one's essence and their unique life journey. I will happily honour any specific wishes or requests you may have to ensure your complete satisfaction throughout the process.
Each person has a distinct story, and together, we will create a heartfelt piece that celebrates their legacy and brings solace to you and your family.
See below for sample poetry and sample eulogies.
Sample Poems
You may not see or hear her
but know she's never far
She was an angel here on Earth
and now she's Heaven's brightest star
Her life overflowed with laughter
She was generous beyond compare
And what makes a bond so special
Are the moment that we share
She'll live on through each memory
And our love will never cease
We can all smile knowing
She rests in eternal peace
Despite the years we had together
We weren't ready to say goodbye
Thought we know she isn't truly gone
She's watching from the sky
It's so hard to lose a loved one
We didn't want to see her go
But as her soul rose from the Earth
Her angels sang hello
Her love will continue shining
Through the many lives she touched
Until the day we meet again
We'll miss her very much
Sample Tributes
Ellis Sellars
My father was a good man who showed care and compassion for his family, his friends and his beloved cats. He made deep connections with the people around him and left a lasting impression on those he met. He made friends wherever he went and spent many evenings on the porch, chatting with the neighbours, with a drink in hand.
He was committed and caring to the people he loved, and a prime example of this was how he prized the relationship with my mom. They met at the restaurant where she worked beside the army base when my dad was a military police officer. He would visit her whenever he could, and he did the same thing towards the end of her life when she was in care on Bell Island. He hated boats but every other day he would take the ferry to visit her. The three of us would drive around the island, and they would tell me stories about their time together. The love they had for each other lasted them a lifetime, and I believe it will continue to keep them connected now that they’ve passed.
Growing up, I had a lot of fond memories thanks to my dad. When I was six he bought me a mini bike and would bring me to Centennial Park in Toronto so I could ride around the bike paths. Years later he bought me my first car. During his holidays in the summer, we would go camping together, and he’d cook meals for us when mom was working late. We went to the movies together as a family at least once a week – the drive in during the summer and the theatre in the winter. He taught me how to shoot a gun… even though he missed everything he aimed at.
My dad worked at the Toronto Star for about 36 years. When I was young, he’d bring me along when he worked overtime on the weekends so I could explore the nearby woods and farmland and shoot my pellet gun. We worked together for about six years, and grew closer during that time. He was a good lead hand, treated his colleagues well, and we had some fun times together.
In the recent years when I would visit, we went on many drives together. We would visit the house on the shore in Western Bay and he would tell me stories from his childhood and talk about the girls he dated before he met mom.
He was a man with morals, but also had a mischievous side. He would cause trouble to make people laugh, especially my mother. She would do it right back though, and they’d take turns winking and giggling at me as they got under each other’s skin.
Even though we butted heads, my dad was a good dad. When the cops gave me heck for riding my dirt bike up north, my dad always stood up for me and told them off. He did whatever he could to make things easier for his kids.
My father was stubborn and stern, but he was also fair. When I got in trouble, I knew it was deserved. As an adult, one day we would get along and the next day he would kick me out, but I knew despite our ups and downs, the love between us didn’t waver. It never took long for us to forgive and forget.
He was a great grandfather and would spoil his grandkids, giving them whatever they wanted. If the kids spent a weekend with him, he’d fill them up on sugar before dropping them back off. He would call it payback and wish me luck.
Simple occasions were special and memorable with my dad, and I know the experiences we shared helped shape the person I am today. I’m going to miss him dearly, but am grateful for the love, laughter and memories we shared. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy – the family he cherished, the friendships he nurtured and the joy he spread to those around him.
Caron Sellars
Words seem to fail me when I reflect on my mother’s life. My mom was deeply loved by so many, and if you knew her well, you knew she wore her heart on her sleeve. She was never more than an emotional story or meaningful conversation away from having a good ol’ cry, so as her only son, you’ll understand if I shed a few tears myself today.
First I would like to thank everyone for being here to honour my mother, despite the current situation with Covid. These have been challenging times for everyone. Thank you to our family and friends for paying respect to my mother Caron and for sharing their condolences. We’re so grateful for the beautiful flowers and donations, and thank you to Minister John Davis for being here.
Growing up, mom was deeply protective of her family. Mom gave us a great amount of freedom. She was not a strict mother, luckily for me, but she would let me know if I was being foolish. She respected good efforts and she would praise you for independent thinking. I’ve heard stories from Nanny and Poppy that she was a bit of a rebel too.
My mom was such a people person and could make friends anywhere she went. She would drop whatever she was doing to help someone in need. People felt so comfortable around her and would often open up to her about anything and everything. Mom believed respect was always deserved and didn’t have to be earned to be received.
My mom loved so many things in this life. She loved to laugh. She loved to dance. You couldn’t get her off the dance floor; she would dance all night long.
She always enjoyed a nice drive, and whenever we drove somewhere familiar to her, she would tell you stories about her experiences growing up with her sisters and friends.
She loved animals, and she especially loved her cats. On many occasions we would go down to the pond to feed the ducks. She was always so amazed by how beautiful they are.
She never got tired of working away in her garden and could tell you anything you wanted to know about plants. Once I was home visiting and she was out pulling weeds, so I decided to give her a hand. She started on one end, and I started on the other, but I ended up pulling up all the new perennial flowers she had just planted. We laughed about that for days, but I wasn’t laughing when I found out they cost a fortune to replace.
As we all know my mother loved her TV and movies. Trying to talk with her on the phone while she was watching her shows was a challenge. She also loved her card games and would play every week. If she won, she would be so proud and you wouldn’t hear the end of her playful bragging and jokes.
She also couldn’t get enough of bingo and lotto tickets. When I was younger, I bought a device that would cast your voice over the radio. I got her numbers off her ticket before going downstairs and getting the device. When she woke up and turned on the radio, I pretended to be the lotto announcer and began to call out her numbers. I heard her yelling and screaming upstairs, “I won! I won! I won the lottery!” By the time I went up to tell her it was me, she was so angry and wouldn’t talk to me for the rest of the day. Later that night she told me I was a pain in the butt and made me promise that I wouldn’t do that again before she broke out into laughter. We laughed about it for days.
I’ll remember so many valuable things that my mom taught me over the years. I’ll always cherish the memories and laughs that we shared. Her spirit was always strong and sincere, and I’m so grateful for the positive influence she had on me and so many others. I am blessed to be her son, and we were all lucky to know her. She was an endless source of kindness and joy, and I hope we can all try to embody the outstanding person that she was. My mom will be so terribly missed, but she is so extremely loved, and will be forever.
Thank you.
Diane MacEachern
First we’d like to thank everyone for being here to celebrate our mom. No one could have seen this coming and as we come to terms with this tragic and sudden loss, we’re so grateful for the love and support from our family and friends.
Our mom was an incredible and unique person, and we’re grateful that she was able to share her life with so many amazing people. She was fierce, fiery and passionate. She spoke her mind and had zero reservations when it came to expressing her opinion or telling it as it is. She wasn’t intimidated by anyone. For a little lady she had a big roar, and we definitely share that quality.
She loved watching her sons play hockey and it’s not surprising that she was well known around the arena since she had no problem yelling at the referees, the opposing teams’ players or even their parents.
She found pleasure in the simple things. She loved scratch tickets, playing cards and watching her favourite TV shows like Teem Mom, Days of Our Lives and anything on the Game Show Network. She loved dolphins, horses and supplying her grandkids with endless amounts of Kinder eggs and pizza pockets.
Anyone who knew our mom knew how generous, caring and selfless she was. Even though she didn’t have much, she shared what she did have happily and without hesitation. She effortlessly made acquaintances feel like friends and friends feel like family. Whether it was a random weekday or a holiday dinner, she always made sure there was enough food to go around, even if it meant a smaller portion for herself.
Our home was a haven, not only for us, but for all of our friends and our extended family. People could forget about whatever was happening in their lives and came to our house to have fun, to relax and to be supported, loved and cared for no matter the circumstances. Our house was a second home, and our mom was a second mom. She showed love to everyone, but especially to us.
We are so lucky to have had such a close and special relationship with her. With some parents you have to bite your tongue or filter what you say, but not with our mom. She knew everything about our lives because she was so easygoing, so supportive and so good to talk to about anything and everything. She partied and fooled around and laughed with us, and she also cried, mourned and comforted us through life’s obstacles and hardships. She took our side even when we were wrong… except if she was the one arguing against us… she was never wrong. She took care of everyone else before herself and was the first person to offer us help whether we asked for it or not.
Even when there were no words that could be said to make a situation better, just her presence was enough to provide comfort and relieve some of the pain we were experiencing. We’d ask for a favour, and while she might complain about it at first, it was rare that she said no. And when it came to her grandkids, there was no chance she was saying no.
Whether it was a sweet snack, a new toy or a sleepover at Grandma’s house, she would do absolutely anything for Austin, Karlee, Layla and Myles. We have no doubt that even from the other side, she will continue protecting them and loving them unconditionally. It breaks our hearts that Layla and Myles didn’t get to spend more time with her, but it was such a blessing to see what an incredible grandma she was to all four of her grandkids. Austin and Karlee will live their lives remembering the special bond they shared. There was not a moment that they weren’t adored, loved and spoiled by their grandma. While Layla and Myles may not have those first hand memories with her, they will grow up knowing how incredible their grandma was through the stories and memories we will always share.
Our mom said one of the best gifts she ever received was sharing a birthday with Layla, and we’ll celebrate them together for the rest of our lives.
We’ll remember our mom sitting at the living room table, in her spot, with a hot tea in front of her… after making sure there was enough hot water for everyone else, of course.
We will forever be grateful for the incomparable relationships we each had with our mom. We learned so much from her about life and about love. At the end of the day, we wouldn’t change a thing about our time together because the experiences we shared have shaped how we are and who we are, both individually and as a whole.
She was the glue to our family, and as much as this loss pains us, we’re confident it will strengthen our bond and bring us that much closer together. Now that she’s in heaven, we know she has reunited with her family - her dad Bill, her niece Chantel and her brother Michael. Not only that, but she’ll also be with her dear friends Shelley and Lynda, as well as her adopted son Brandon.
Thank you for being here with us. Thank you for remembering. Thank you for loving.
We love you Mom.