Page 20 - Butler Hughes FH
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of crematories can only cremate one body                  memorable eulogy.
       at a time, it is next to impossible to receive
       the incorrect remains.                                    Gather information. Talk with family
                                                                 members, close friends and co- workers
       How long does the actual cremation                        to  get important  information  on  the
       take?                                                     deceased.  Some  important  information
       It all depends on the weight of the                       to include in the eulogy is the person’s
       individual. For an average sized adult,                   family and other close relationships,
       cremation can take two to three hours at a                their    education/career,      hobbies      or
       normal operating temperature of between                   special interests, places the person
       1000 and 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.                         lived or travelled to, and any special
                                                                 accomplishments they had.

       What do the cremated remains look
       like?                                                     Organize  your  thoughts.  Jot  down  your
       Cremated remains resemble coarse sand                     ideas  by  whatever  means  are  most
       and are whitish to light grey in color. The               comfortable and familiar to you. Create
       remains of an average sized adult usually                 an outline of your speech, and fill in the
       weigh between 7 and 8 pounds.                             information that you gathered about the
                                                                 person.

       Are all the cremated remains returned?
       With the exception of minute and                          Write it down. This is not a toast at a
                                                                 wedding where you can make off the
       microscopic       particles,     which      are           cuff remarks, and you should not adlib a
       impossible to remove from the cremation                   eulogy. Writing it all down allows you to
       chamber  and  processing  machine,  all  of               include and remember every detail you
       the cremated remains are given back to                    wanted  to  incorporate  in  your  speech.
       the family.
                                                                 When you bring a copy of your eulogy to
                                                                 the podium make sure it is easy to read,
       Do I need an urn?                                         print it out in a large font, or if hand-
       An urn is not required by law. However,                   written leave a few spaces between the
       an urn may be desired if there is to be                   lines. Keep in mind your time constraints,
       a  memorial  service  or  if  the  remains  are           it’s best to keep things on the short side,
       to be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is                especially if there are other speakers.
       not purchased or provided by the family,
       the cremated remains will be returned in                  Review and Revise. Your first draft will not
       a temporary plastic container.                            be the last. When you think you are done,

                                                                 sleep on it and look it over in the morning
       Eulogies                                                  when it is fresh again, Practice, Practice,
                                                                 Practice. Read over your eulogy several
       Giving a meaningful, moving eulogy can                    times in order to become familiar with it.
       be a nerve-wracking situation for even the                Practice in front of a mirror, read it over
       most accomplished public speaker, but                     to some friends or family and have them
       it need not be. How can you summarize                     give you feedback. Become familiar with
       somebody’s life in a few short minutes,                   your speech so you can recite without
       while being both somber and funny at                      making it look as though you’re reading
       the same time? Writing and delivering a                   from a script. The more you practice
       eulogy is a therapeutic tool to help deal                 the more comfortable you will be. Make
       with your grief, and being chosen to                      them laugh, but be respectful. A funeral
       give a eulogy is an honor and should be                   is not a roast, however there is room for
       treated that way. Here are some tips for                  humor in your eulogy. Fondly remember
       writing and delivering an eloquent and                    a story about the person that everyone



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