50+ Memorial Quotes (Funeral Quotes) To Use In A Eulogy Or Obituary

When tasked with writing a eulogy or obituary, putting complicated emotions and an entire life to pen and paper can be both intimidating and painstaking. If struggling to find the right words, including a memorial quote in a eulogy or obituary can be the missing piece you are looking for. Below is a list of more than 50 memorial quotes that can say what you feel when you can’t find the right words — and if you’re preparing to speak, our guide on how to give a short eulogy pairs well with these.

Short Funeral Quotes

When a eulogy, memorial card, or headstone allows only a line or two, these short funeral quotes carry the most meaning in the fewest words.

1. “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day.” – Anonymous
2. “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A. Milne
3. “Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.” – Emily Dickinson
4. “Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.” – Hebrew proverb
5. “Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II
6. “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – Irish proverb
7. “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” – Irving Berlin
8. “A life that touches others goes on forever.” – Anonymous
9. “Not how did he die, but how did he live?” – from the poem The Measure of a Man

Memorial Quotes For Nature Lovers

Sometimes we can find solace in the natural world. These quotes understand that death is a natural part of life and seek to find answers within the world around us. These funeral quotes are perfect for those with a love of nature.

1. “For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.” – from the poem, On Death by Khalil Gibran
2. “Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.” – David Searls
3. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” – Nelson Henderson
4. “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 are happy.” – Eskimo proverb
5. “Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” – Rabindranath Tagore

Memorial Quotes To Remember Loved Ones By

Sometimes, we can find comfort in remembering that loved ones can live on through our memories and hearts. These memorial quotes serve as a reminder that goodbye is not necessarily final.

1. “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” – Gandhi
2. “What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller
3. “For everything exists and not one sigh nor smile nor tear, one hair nor particle of dust, not one can pass away.” – William Blake
4. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – from II. Freedom Hallowed Ground by Thomas Campbell
5. “Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.” – Rossiter Worthington Raymond

Memorial Quotes For A Life Well-Lived

In addition to remembrance, a memorial service can also be a celebration of life. These funeral quotes find the joy in a life well-lived, perfect for encapsulating one’s joyous spirit. During a time of grief, these quotes are a reminder of happier times.

1. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
2. “We are all stories in the end, remembered by the adventures we had, the achievements we made and the people we loved. So make sure your story is a good one.” – Nishan Panwar
3. “As is a tale, so is a life: Not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.” – Seneca
4. “He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much.’ – from Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley
5. “That best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered, acts of kindness and of love.” – from Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye During a Tour. July 13, 1798 by William Wordsworth

Funeral Quotes for Parents

Looking for meaningful in memory of quotes to honor a parent? These touching words are perfect for memorial cards, headstones, and funeral messages.

1. “A father’s guiding hand will remain on my shoulder forever.”
2. “Mom, your love is the light that still guides me.”

These short tribute messages remind us that a parent's love never fades, even in their absence.

Quotes for a Spouse or Partner

Losing a partner is one of life’s hardest moments. These funeral quotes help express love that lasts beyond life.

1. “You were my home, and now I carry you in my soul.”
2. “Even in death, our love endures.”

These quotes are also fitting for obituary phrases that reflect deep companionship.

Memorial Sayings for a Child or Infant

Sometimes, the most emotional memorial quotes for loved ones are those dedicated to children.

1. “Too brief a visit, too lasting a love.”
2. “An angel in the book of life wrote down our baby’s birth, then whispered, ‘Too beautiful for Earth.’”

These tender in loving memory quotes gently acknowledge a loss that's hard to put into words.

In Loving Memory Quotes

Classic in loving memory quotes suit headstones, memorial cards, obituaries, and anniversary remembrances alike.

1. “In loving memory of one who was loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.” – Anonymous
2. “Gone yet not forgotten, although we are apart, your spirit lives within me, forever in my heart.” – Anonymous
3. “You may be gone from my sight, but you are never gone from my heart.” – A.A. Milne
4. “Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories.” – Anonymous
5. “If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I would walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.” – Anonymous
6. “Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.” – Anonymous
7. “As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.” – from a Jewish memorial prayer

Celebration of Life Quotes for Friends

When honoring a friend with a joyful memorial, these celebration of life quotes can open a service or caption a tribute post.

1. “Friends are chosen family—yours was a life worth celebrating.”
2. “Your friendship made ordinary days extraordinary.”

Use them as opening words for a celebration of life or simply as part of a heartfelt speech.

Celebration of Life Quotes

For services framed as a celebration rather than a farewell, these celebration of life quotes strike the balance between joy and remembrance.

1. “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” – Cicero
2. “Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there. I do not sleep.” – Mary Elizabeth Frye
3. “What is lovely never dies, but passes into other loveliness.” – Thomas Bailey Aldrich
4. “May you live all the days of your life.” – Jonathan Swift
5. “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” – attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
6. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – attributed to Abraham Lincoln
7. “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” – Maya Angelou

Memorial Quotes For Parents And Grand Parents

Memorial Quotes for Parents
1. "In our hearts, you will always stay, loved and remembered every day. Your legacy lives on in the love and values you instilled in us."
One of the best obituary phrases to honor a parent’s enduring impact.

2. "A parent’s love is eternal, and though you are no longer with us, your guidance and care continue to light our way."
This phrase captures the timeless bond between parent and child, making it one of the best obituary phrases for a beloved mother or father.

3. "You gave us everything, and now we carry your wisdom and love in our hearts, forever grateful for the life you shared with us."
A heartfelt phrase that encapsulates the gratitude felt towards a parent, perfect for an obituary.

4. "Though you are gone, the love you gave us remains, a beautiful reminder of your presence in our lives."
This memorial quote serves as a comforting phrase in an obituary, emphasizing the lasting love of a parent.

Uplifting Funeral Quotes for All Loved Ones

No matter the relationship, these timeless sayings work for a variety of memorials and obituary messages.

1. “Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.”

2. “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose.”

3. “Memories are the timeless treasures of the heart.”

These universal funeral quotes resonate with anyone grieving, yet celebrating life.

Bonus: How to Use These Quotes

These memorial sayings and short tribute messages can be used in:

• Eulogies and obituaries — see our guide on how to give a short eulogy

• Memorial service programs

• Funeral speeches

• Online tributes and social media

• Headstone inscriptions

How Do I Find More Information On Funeral Planning?

Titan Casket is dedicated to providing you with all the answers you need and helping you plan a funeral for your loved one. From purchasing the right casket or urn to writing a eulogy, we are here for you every step of the way. We are your trusted ally in planning the funeral you want at an affordable, fair price.