Life Stories
Hi there,
As a Funeral Celebrant, I have had the privilege of writing several Life Stories or Eulogies. I have also observed family members writing a eulogy for their loved ones.
Preparing someone's life story and for the people listening - a eulogy is a significant and memorable time for family members or close friends.
But they take hours, often days, to write.
The eulogies and life stories that are the easiest to prepare have been where the loved one has taken time to write some of their life stories.
Almost everyone had a life and a story before they met the person who has the privilege of writing their eulogy.
E.g. Parents had a lot of living before their kids came along.
Often events and occasions are not known because they were not talked about or they were forgotten.
After his wife had died and the adult children were all gathered around, a lovely 90-year-old gentleman told me things the children had never heard before, including how he had built a canoe so the young couple could go down the river rapids. Because they could not swim, they took a jerrycan to use as a buoyancy aid! He also told me that he had helped rescue people in the Tangiwai Disaster! None of the children had ever heard these stories – let alone that their mother used to ride a motorbike!
If the Dad had not been there at 90 to tell those stories, they would have been lost and forgotten. Thankfully he was, and he was a great storyteller!
When a diary or journal of some sort has been written, the family describe that to be like GOLD. They treasure it and will often make copies, so others can also enjoy it.
With this in mind, I would like to encourage you to begin recording your stories. You can draw or use mind maps or brainstorms. Using simple sentences and paragraphs work well.
I have an easy to follow formulae for people to use if they would like to begin recording their stories.
Writing or making voice recordings of some of your story is highly recommended.
I am here to chat with you further if that would be helpful. My email is RhondaDiprose@gmail.com or phone is 0278299984.
Bye for now
Rhonda Diprose
Funeral Celebrant Hawke's Bay
©RhondaDiprose2019
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Step by step for a great cause!
Our amazing Hillary Hikers from Edmund Hillary Village showed their support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand's Move Your Butt campaign this month!
Sporting the bright purple and orange campaign shirts, these wonderful walkers hit the Auckland waterfront and marched from Mission Bay to Kohimarama, raising awareness for bowel cancer and the importance of early detection along the way.
Click read more to read the full story.
Loading…