Eulogy quotes about mom

A well-chosen quote can hold a whole eulogy together. The wrong quote is worse than no quote. Below are twenty-five sourced, attributed lines for a mother's eulogy, grouped by tone. We have skipped the over-used Angelou and unattributed Pinterest lines. These are the ones that have actually helped families.

Tender (eight)

• "She was the way the morning light comes through." - From a Stillwith family eulogy
• "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." - Mary Oliver, "Sometimes"
• "A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take." - Cardinal Mermillod
• "Some are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same." - Pearl S. Buck, To My Daughters, With Love
• "Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." - Lin Yutang, My Country and My People
• "Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." - Common nineteenth-century saying, often attributed to Anonymous
• "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." - Proverbs 31:25
• "A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." - Tenneva Jordan

Funny (five)

• "Behind every successful child is a mother who is surprised." - Often attributed to Barbara Bush
• "My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." - Mark Twain, in a letter
• "If at first you do not succeed, do it like your mother told you in the first place." - Folk saying, often attributed to Anonymous
• "A mother understands what a child does not say." - Jewish proverb
• "The fastest way to my heart is through my mother." - Folk saying

Faith-based (six)

• "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." - Proverbs 31:28
• "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1
• "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me." - Psalm 23:4
• "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." - Matthew 5:4
• "Charity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." - 1 Corinthians 13:7
• "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long." - Exodus 20:12

Working mother (three)

• "I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept." - Angela Davis
• "I learned the way a monkey learns, by watching its parents." - Queen Elizabeth II, on her mother
• "If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman." - Margaret Thatcher

The quiet ones (three)

• "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver, "The Summer Day"
• "Let the world have its way with you, and try always to keep it from owning you." - Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
• "Death ends a life, not a relationship." - Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie

How to use a quote in a eulogy

Pick one. Pick two at the most. A quote-stuffed eulogy reads as a collection of other people's words, when what the room wants is yours. Use the quote as a frame, not as the eulogy itself. For more on openings, see eulogy opening lines. For closings, see eulogy closing lines. Companion piece for fathers: eulogy quotes about dad.

For local context, our Chicago funeral planning page and the places library cover specific cities.

Common questions

Should I open with a quote?

A quote can land if it is short and surprising. Avoid the overused Maya Angelou and "Anonymous" lines. A quote near the close often works better than a quote at the open.

Where should the quote go?

Either near the open, where it sets the tone, or near the close, where it gives the room something to hold onto. Avoid putting it in the middle where it interrupts the story.

Do I need to credit the source?

Yes. Even briefly. "As Mary Oliver wrote..." is enough. Credit the source so the room knows you did the work.