My cousin's funeral- what do I say

[Fish the Mod]

My cousin died in London last week aged just 35. He ran away from Dublin at 21 and became an alcoholic and lived more or less as a tramp in Camden. He was bought up in a nice enough home with his Mum and Sister ( his Mum and Dad divorced when he was 3).

His sister has asked me to say a few words at the Funeral and though I can recall some lovely moments in our Childhood, should I mention the last few years or am I just rubbing it in

[littlemissx]

maybe just concentrate on how you remember him in the past... maybe mention that the last years of his life werent quite so easy for him and he had his problems but you would like everyone to remember the young soul he was x

[funnywebsite]

Yes stick to the good times and say how much everybody will miss him and it is sad that he was taken so young.

[andy hughes]

Have to go with the previous responses. At a funeral, everyone will be thinking how sad the last years of your cousin's life have been. You can make a discreet reference to it by saying something like " .... will always be remembered as a valuable member of our family, even though he slipped away from us to take his own path through life, we never stopped loving him and thinking about him, and wishing him happiness."

[littlemissx]

i like what andy suggests in his post x

[mydogsandme]

Andy says the nicest things...I'm a big fan.

[rampart]

I am also a fan of Andy, and his response here is one of many useful comments. I would say what he has said in his post.

[andy hughes]

Thanks folks - most kind.

[damajowi]

he was a man amongst men