Eric's Eulogy for our Dad

My brother Eric & I both gave the eulogy at our fathers funeral.  He went first and I followed him.  I got the text of what he said and thought I would share it.

 Hello everyone.  Thank you for coming.

Douglas Molepske was my father.

I am Eric, his youngest of five sons.

I am not a public speaker.  I asked him for advice on speaking and he said go very slowly and take your time.  I’ve seen him give many great speeches.

He was a businessman, a father, a grandfather, a brother, a loving husband, a leader, and a man of principles.

My father went to church every Sunday and is a man of tradition.

He came to every single football game I played in.

When I was about 14 years old he saw me getting ready to go to school I was putting hair gel in my hair.  He said that hair gel was a waste of money.  When he was young, he said he would just put water in his hair, comb it, step out into the cold Wisconsin air and let it freeze into place.

This is a man that sacrificed everything for his family:  his body, his time, his energy, and his heart.

In honor of my father, I will ask that everyone here sacrifice one thing for a loved one or even a stranger.

I have regretted everything mean and hurtful that I have ever done or said.  I have yet to regret anything nice that I have ever done or said.

Thing my father loved more that anyone else!  Fishing, Chinese buffets, his 5 sons, The Boy Scouts of America, and his wife – my mother, Janyce Molepske.

I have often struggled with my faith.  I prayed for 2 things . . . that it would not rain for my father’s visitation last night and that it would not rain for his funeral this morning.  (Eric raises his hands . . .  the congregation responds with approval).

Practically, every combination of words has already been said, so I will end with two quotes.

“We inherit from our ancestors, gifts so often taken for granted.  Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul.  We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories, and future promises.”

“What the caterpillar perceives as the end, to the butterfly, it is just the beginning.”

If you'd like to read my eulogy, you may find it by clicking here.