eulogy

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A laudatory speech or written tribute, especially one praising someone who has died.
• noun High praise or commendation.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun High commendation of a person or thing, especially when expressed in a formal manner or to an undue degree; specifically, a speech or writing delivered or composed for the express purpose of lauding its subject.
• noun Same as eulogia.
• noun Synonyms Encomium, Eulogy, Eulogium, Panegyric. These words are best understood through their history. (See the derivations.) Eulogy is stronger than encomium, but still is the most general word. An encomium is an expression of warm praise, of some fullness and completeness, like the ancient laudatory ode: encomium is not a distinctive name for a set speech; the others may be: as, Everett's Eulogy upon the Pilgrim Fathers; the Panegyric of Isocrates. Eulogium is only a more formal word for eulogy. The last three may be used abstractly, but not encomium; we may say, it was mere eulogy or panegyric, but not mere encomium. Eulogy, a eulogy, and an encomium may be tempered with criticism; panegyric and a panegyric are only praise; hence, panegyric is often used for exaggerated or undiscriminating praise.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun A speech or writing in commendation of the character or services of a person.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun An oration to honor a deceased person, usually at a funeral.
• noun Speaking highly of someone; the act of praising or commending someone.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a formal expression of praise for someone who has died recently
• noun a formal expression of praise