When people are at a funeral they are in grief. Many of us use humor to deal with stress and grief, so a small joke in your funeral speech would seem to be just the thing to help the mood.
I won’t say that a joke is inappropriate in a memorial speech, but it must be done with extreme caution. The worst thing you can do in a eulogy is to offend another mourner. They will assume you lack respect for the departed and won’t forgive you quickly, if at all.
That being said, depending on who the eulogy is for and the personalities of other family members, I have seen occasions where a well thought out and well timed joke have helped to lift everyone’s spirits.
I tend to recommend poems and quotations, because they seem more heartfelt than jokes.
After the funeral ceremony, when the family is gathered might be a better time.
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