Online Memorial Guide
What Is an Online Memorial?
An online memorial is a dedicated place on the web where family and friends can preserve and share the story of someone who has passed — including the memories, photographs, videos, music, relationships, and experiences that made their life unique.
An Online Place for the Story Behind a Life
Traditional memorials often focus on a few dates, an obituary, or a funeral service. An online memorial can preserve much more. It gives a family one web address where the person's story and meaningful memories can remain together instead of being scattered among photo albums, phones, social media accounts, old computers, and separate family collections.
An online memorial may also be called a memorial website, digital memorial, virtual memorial, memorial page, memorial site, or online tribute. The names vary, but the basic purpose is similar: creating a lasting digital place to remember a person and preserve what mattered about their life.
What Can an Online Memorial Include?
Different memorial platforms provide different features. A more complete memorial can go beyond a basic tribute page and preserve many parts of a person's life in one place.
Life Story
Stories and experiences that explain who the person was, not just the dates and facts of their life.
Photos
Featured photographs, family pictures, milestones, vacations, celebrations, and everyday moments.
Video Memories
Recorded memories and videos that preserve movement, expressions, voices, and meaningful moments.
Favorite Music
Songs associated with the person, important memories, or meaningful periods of their life.
Family History
Relationships and family information that help future generations understand where they came from.
Life Details
Places lived and worked, schools, awards, accomplishments, interests, and other parts of the person's story.
Obituary & Final Resting Information
Important after-death information can be kept alongside the broader story of the person's life.
Memories From Others
Some memorial websites allow family and friends to contribute written stories, photographs, or videos.
How Does an Online Memorial Work?
Create the Memorial
Start a memorial page for the person you want to remember.
Add Their Story
Add stories, photographs, videos, music, family history, and other memories you want preserved.
Share It
Share the memorial link so relatives and friends can remember the person wherever they live.
Online Memorial vs. Social Media Tribute
Social media can be useful for announcing a death, sharing condolences, or posting memories. But those posts can quickly become difficult to find as feeds change and new content appears.
A dedicated online memorial gives the person's story its own permanent destination. Instead of mixing memories into a general social feed, a memorial website organizes the life story and related media around the person being remembered.
Learn More About Memorial WebsitesIs an Online Memorial the Same as an Obituary?
No. An obituary usually provides a concise summary of a person's life and death and may include funeral or service details. An online memorial can preserve the obituary while also giving the family room for photographs, videos, music, family history, detailed stories, and memories that continue well beyond the original announcement.
That makes an online memorial useful not only immediately after a loss, but also later when children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends want to return to the person's story.
Why Families Create Online Memorials
- To preserve more than an obituary: Families can keep stories, photos, videos, and meaningful details together.
- To make memories easier to share: Relatives in different cities or countries can visit the same memorial online.
- To gather memories from others: Friends and relatives may remember stories or have photographs the immediate family does not.
- To help future generations:A memorial can give children and grandchildren a richer understanding of the person's life.
- To create a lasting place to return to: Family members can revisit the memorial on birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or whenever they want to remember.
What Is a MyEMemorial?
A Departed MyEMemorial is MyEMemorial's online memorial for someone who has passed. It is designed to preserve the story between the dates — combining the person's life story, photographs, Video Memories, favorite music, family history, important life details, obituary information, and other memories in one shareable place.
MyEMemorial also offers a Living MyEMemorial so a person can preserve their own story while they are living and decide how they want their life to be remembered.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Memorials
What is an online memorial?
An online memorial is a dedicated web page or memorial website created to preserve and share the life story, memories, photographs, videos, and other meaningful details of someone who has passed.
Who can create an online memorial?
Online memorials are commonly created by family members, close friends, or another person who wants to preserve and share the story of someone they love.
What can be included in an online memorial?
Depending on the service, an online memorial may include a life story, photographs, videos, favorite music, family history, obituary information, places lived and worked, schools, awards, final resting place information, and memories contributed by family and friends.
Is an online memorial the same as an obituary?
No. An obituary usually summarizes important facts about a person's life and death. An online memorial can preserve a much broader collection of stories, photos, videos, music, family history, and personal memories over time.
Can an online memorial be shared with family and friends?
Yes. Public online memorials can generally be shared through a direct web link so relatives and friends can visit the memorial from a phone, tablet, or computer.
Can family and friends add memories to an online memorial?
Some memorial services allow relatives and friends to submit written memories, photos, or videos. The memorial owner may be able to review those contributions before they appear publicly.
Preserve the Story of Someone You Love
See how a Departed MyEMemorial works, experience a sample, or begin preserving a life story, photographs, videos, music, and memories in one lasting online memorial.