How technology has evolved for obituary services

Posting an obituary when a loved one passes away is heartbreaking. The family of the deceased tries to encapsulate everything possible in a single obituary, which is published only once in a newspaper.

Posting obituaries, like much else, is being reshaped by technology. Using technology, people can create befitting tributes online.

A few ways technology has evolved for obituary services are as follows:

An eternal tribute

In a traditional obituary, it is impossible to share the incredible life a loved one has lived. Obituaries published in newspapers are short, and hence, cannot share as much information about the dead as relatives would like.

Today, families of those who have passed away can create an obituary online. There are many advantages to posting an obituary online. Firstly, an obituary posted online can be as comprehensive as the relatives and loved ones of the deceased would like it to be.

Unlike an obituary published in a newspaper that is displayed in a limited area, an obituary posted online can be more informative.

Another advantage of posting an obituary online is that it remains visible forever. So, while an obituary published in a newspaper is visible for only one day and by only a fraction of people, an online obituary is on the internet forever, reaching all those who knew the deceased person.

ALSO READ

A startup that PM Modi applauded- Shradhanjali, online obituaries for your loved ones in 10 different languages

A living story of the deceased’s life

An online obituary can be expanded by the family and friends of the departed by posting photos and videos of their loved ones, celebrating the life of the deceased person.

New information about the dead can be shared on an online obituary forever. Hence, the person’s rich life is on display for eternity, which also serves as a befitting tribute to them. Additionally, people can write on an online obituary and share the happy memories that were never captured on photo or video.

Compared to the static obituaries published in newspapers, online obituaries are dynamic, vibrant celebrations of life, where friends and families can relive their memories.

In fact, future generations could learn about their forefathers from these online obituaries. People who never knew their grandparents could visit online obituaries to learn about the extraordinary lives their ancestors lived.

For instance, not many people know about the experiences their grandparents or great grandparents had. When an online obituary is created, it becomes a repository of people’s lives for future generations.

This means, decades from now, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of someone who passed away can visit their online obituary to learn about them.

Emotional Factor

At the time of the death of a person, the emotional quotient of the family members and relatives are very high. At such times, people who are not able to travel or visit the family of the deceased are unable to share their grief and feelings with them.

One also doesn’t find it suitable to share feelings on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, which are primarily meant for developing social connections and information sharing.

An online tribute page acts as the best platform to pay tribute to the deceased by writing a condolence message, and by sharing their experience with the deceased at length. Such emotional sharing thus becomes a lifetime memorial for the family members to treasure.

Easy to create and disseminate

An online obituary is easy to create. The apps used to make online obituaries are straightforward to use, and a person with a basic knowledge of technology can quickly create an online obituary for their loved one.

Once an online obituary is created, the link to it can be embedded in the obituary that will be published in the newspaper. Further, an online obituary can be disseminated far and wide because the sites where such obituaries are created are well optimised.

An obituary posted in a newspaper will come to the attention of those living in the area only. On the contrary, news about a person’s passing reaches those who would like to pay their last respects is greatly enhanced when an obituary is posted online.

With the help of technology, a befitting tribute can be paid to someone who has passed away, and families of the deceased can create a place that serves as a memoir of their loved one for all eternity.