Digital Memorials for Peacetime Deaths

Digital memorials are a powerful way to honor a loved one’s memory. They are especially meaningful for peacetime deaths, like those of service members. A digital memorial is a permanent, online tribute to the person who died. Here are some options: GatheringUs, Your Tribute, Ever Loved, and Veterans Legacy Memorial.
Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM)

The Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) is the nation’s first digital memorial dedicated to veterans. It includes the profiles of nearly 4.5 million Veterans buried in VA national cemeteries. The VLM allows family and friends to post information and memories about a loved one. The site is mobile-friendly and can be used on tablets and smartphones. In addition to the basic biographical information, the digital memorial provides military service information, dates of birth and death, cemetery information, and more.

Visitors to the VLM can search for a veteran’s profile by entering his or her first and last name. Upon selecting a profile, users can further refine their search by branch of service, war period, or cemetery. Currently, not all profiles feature photos of the Veteran’s headstone/marker, but these will be added in the near future. In addition, not all profile pages feature maps. This is because the NCA is still gathering information from cemeteries. Only after the headstone/marker has been installed will new interment photos appear on the Veteran’s VLM page.
GatheringUs

The GatheringUs Virtual Event provides the real-time interaction of a traditional in-person event. It allows families to experience a sense of comfort and community while minimizing stress and worry. Families can custom-design their event to be truly unique, initiate speakers and performers, and even receive tech support to ensure that everyone has a seamless, memorable experience.

The GatheringUS CEO has also taken steps to make the experience as seamless as possible for grieving relatives. For example, a digital funeral page can allow attendees to share stories and memories. Some sites have the capability to mute the microphones of mourners to avoid a disruption of the service. For those who have trouble hearing, closed captioning can be an option to ensure everyone is able to participate.
Your Tribute

Digital memorials allow the family and friends of the deceased to pay tribute to the departed with a simple click. These memorials can include an unlimited number of photos, geotagging of the final resting place of the deceased, and stories and memories. These online memorials are free to use and never expire.

The most effective memorial websites encourage visitors to post photos and stories. These pages can then be shared via social media, email, text, and even printed as keepsakes.
Ever Loved

EverLoved is a one-stop memorial shop that offers everything a family needs to remember and celebrate their loved one. It provides a beautiful memorial website, a fundraising platform for funeral costs, links to independent memorial companies, and ready phone and email support. In addition, you can easily share a photo or two to memorialize your loved one with family and friends.

When creating a digital memorial you will want to gather a lot of content. Using a document, keep track of information such as the deceased’s hobbies and interests. Also, provide a primary photo so that visitors can feel more comfortable and confident.
Nefirah

The Nefirah digital memorial is a new way to memorialize a loved one with a virtual, tree-like tribute. The program uploads an individual’s data into a networked system, similar to a virtual tree. The website allows people to read information about the honoree and share it with friends and family. The program’s manager, Lisa Valentine, said that she has received positive feedback from family members.