I learned a lot about a friend at his recent funeral. I thought I knew the man who was a teacher and mentor to me, but while I listened to the speakers and watched a poignant photo slideshow of his life, I realized I hadn’t really known him and what a rich, complex and vibrant life he had led.

We here at Epilogg HQ can talk for DAYS about the ways Epilogg is better than a traditional obituary, about how you can truly Say It All. For free. (Seriously, we’ll talk your ear off. Don’t test us. Or maybe do!)

A friend posted on Instagram yesterday that her dad had passed away after a long stay in hospice. After a rollercoaster of health crises, she immediately wanted to share happier stories and memories. My heart connected with the emotions she was sharing as I remembered my similar moment in February 2016.

There’s no such thing as “The Best Obituary.” Still, we can’t help but share some extra fascinating life stories that make us smile.

There are two different types of people in the world: those who flip to the obituary section in the newspaper. And those who avoid anything that makes them think about their own morbidity.

For quite some time, obituaries have held a special place in our culture as a unique form of writing, one that valued conciseness and precision. But as newspaper readership has declined, social media has increased our ability to share and connect with one another. It’s also thrown the “rules” of obituaries out the window.

The sticker shock of obituaries is … something. If you’re trying to think of a thing that costs a lot but delivers so little, you probably won’t find a better example than a traditional obituary.

Many thanks to WCCO’s Laura Oakes for this wonderful segment with Epilogg’s Co-Founder Mary McGreevy on her “Good News” program.

When a family friend recently passed away, my mind went in a million disjointed directions, a bit like my broken heart. But it eventually landed, soothingly, on memories we shared.