If I died today, I’m sure my nearly 60 years of life would be summed up in an obituary a couple of paragraphs long. I’m stoic by nature, so the humble understatement should probably be considered a compliment or at least appropriate. I think the obituary I wrote when my dad died was about four paragraphs. My dad was 90. It took a lot of effort to squish 90 years of living into four short paragraphs when the military and relatives took up two of them. It certainly didn’t do justice to a life well-lived but I’m sure my dad would say it was “fine.”
Personally, I don’t really think it is fine in 2020. With today’s technology, we should be able to include so much more than “preceded in death by” and “survived by” without spending a small fortune. That’s exactly why I’m part of Epilogg. To help make things right.
It started when some friends asked if I’d join their passionate movement to turn the page on the outdated obituary. Together we started this next chapter we call Epilogg. It’s an online place to share the fullness of a loved one’s life with photos, videos, and yes, as many paragraphs as you choose to write. Does everyone want a detailed life summary? Of course not. But many people want more than what they can afford today. And they want it to last. Epilogg offers everyone an opportunity to include the images, the stories and the history that best reflects a person’s life and their wishes. Even those beautiful eulogies that ended up in recycling will now be available long after the service is over.
So, if the old obit box has you struggling to find the words or the space to honor a loved one at the end of life — we’re here for you. Afterall, Epilogg is a gathering place. We’re all about helping you share details on events, tell stories and connect family and friends with easy tools on any device. Just as important, Epilogg is free and lasting for years to come.
So, whenever I die, I really don’t need a book written on my life. But I do hope I’ve lived and loved and served my community well enough to be remembered with my own Epilogg. In fact, instead of worrying about who gets the last word, I might jump in on the first words and write a couple paragraphs myself to kick it off.
I think my dad would still be “fine” with that.