Obituaries, but better

Elegy is a do-it-yourself platform for anyone who wants to create and publish an obituary or tribute for someone who has died recently. It can also be used to create an archival web page for someone who died some time ago.

Yes. Elegy is a great holding place for anyone who wants to start working on their living obit. Yes, people do write their own obits! (More about the reasons for doing so)

For those doing estate planning, you can use Elegy to stash your pre-written obit — along with your favorite photos, videos, music, and your memorial plans. Designate someone to be the caretaker of your living obit, and they will be able to access it, make any necessary edits, and then publish it when you die.

Sometimes we use the term “tribute” because “obituary” technically refers to a specific form and style of writing. Of course you can include a written obituary on Elegy. Most people do. And that may be all you want to do. On the other hand, you don’t actually have to include a written obit.

Elegy allows you to tell a person’s story in other ways — with timelines, photos, videos, music playlists, and comment threads. The Internet can do far more than text, and so we have tried to create a more varied and rich canvas on which you can convey your loved one’s life and legacy. Use whichever parts you want. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

Whatever components you choose to use will be compiled on a single webpage for your loved one. We typically call this page a “tribute” or a “memorial life story.”

No, you can use just the timeline or just the photo gallery or just publish an obituary. Mix and match whatever features work best for the story you want to tell.

There is a $75 one-time fee to publish a tribute forever. All the features are included. There are no ongoing costs or extra fees for certain features. You pay only if you decide to publish. You are welcome to sign up and try Elegy out without having to pay up front. We wanted to make it simple.

By the way, because you pay for Elegy, the page on which your tribute is published is yours. We respect that and will never mix advertisements or money-making commercial links onto your page.

You pay the fee before you designate a person or people to be the caretaker(s) of your account. That way, you make it as easy as possible for them. Your surviving loved one just needs to log in, enter the date of death, and — if needed — add information about a funeral, memorial service or celebration of life. Then they can publish your tribute with one additional click, and easily share the link to your tribute by email or social media. You will have done the hardest parts for them.

No problem. You can “unpublish” your tribute at any time. However, there is no refund of the publication fee, if you decide to unpublish. When you unpublish a tribute, it will no longer be live on the web but it will not be deleted; you still will have access to it in your account. And you can always “republish” it later if you change your mind.

Currently, you can only add playlists that were created in Apple Music or Spotify. This helps us comply with copyright law, so that musical artists are compensated for use of their recordings.

If you don’t have an account with either of those services and you want to incorporate a playlist, we suggest you ask around of friends or relatives. In the wake of a death, most people are eager to have a clear task that can be of help to those who were most affected by the death. Chances are you will be able to find someone with an account who is happy to help you. They can assemble the playlist and then send you the link you will need to add.

Absolutely. Nothing will go live on your tribute until you say it’s OK. Whenever a comment is posted — or when an existing comment is edited — you will get an email. Just follow the link in the email to approve or reject the comment.

A comment can include any amount of text, a photograph or a video. Photos and videos are optional. At this time, a comment can include just one image. If someone decides to upload a video comment, it must be no longer than 40 seconds. Video comments are intended to be personal, but brief, expressions of support and condolence.

No problem. Go to the login page, click the “Forgot your password?” link, and follow the prompts. You can have your password reset in just a minute or two. The only requirement is that you still have access to the email you used to sign up for Elegy.

Email us! Please. We are big fans of good old fashioned customer service, wherein you are able to get in touch with a real human being who knows all about Elegy and wants to make sure your problem is fixed ASAP. We typically respond within an hour or two. You will not have to deal with AI chatbots or long waits on the phone. In fact we are grateful to hear from you if there were parts of Elegy that caused problems or confusion. That helps us make Elegy better.

That’s OK. We allow you to sign up, create a tribute and try all the various features before you are asked to pay anything. You pay only when you are ready to publish, or — if it is a self-created memorial story — when you are ready to designate a caretaker.

If you decide Elegy is not what you were looking for, there is no obligation to continue. You can delete the tribute you started, or you can delete your user account entirely, from within the platform. Or you can just abandon a tribute unpublished or without having designated a caretaker. In that case it will eventually be deleted, but you will be notified by email before that happens, just in case.

We work with partners who offer personalized, custom tribute set-up, as well as personalized obituary writing services. Check out our dedicated service partners. Set-up costs vary depending on your needs regarding photos, videos and playlists. Contact any of the partners to get a quote.

We certainly plan to keep Elegy up and running for a very long time.