eObituary
More than an obituary — a living memorial.
One link. One QR code. One dignified place for everything — the obituary, funeral details, photos, maps, tributes, and a professionally designed print programme.
Families · Funeral parlours · Burial societies
The product
Online Memorial + Digital Funeral Programme + Print Programme
An eObituary is a dedicated memorial webpage created for one individual. Accessible on any smartphone, tablet, or computer. Built to be read easily, shared widely, and revisited indefinitely — with a print-ready programme that requires no designer.
The core idea
“This life mattered. This story deserves to be remembered. And here is one place where that memory can live on.”
— OurNews Product & Strategy Team
Why it matters
Four real problems eObituary solves
Funeral information is fragmented
WhatsApp broadcasts, phone calls, printed posters — all saying something different. eObituary is the single, authoritative source of truth that everyone links to.
People get lost on the day
South African funerals span the family home, church, and cemetery. Embedded maps and venue details mean no one arrives at the wrong place.
Remote family is left out
Relatives in other provinces, other countries, the diaspora — the online memorial brings them into the service no matter where they are.
African family memory is oral, not documented
Genealogical knowledge lives in the memory of elders. When they pass, that knowledge is at risk. eObituary preserves it — permanently.
Everything included
A complete memorial — in one page
Written Obituary
The full life story, presented in a dignified, readable layout — unlimited in depth, never lost.
Print Programme
A professionally designed A4 funeral programme, ready to print instantly. No designer needed — it's built in.
Photo Gallery
An unlimited photo collection that far exceeds anything print can carry.
Audio Obituary
A recorded narration played directly on the page. Reflects the deep tradition of audio obituaries in South African communities.
Service Locations + Maps
Venue details with embedded navigation for every event — vigil, service, graveside.
Gravesite Navigation
A map link to the grave itself, useful on the day and for every visit after.
Digital Funeral Programme
A complete, phone-friendly programme. No printing required, no running out of copies.
Tribute Wall
A moderated space for family and friends to leave condolences and memories.
Shareable Link
One URL. Share it on WhatsApp, SMS, email, or any social platform.
QR Code
Printed on posters, programmes, and banners — one scan brings anyone to the full memorial.
Tribute Videos
Video clips from the family, bringing personality and memory to life.
Family Tree
A structured lineage display placing the deceased within the broader family history.
Included at no extra cost
A professional print programme — built in
Families pay thousands of rands to designers for printed funeral programmes. eObituary generates one automatically.
Two formats: standard A4 back-to-back, or an A5 booklet — fold and hand out on the day.
Photo, name, dates, order of service, church programme, obituary, locations, and QR code back to the full online memorial.
A South African differentiator
Audio obituaries, given a permanent home
Audio obituaries are now a standard expectation at South African funeral services — a professionally recorded narration, set to music, played through the venue sound system. Families record them in their home language, share them on WhatsApp before the service.
eObituary gives this already-prevalent format a permanent, dignified, and easily shareable home — so the recording lives on, not just until WhatsApp clears it.
Recorded in the family's home language
Read by a family member or pastor
Set to background music
Played at the service and shared on WhatsApp
Now hosted permanently on eObituary
Pricing
One simple price
per memorial page — everything included, no hidden fees
Available as a gift for a bereaved family. Funeral parlours and burial societies — contact us for volume pricing.
The legacy dimension
Its value grows with time, not diminishes
Most digital products in the funeral space are transactional — they solve a short-term communication problem. eObituary is different because it has a second life: the permanent memorial that extends indefinitely beyond the funeral event.
In most South African families, genealogical knowledge lives in the memory of elders. When those elders pass, that knowledge is at risk of being lost. eObituary's biography, family tree, and photo archive directly address this.
Grandchildren read the biography of a great-grandparent they never met
The family tree becomes the foundation of documented lineage
Photos and videos preserve visual records that might otherwise be lost
The tribute wall captures what the community felt at the moment of passing
Create an eObituary today
Fill in the details, upload photos, and your eObituary — including a professional print programme — is ready within minutes.