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.
View exampleFamilies · Funeral parlours · Burial societies
For funeral parlours & burial societies: Partner with OurNewsThe 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
The funeral programme you were going to pay a designer for is already included.
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
Upload an existing audio obituary and let family and friends listen directly from the memorial — long after the funeral.
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, and QR code linking to the full online memorial — including venue directions.
A South African tradition
Preserve the audio obituary beyond the funeral.
Traditionally, an obituary would be read aloud during the funeral service. Today, many South African families choose to have the obituary professionally recorded by a voice-over artist and played through the funeral sound system.
After the service, that recording may remain on a phone, WhatsApp chat or computer — and eventually become difficult to find. eObituary gives the family a place to upload the existing audio obituary and preserve it alongside the life story, photographs and other memories.
Upload an existing recording
Listen from the memorial
Keep it with the story
Share one link
Pricing
One simple price
per memorial page — everything included, no hidden fees
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
For Funeral Parlours & Burial Societies
Give every family a memorial that lives beyond the funeral.
Partner with OurNews and offer eObituary as part of the service you provide to families. Each eObituary brings the obituary, funeral information, photos, programme, maps, tributes and family memories together in one dignified digital memorial — while giving your business access to partner pricing and a modern service you can offer your clients.
A complete digital memorial
Give families one permanent place for the obituary, photos, funeral details, maps, tributes and memories.
Programme included
Every eObituary includes a digital funeral programme and professionally generated print programme — reducing the number of separate services the family needs to arrange.
Partner pricing
Access preferential pricing designed for funeral parlours and burial societies serving multiple families.
Add value to your packages
Include eObituary in your funeral packages or offer it as an optional service to create additional value for families and new revenue opportunities for your business.
Create an eObituary today
Fill in the details, upload photos, and your eObituary — including a professional print programme — is ready within minutes.