How to Make a Memorial Book

Collect pictures of your loved one., Record your memories., Think about their favorite things., Include messages from family and friends., Find quotes., Organize your material.

6 Steps 4 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Collect pictures of your loved one.

    Find all of the images you have of your loved one, and go through them.

    Pick out which ones are most meaningful to you, your family, and the friends of the deceased.

    Photographs should represent their life, personality, and milestones.

    If the photos are digital, you can organize them in files on your computer.

    You might organize them by date, theme, or relevance.

    Or, you can put them on a flash drive and print them out.

    If the photographs are physical copies, you should scan and digitize them before putting them in a book.

    This saves the original while giving you plenty of copies to work with.

    If you do not own a scanner, check out your local public library to see if they offer scanning services.

    If you are having trouble choosing, you can look for the major milestones of their life: baby pictures, graduations, weddings, award ceremonies, vacations, and other big events.

    Invite family members and friends to add their photos to the book.

    You can do this at the funeral service, through letters, or over email.
  2. Step 2: Record your memories.

    Think of the happiest moments you had with the deceased.

    Write these down in detail.

    These memories will be immortalized in your memorial book.

    You should also ask family and friends to write down their own unique stories.

    You can ask people:
    What is your favorite memory of the deceased? Is there something that the deceased told you that you will always remember? What kinds of traditions did you have with the deceased? How long did you know them for? How did you first meet the deceased? , You can decorate the memorial book with other images and items that remind you of your loved one.

    These can be newspaper articles they were featured in, awards they won, images of their favorite hobby, or their favorite things.

    For example, if your loved one was an artist, you might include a few images of their artwork.

    If the deceased loved animals, you might include a few pictures of their favorite pets.

    You might also include things that represent historical events that they witnessed.For example, you can add news articles of elections or tickets of famous concerts. , In addition to memories and stories, you should write your loved one a heartfelt goodbye that shows how much you love and miss them.

    These notes can help you process your grief, and they are a permanent testament to how much the deceased was loved.

    Make sure to ask for contributions from others as well.For example, you might write, “Dad, I think of you every day.

    You were such an inspiration in my life, and I still love you so much.

    While I miss you dearly, I hope that wherever you are, you’re peaceful.” You can also try writing a letter to the deceased where you tell them things that you never got to say.

    For example, you might write, “I was always too proud to admit how much I looked up to my big brother, but now I just want to say, you were always my inspiration.”Include the obituary and eulogy.

    If you don’t want to start from scratch with the person’s life story, you can take the obituary and eulogy from their funeral.

    These can be copy and pasted into your book., Quotations about death, love, and family can help you define how you are feeling in eloquent language.

    They are great ways to decorate and fill a memorial book.If your loved one had a favorite poem or prayer, you can include those as well.

    Some general quotes include: ”Unable are the loved to die for love is immortality.”
    --Emily Dickinson “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.”
    --Irving Berlin “It is not length of life, but depth of life.”
    --Emerson Ralph Waldo, Choose a theme to help organize your book, and break the theme down into four or five different sections.

    Think about what stories and photographs will go in each section.

    Your theme might be the story of their life, or it might focus on childhood, marriage, or hobbies.

    If you are arranging sections chronologically, make sure to include the dates that are associated with each picture and story.

    You can have different sections marked by different titles.

    For example, “Love of Her Life” can be the title for a section on your loved one’s marriage. “Never forgotten” can be the title of a section on their funeral.
  3. Step 3: Think about their favorite things.

  4. Step 4: Include messages from family and friends.

  5. Step 5: Find quotes.

  6. Step 6: Organize your material.

Detailed Guide

Find all of the images you have of your loved one, and go through them.

Pick out which ones are most meaningful to you, your family, and the friends of the deceased.

Photographs should represent their life, personality, and milestones.

If the photos are digital, you can organize them in files on your computer.

You might organize them by date, theme, or relevance.

Or, you can put them on a flash drive and print them out.

If the photographs are physical copies, you should scan and digitize them before putting them in a book.

This saves the original while giving you plenty of copies to work with.

If you do not own a scanner, check out your local public library to see if they offer scanning services.

If you are having trouble choosing, you can look for the major milestones of their life: baby pictures, graduations, weddings, award ceremonies, vacations, and other big events.

Invite family members and friends to add their photos to the book.

You can do this at the funeral service, through letters, or over email.

Think of the happiest moments you had with the deceased.

Write these down in detail.

These memories will be immortalized in your memorial book.

You should also ask family and friends to write down their own unique stories.

You can ask people:
What is your favorite memory of the deceased? Is there something that the deceased told you that you will always remember? What kinds of traditions did you have with the deceased? How long did you know them for? How did you first meet the deceased? , You can decorate the memorial book with other images and items that remind you of your loved one.

These can be newspaper articles they were featured in, awards they won, images of their favorite hobby, or their favorite things.

For example, if your loved one was an artist, you might include a few images of their artwork.

If the deceased loved animals, you might include a few pictures of their favorite pets.

You might also include things that represent historical events that they witnessed.For example, you can add news articles of elections or tickets of famous concerts. , In addition to memories and stories, you should write your loved one a heartfelt goodbye that shows how much you love and miss them.

These notes can help you process your grief, and they are a permanent testament to how much the deceased was loved.

Make sure to ask for contributions from others as well.For example, you might write, “Dad, I think of you every day.

You were such an inspiration in my life, and I still love you so much.

While I miss you dearly, I hope that wherever you are, you’re peaceful.” You can also try writing a letter to the deceased where you tell them things that you never got to say.

For example, you might write, “I was always too proud to admit how much I looked up to my big brother, but now I just want to say, you were always my inspiration.”Include the obituary and eulogy.

If you don’t want to start from scratch with the person’s life story, you can take the obituary and eulogy from their funeral.

These can be copy and pasted into your book., Quotations about death, love, and family can help you define how you are feeling in eloquent language.

They are great ways to decorate and fill a memorial book.If your loved one had a favorite poem or prayer, you can include those as well.

Some general quotes include: ”Unable are the loved to die for love is immortality.”
--Emily Dickinson “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.”
--Irving Berlin “It is not length of life, but depth of life.”
--Emerson Ralph Waldo, Choose a theme to help organize your book, and break the theme down into four or five different sections.

Think about what stories and photographs will go in each section.

Your theme might be the story of their life, or it might focus on childhood, marriage, or hobbies.

If you are arranging sections chronologically, make sure to include the dates that are associated with each picture and story.

You can have different sections marked by different titles.

For example, “Love of Her Life” can be the title for a section on your loved one’s marriage. “Never forgotten” can be the title of a section on their funeral.

About the Author

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Christine Myers

Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.

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