The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

How to Include Kids in a Scattering Ceremony (Kids at Ash Scattering)

How to Include Kids in a Scattering Ceremony (Kids at Ash Scattering)

When families talk about including children in a scattering, they’re usually balancing two truths at the same time. One is practical: the day has real logistics—travel, weather, permission, a container,...

Best Pet Loss Books for Adults: Comforting Reads for Grief, Guilt, and Healing

Best Pet Loss Books for Adults: Comforting Reads for Grief, Guilt, and Healing

There’s a particular kind of quiet that follows pet loss. It can happen right after a peaceful passing, or it can arrive days later when the routines you built around...

What If Family Disagrees About Who Gets Ashes?

What If Family Disagrees About Who Gets Ashes?

Few families expect funeral planning to include conflict. Yet disagreements about cremated remains are common—not because anyone is trying to be difficult, but because grief magnifies the meaning of “who...

“The Invisible Leash” and Other Kids’ Books About Pet Loss: How to Choose Age-Appropriate Stories

“The Invisible Leash” and Other Kids’ Books About Pet Loss: How to Choose Age-Appropriate Stories

When a pet dies, many families discover something unexpected: children often grieve with the same intensity as adults, but with fewer words and a very different rhythm. A child might...

A Calm Family Conversation Script for Sharing Ashes

A Calm Family Conversation Script for Sharing Ashes

There’s a moment after cremation that many families don’t expect to feel so tender: someone asks, “So… what are we doing with the ashes?” It sounds practical. It is practical....

How to Divide Ashes Among Family Members

How to Divide Ashes Among Family Members

When a loved one is cremated, the moment the ashes come home can feel surprisingly heavy. Not because the container is large, but because it holds a decision you may...

What to Do in the First Hour After Someone Dies at Home

What to Do in the First Hour After Someone Dies at Home

When someone dies at home, time can feel both rushed and unreal. You may be staring at a room that looks exactly the same as it did an hour ago,...

Preserving a Loved One’s Blog with the Wayback Machine: What It Saves, What It Misses, and How to Help

Preserving a Loved One’s Blog with the Wayback Machine: What It Saves, What It Misses, and How to Help

In the days after a death, families often discover that grief has a digital echo. A loved one’s words live on in places that feel surprisingly fragile: a personal blog,...

How to Transfer Genealogy Files After a Death: GEDCOM Exports, Media, and Account Ownership

How to Transfer Genealogy Files After a Death: GEDCOM Exports, Media, and Account Ownership

When the person who managed your family tree dies, the loss is not only personal—it can feel like the family’s history is suddenly at risk. You might know there are...

Face ID After Death: What Families Should Know About iPhone Biometric Locks

Face ID After Death: What Families Should Know About iPhone Biometric Locks

There is a particular kind of frustration that shows up in the first days after a death. You are already carrying grief, phone calls, and decisions, and then one ordinary...

Reporting a Deceased Person on Dating Apps: How to Remove Profiles and Protect Their Privacy

Reporting a Deceased Person on Dating Apps: How to Remove Profiles and Protect Their Privacy

Seeing a loved one’s dating profile after they’ve died can feel like a jolt to the body. It can be grief all over again—especially when the profile looks current, shows...

How to Download Uber Ride History and Account Data: Trips, Receipts, and What Families Should Know

How to Download Uber Ride History and Account Data: Trips, Receipts, and What Families Should Know

In the days after a death, families often discover that grief comes with paperwork. Some tasks are emotional, like choosing a memorial. Others are quietly practical, like tracking transportation costs,...

Can You Share Audible Books With Family? Household Sharing, Limits, and Best Practices

Can You Share Audible Books With Family? Household Sharing, Limits, and Best Practices

Families share stories in all kinds of ways. Sometimes it’s a paperback passed across the kitchen table. Sometimes it’s a chapter read aloud during a long drive. And sometimes, especially...

Finding Biological Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Records, DNA Matches, and Support Resources

Finding Biological Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Records, DNA Matches, and Support Resources

If you’re trying to find biological parents, you already know the search is rarely “just research.” It’s paperwork and detective work, yes—but it’s also hope, grief, curiosity, and sometimes fear,...

Genealogy DNA Ethics: Privacy, Consent, and What to Consider Before You Test

Genealogy DNA Ethics: Privacy, Consent, and What to Consider Before You Test

For many people, a DNA kit starts with something simple: curiosity, a family story that never quite added up, or a desire to feel closer to the people who came...

Helping Kids With Grief Through Minecraft: Gentle Builds, Rituals, and Safety Tips

Helping Kids With Grief Through Minecraft: Gentle Builds, Rituals, and Safety Tips

When a child is grieving, adults often look for the “right” words and the “right” moment. Most of the time, what kids really need is a safe way to keep...