Etherstone
Frequently asked questions
Everything families and funeral homes ask about Etherstone digital memorials — how access works, the engraved markers, and keeping your family's memories private.
For families
What is Etherstone?
Etherstone is a lasting digital memorial for someone you have lost. It brings their biography, photos, favorite music, military service, and the family's own stories and messages together in one beautiful, private place — created with a funeral home and handed to the family to keep.
How do I access my loved one's memorial?
Every memorial has a short ID (for example ES-1234-56). You can open it three ways: enter the ID at etherstone.net, scan the QR marker at the resting place where present, or visit the link shared with you.
What can I see without signing in?
The public memorial — biography, photos, music, service honors, and milestones — is visible to anyone with the ID or link, exactly as the family chooses to share it. Private family memories and messages stay hidden until you sign in as a verified family member.
How do I get family access?
Access is invite-only. The funeral home or an existing family owner invites you by email. Open the invitation link and sign in with the one-time code we email you — then the private family view unlocks. If you weren't invited yet, ask the funeral home or a family member to add your email, then sign in at the family sign-in page.
Can I add photos and memories?
Yes. Family members with contributor, admin, or owner access can add photos, write memories, and share stories from the management dashboard. These appear in the private family space, and the family controls what (if anything) is also shown publicly.
How long will the memorial be available?
A memorial is meant to last. As long as the memorial is active, it stays online and reachable by its ID and link — there is no expiry date that erases a loved one's page.
What happens to the memorial if Etherstone closes down?
Your memories belong to your family. From the management dashboard you can export a full copy of a memorial at any time — biography, photos, videos, audio, and memories — as a self-contained archive you keep on your own device. So even in the unlikely event Etherstone ever wound down, your family already has everything.
How do I manage who has access?
Family owners and admins manage access from the memorial's management dashboard, under Manage Access. From there you can invite new family members, set their role (viewer, contributor, admin, or owner), and revoke access at any time.
For funeral homes
How does the funeral home dashboard work?
The dashboard is your home for every memorial your home has created. You can build new memorials, edit profiles, order engraved markers, and hand pages off to families — all from one place. Sign in at the funeral home sign-in page.
How do I create a memorial during arrangements?
While you're with the family, open the dashboard and create a new memorial — add the biography, dates, hometown, photos, music, and any military service. It takes only a few minutes, and you can save a draft and refine it before publishing.
How does the family handoff work?
When the memorial is ready, invite the family by email straight from the dashboard. They open the invitation and sign in with a one-time emailed code, and from that point they can add private memories and manage the page going forward. You stay in control until you hand it over.
What marker options are available?
Etherstone offers a solid engraved steel coin for the resting place, in a silver or black finish, showing the Etherstone name and the memorial ID (format ES-XXXX-XX). A QR version is available so visitors can scan to open the memorial with their phone camera. Talk to us about finishes and mounting options for your families.
How does pricing and commission work?
Funeral homes partner with Etherstone on a per-memorial basis, with commission on the markers and plans you offer your families. For current pricing and partnership terms, reach out at support@etherstone.net.
Technical & privacy
How does the marker work?
The marker is a solid engraved steel coin at the resting place showing the memorial ID. To open the memorial, enter that ID at etherstone.net. Where a QR version is fitted, you can instead point your phone camera at it to open the page directly.
Do I need a special phone or app?
No. Any phone or computer with a web browser can open a memorial — just go to etherstone.net and enter the ID. If the marker has a QR code, most phone cameras will recognize it automatically; no app is required.
How do I reach a memorial from its ID?
Every memorial can be reached by entering its ID (e.g. ES-1234-56) on the Find a Memorial page at etherstone.net, or by opening the shared link directly. A QR marker, where present, is simply a shortcut to the same page.
How private are our family memories?
Anything kept family-only — private memories and messages, plus any photos, video, audio, or the people and recipes the family marks as private — is shown only to invite-only, verified family members after they sign in. It is not included in what an anonymous visitor receives, and the files are stored privately rather than on the public web, so an anonymous visitor cannot read or download it through the site. The family decides what appears on the public memorial page, and access can be changed or revoked at any time.