Some losses are not recent. The grandfather who passed when you were a child. The mother whose anniversary still aches every year. The sibling whose photographs are scattered across albums in three different homes. A Legacy Memorial Page is a permanent, online place where you can finally bring all of those memories together — their story, their photos, the way they made you laugh — and share it with the rest of the family. It is free, it stays online forever, and you can create it in an evening.
What is a Legacy Memorial Page?
A Legacy Memorial Page is a free online tribute on TributePoint built specifically for someone who passed away in the past — weeks, months, years, or even decades ago. Unlike a funeral tribute, it does not include a service date, programme, livestream or venue. It does not assume an upcoming event. It is built around what really matters once the funeral is long over: their life story, their photos, and the people who loved them.
Think of it as a family scrapbook that lives online — one your cousin in Cape Town, your aunt in London, and your nieces who never got to meet them can all visit, contribute to, and treasure for the rest of their lives.
If the funeral has already happened (whether last month or twenty years ago), and what you want is a permanent place to remember the person rather than to organise a service — choose a Legacy Memorial. If a funeral is coming up, our standard Funeral Tribute is the right tool.
Why Families Create Legacy Memorials
We hear the same stories again and again from South African families:
- "My father passed in 2008. I want my children to know who he was." — A Legacy Memorial lets you preserve the life story for the next generation, in your own words.
- "My mother's photos are scattered across three sisters and two cousins." — A single online page collects them in one place that everyone can add to.
- "It's the 10-year anniversary of my brother's passing." — A milestone anniversary is the perfect moment to build something lasting.
- "My grandmother's funeral was rushed. We never got to honour her properly." — A Legacy Memorial gives you the time and space the funeral didn't.
- "I want a place to light a virtual candle every year on his birthday." — The page stays with you, ready to be visited on the days that matter.
What's on a Legacy Memorial Page?
Although every page is unique, most Legacy Memorial Pages on TributePoint include:
Their Name & Dates
Full name, date of birth and date of passing — the simple framing of a life.
Life Story / Biography
The narrative of their life: where they grew up, who they loved, what they were known for, the moments they lived for.
Photo Gallery
Photos from across the years — childhood, wedding day, family holidays, ordinary Sundays.
Condolences & Memories
A space for family and friends to share their own memories of the person, anytime — not just in the first week.
Virtual Candles
Visitors can light a candle in remembrance — on birthdays, anniversaries, or just because they thought of them today.
Shareable Link
One clean URL you can send on WhatsApp, email, or print on a family Christmas card.
What is not on a Legacy Memorial Page?
Because the funeral has already happened (often long ago), Legacy Memorials deliberately leave out:
- Service date, time and venue
- Funeral programme builder
- Livestream link
- Burial / cemetery location and map
- Programme director and order-of-service
This keeps the page focused on what truly endures — the person's life, not the logistics of their farewell.
How to Create a Legacy Memorial Page (Step by Step)
1. Gather what you have
Before you sit down at your computer, give yourself an evening to collect what you already have. Open the photo albums. Scroll back through your phone. Ask your siblings and cousins to send you their favourite photographs by WhatsApp. You don't need everything — even ten good photos is more than enough to start. You can always add more later.
2. Write a few paragraphs about their life
Don't try to write a perfect biography. Just write the truth, the way you'd tell it to a friend at a kitchen table. Where were they born? Who were their parents? Who did they marry? What did they do for a living? What did they love — cooking, fishing, music, the church? What is the one thing everyone remembers them for?
Three or four short paragraphs is plenty. Our guide to writing an obituary has more structure if you want it — the same advice works for a legacy bio.
3. Visit the Legacy Memorial creation page
Go to tributepoint.co.za/work_legacy.php. The form will ask you for their name, date of birth, date of passing, the life story you wrote, and somewhere to upload your photos. There is no pressure to fill in everything in one sitting — once you've created an account, you can come back and edit anything at any time.
4. Choose a theme
We offer several beautifully designed themes, all dignified and respectful. Pick the one that feels right for the person you are honouring. You can change the theme later, without losing any of your content.
5. Share with the family
Once published, your Legacy Memorial gets its own permanent web address. Copy it and share it on the family WhatsApp group, on Facebook, by email — or just send it privately to the people closest to you. They can light virtual candles, leave their own memories, and visit whenever they want to feel close.
Create a Free Legacy Memorial Page
For a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend who passed long ago. Free for South African families, online forever, ready in under an hour.
Start a Legacy MemorialCommon Questions About Legacy Memorials
Is it really free?
Yes. Legacy Memorial Pages are completely free for individual families — no credit card, no time limit, and no expiry. The page stays online indefinitely.
Can I create one for someone who passed 30 years ago?
Absolutely. There is no time limit on grief or remembrance. Some of the most moving Legacy Memorials on TributePoint are for grandparents who passed before the grandchildren creating the page were even born. If you want to honour them, the door is open.
Can other family members add photos and memories?
Yes. Visitors can leave condolence messages, share their own memories, and light virtual candles. If you'd like a relative to be able to edit the page itself (add new photos, update the bio), you can share your account with them or send them a contribution link.
Can I make it private?
Yes. By default the page is shareable, but you can make it private and share the link only with people you choose. You can change this setting at any time.
What if I want to add the funeral details later?
If you eventually decide you want a service-style tribute too, you can convert your Legacy Memorial or create an additional Memorial Service page from your dashboard.
The Three Tribute Types on TributePoint
We offer three different kinds of tributes so you can choose the right one for your situation:
- Funeral Tribute — for an upcoming funeral. Includes service details, programme, locations, livestream and donations.
- Memorial Service — an additional service page (7-day, 1-month, 1-year) added on top of an existing funeral tribute. Available from your dashboard.
- Legacy Memorial Page — a standalone tribute for a loved one who passed away in the past, focused on their life story and photos.
See the full comparison of tribute types on our features page, or read the FAQ for more answers.
A Final Thought
It is easy to feel that "it's too late" to honour someone properly — that the time for tributes ended on the day of the funeral. It didn't. The people we love continue to shape who we are for the rest of our lives, and there is real comfort in building them a place that lives on the internet the way they live in our hearts: permanently, gently, and easy to visit when we need them.
Whenever you are ready — this evening, this weekend, on the next anniversary — we'll be here.