Let’s face(book) it. This is not a fun topic to talk about. No one wants to have the discussion about what happens to their “things” when they pass away. But, it’s something we should all do.
Whether it’s your mother’s artwork, a family heirloom, or some special jewelry, it’s important to have instructions in place stating who should get these special things when you pass away.
But what about your social media accounts? Have you ever considered them?
Many of us are immersed in our various social media channels every day, sharing our thoughts, feelings, things we’ve done, cherished photos – memories that our loved ones may wish to hold on to when we are gone.
My friend Deanna from Maple Leaf Mommy had the unfortunate experience of trying to figure out what to do with her father’s Facebook page after he passed away.
Deanna discovered there is a way to keep her father’s memory alive on Facebook – without encountering painful (and public) reminders of his passing at times like his birthday.
What Deanna discovered could help us all…
What happens to your loved one’s Facebook page after they pass away? After my father’s death his Facebook page became a painful reminder of his absence. Last summer I found myself struggling, trying to decide what should be done with his page. I didn’t want to delete my father’s page, but I also no longer wanted to see his name popping up constantly while I was using Facebook. I didn’t want the yearly pain of dealing with birthday reminder pop-ups, and I also no longer wanted to see his name in every day Facebook spots, showing up under suggest a friend, or recommend this page to.
The answer, I discovered, was to memorialize his Facebook page. I worried that the form would be complex, or that I would need to provide a death certificate or some other obscure form of proof. I also worried that this was something only the executor of his will would be able do, but I was wrong. It turns out anyone can make the request for a page to be memorialized. The truth is, the form was actually very simple to fill out and Facebook’s response time was lightning fast…click here to read more.
Deanna can be found hiding out in her home in Windsor, Ontario. When she’s not refereeing fights between her rambunctious girls, she writes about the mom life at Maple Leaf Mommy, chases after her travel dreams at Travelling Maple and lets her gamer geek flag fly high at And She Games.
