More than a tombstone, Jamieson’s bring stories to life
Jamieson’s Funeral Services in Glenboro has become the first funeral home in Canada to affiliate with Memorygrams, a groundbreaking new memorial technology that offers families a unique way to celebrate and preserve the memories of their loved ones.
On a warm fall day, with the trees blazing in a myriad of colours and the wind whistling softly, Dayna (Jamieson) Webster carefully placed a heart-shaped medallion on the tombstone of her Afi and Amma, William (Bill) and Elvina (Frederickson), along with her aunt, Marlo Jamieson Fehr.
This is the first tombstone in Canada to feature the innovative Memorygram medallion; a keepsake with an engraved QR code that can be scanned to reveal a living history of its namesake. And perhaps it’s most fitting that the very first belongs to Bill Jamieson, founder of Jamieson’s Funeral Services, where his son Moray and granddaughter Dayna now serve as the second and third-generation directors.
“My dad (Moray Jamieson) and I met with the founders when we were at the National Funeral Director Association’s Conference in New Orleans a year ago; there were other companies offering the same idea of services, but we just really connected with Paul and Larry. They are small town, down to earth guys and we liked their vibe,” said Dayna.
This new service centres on a beautifully designed keepsake medallion available in a variety of colours, it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Each medallion is customized with the name and dates of the deceased and can be displayed beside an urn, within a memorial, or outdoors on a gravestone, bench or garden.
But what truly sets this offering apart is the interactive technology behind it. When visitors scan the medallion, they are directed to a virtual memorial page where they can view photos, leave messages, share memories, and even contribute tributes. Families can upload photos, videos, voice clips, and stories to create a living digital archive that grows over time.
A striking, and to some, maybe an erie feature of this innovation is its use of advanced AI voice cloning. With a short voice sample, the system can create a realistic digital replica of a loved one’s voice. Combined with a “personality tuning” feature where families can input traits, hobbies, or even a favourite sports team; the technology allows for an interactive, posthumous conversation experience.
“It’s a way of keeping stories alive,” said Webster noting that while traditional memorials are static, this new approach allows friends and family to continue connecting with cherished memories in a deeply personal way for generations to come.
How many times have you walked through a cemetery and wondered about the life behind a name and date? Even if it’s someone you’ve never met, a phrase etched in stone or a symbol carved on the marker can spark curiosity. Who were they? What kind of life did they live?
Now, imagine standing at the resting place of a family member from past generations and, instead of unanswered questions, being able to scan a small medallion and instantly see photos, hear their voice, or learn their story. That’s the kind of living connection this technology is bringing to memorials.
The technology also complements the Legacy Book product, which enables individuals to record their life stories while still living. After their passing, the book and its contents can be incorporated into the memorial medallion, ensuring that future generations can experience their history in their own words and voice.
This innovation, now available through Jamieson’s, is designed to blend tradition with modern connection, offering grieving families not only a physical tribute but also an evolving digital space to celebrate a life well lived.
For Dayna, the technology isn’t just about offering something new to families, it is also personal. She is looking forward to creating a Memorygram for her great-uncle, Turner Jamieson, who lost his life in the war.
“I’ve heard stories about him and always wished I could have met him,” she shared. “I think researching and working on his life story will be personally rewarding.”
In the end, that’s the true gift of Memorygrams. They don’t just preserve memories of those we’ve known; they create bridges to the past, helping families learn about generations before them. For Jamieson’s Funeral Services, it feels only fitting that this journey begins with their own family story.
PHOTO CAPTION: Dayna (Jamieson) Webster carefully places a heart-shaped medallion on the tombstone of her Afi and Omma, William (Bill) and Alvina (Frederickson), along with her aunt, Marlo Jamieson Fehr. The heart shaped weather proof medallion has a QR Code etched on it which will enable visitors to scan and see the life history through, written words, photos and videos.
