Gravestones at Indiana monument company go high-tech

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- You might think gravestones would be stuck in the "stone age" and tough to turn high-tech, but one monument company in Indiana says that's wrong. Cell phones can now link loved ones to living memorials.

Randy Allen says in the 17 years that he's owned the Allen Monument Company in Crawfordsville, the business of memorializing loved ones hasn't changed much -- until now.

"We're now using the QR codes," he says, "and it's a way for the family to share their loved ones' stories."

Allen says his company is the only one in the state authorized to install QR codes on headstones. He's working with technology patented by Making Everlasting Memories that makes the monument almost like a form of social media.

He says, "Other people can text messages to the family. They can also share other stories that they'd like to share as well. It's all up to the family."

The tiny QR code can connect you to an entire memorial site about a loved one, including photos, a biography, and other information. Allen says it's as simple as scanning it with your smart phone. He says he's seen a lot of interest from customers: "We're selling probably a few a day."

One of those customers is Mary Warbritton, whose son Jeremy Gibson was killed last summer in Lafayette at age 26. She wanted a QR code installed on his headstone because the family doesn't have a lot of photos of Jeremy and his two sons. Her hope is that his friends will use the technology to share photos of her grandchildren that she might not have otherwise.

Allen says the QR code technology is a one-time fee that's included in the cost of the headstone. It can range from $99 to $400. He says once you've paid for the code, your memorial website will always be online, and you can make changes to it whenever you'd like.