We have friends in Europe, and they think it's the greatest thing in the world, says Mrs. Franklin's husband, Marcus, of Madisonville. They were unable to make it to the actual funeral. This was almost like the next best thing. On it relatives can post photographs, biographical information and tributes. It's part of a growing trend to post personal information, such as births and weddings, on the Web.
Sites offer families a virtual bulletin board for news.
Many families also are creating genealogical Web pages. Putting personal information on the Internet is one way to stay connected, says Michael Porte, professor of communication at the University of Cincinnati. Many families are so far apart, and they're using the Internet to supplement telephone and mail. There's also a greater interest in family trees and finding out who various members of the family are and where they're located. The MeM site has potential to be a gold mine for genealogists looking for more than vital statistics.