Dash4Ever Wants Gravestone QR Codes to Be the Norm

Technology and history meet with this 21st-century memorial

By Al Parker | May 18, 2024

Steve Morgan’s voice quivers just a bit and his eyes get a little misty when he talks about his grandpa, James Willis Morgan. 

“I lost my grandfather in 2021,” he says. “He was the father I never had. I hoped through this project that I would be able to save some of the special memories of him on this beautiful site we made.” 

With Memorial Day approaching, Morgan is busily working on a project that will enable families of U.S. military veterans to better remember the stories of their loved ones not just once a year, but any time they desire.  

Morgan, who owns and operates a glass repair business in Traverse City, has launched Dash4Ever, along with his wife Rachael Morgan. Its goal is to capture the interesting, amazing moments of a person’s life—especially for vets, but for civilians, too.

Preserving the Memories

Whether they are from World War II, the Korea Conflict, the Vietnam War, Iraq, or Afghanistan, a lot of veterans don’t talk much about their military service, the camaraderie, and other service memories they made. The Morgans are trying to preserve those remembrances.  

“So many veterans’ stories are being lost all the time,” says Morgan. “Every day, their stories are lost. But now we can preserve those memories, those special moments for our veterans, their families, and others.”

He adds, “We know that when every special person in our life passes away, we lose some of those special moments, that history. We hope that Dash4Ever can do just a little to capture and preserve the uniqueness that every family has.”

According to the U.S. Census, there were roughly 16.2 million military veterans in 2022, the latest year that data was available. The largest segment, about 5.6 million of them, were Vietnam veterans. In 2022, some 6.2 percent of the adult population were veterans. In Michigan, that rate was 5.8 percent.

Census Bureau data further shows that the veteran share of adults has dropped in recent years. The population share of veterans differs by state, though most have experienced a decline.  

Morgan is determined to preserve those veterans’ memories via technology, specifically a  discreetly placed, one-and-a-half-inch square QR code sticker on the gravestones of veterans. Each comes with a protective vinyl cover that is UV resistant. The QR code is simply scanned by a smartphone and will display text, photos, military records, and memorials entered by family or friends. 

Sharing the Dash

When his grandfather died, Morgan became more dedicated to preserving his memory, along with the memories of veterans. Perhaps ironically, James Willis Morgan did not serve in the military, but was a hardworking farmer—literally a flag-waving supporter of the United States.  

He was born in 1940, too young to serve in World War II or the Korean War and a little too old for most of the Vietnam War. But he kept the Red, White, and Blue flying outside his Buckley home for decades.

In the works since 2010, Dash4Ever’s unusual name was inspired by a 1996 poem: “The Dash” by Linda Ellis, which tells the story of a friend giving a eulogy. 

He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

Over the past year or so, Morgan has been busy spreading the word about Dash4Ever by visiting veterans groups and conducting workshops across northern Michigan. He’s spoken to VFW groups, genealogy buffs, senior citizens organizations, and others in an attempt to get their interest.

Some of those visits have been emotional.

“I remember, I talked with one vet named Bill,” recalls Morgan. “It was in Southfield. He had been in Beirut and he broke down crying and gave me the biggest hug. ‘Thanks for [giving us] something to remember my type of people,’ he said.”

Morgan knows the clock is ticking as elderly veterans pass away each day.

“My goal is to get with as many veterans groups as I can,” he says. “Rachael helps a lot by reaching out through LinkedIn and Facebook. She’s also been in touch with Arlington Cemetery, but there’s a lot of bureaucracy involved there.”

Dash4Ever offers three plans with different price tiers. A basic package offers a complete obituary and biography and up to 10 photos for $19.99. The standard package is $49.99 and offers an obit and biography, along with up to 50 photos and a slideshow option. Visitors can share memories or send digital flowers. And there’s an online guest book that visitors can sign. The deluxe package is priced at $99.99 and also offers the ability to share videos from popular sites like YouTube or Vimeo. 

“We’ll do a cut rate for veterans,” says Morgan.

Learn more at dash4ever.com.