We suggest assigning this project to one family member to coordinate all efforts. Start by gathering your favorite photos. Check in obvious and not-so-obvious locations, including:

• On the walls, above the mantle, on the refrigerator
• Photo albums, both print and digital
• Your loved one's desk, wallet, or purse
• Drawers and boxes where pictures are stored
• Out-of-town relatives

Think back to significant events in your loved one's life, as those are the moments likely to be captured in photographs. Consider:

• Birthday celebrations
• Family photographs, including parents and grandparents
• Religious milestones, such as baptism, confirmation, bar/bat mitzvahs
• Elementary and secondary school pictures
• College memories
• Weddings and anniversaries
• Sports teams and events
• Childhood friends
• Family pets
• Fraternal organizations and sisterhoods
• Holidays
• Family reunions
• Vacations and special trips
• Special recognition and newspaper clippings

The possibilities are endless! Along with your treasured photographs of happy memories, we can photograph pictures of your loved one's meaningful mementos, such as trophies, cars, musical instruments, or sporting equipment. You can also incorporate their favorite music, or let our caring personnel choose the most appropriate selection from our extensive music library.

Within 24 hours of receiving your photographs, your Memories of a Lifetime slideshow is prepared and ready for viewing during the funeral visitation or memorial service. We have equipped each of our funeral homes with the finest presentation displays and installed them in a fashion that will greatly enhance the visitation experience.

We take great care in making certain that each Memories of a Lifetime collection looks its absolute best. Whether your image is faded, scratched, or otherwise damaged, our highly trained staff will prepare it for display. Our state-of-the-art studio is second to none, offering an extensive line of photographic restoration services.

We have designed and created a facility with advanced technology that will accept any picture, any size, from prints, negatives, or slides. We can incorporate images from the smallest wallet-sized snapshots to the largest portraits hanging on your walls, digitizing them all into your collection. There is no need to take pictures out of their frames—bring them to us "as is."

We create slideshows from sets of 25 or 50 photographs. Be selective! Pick the one or two best photographs that capture the memory of the most important occasions. Editing now will result in a more emotionally meaningful, more cost-effective collection. And keep in mind the most important thing of all: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These are your memories.

Your pictures and treasures never leave our hands at our Wheeling location. You may deliver your photographs directly to our in-house studio in downtown Wheeling or to any Kepner Funeral Home. We also would be glad to have one of our staff come to you and pick up the pictures. Out-of-town family members, often valuable sources of forgotten photographs, can send images via registered mail or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Kepner Funeral Homes
1308 Chapline Street
Wheeling, WV 26003
304-232-5110

For those wishing to prearrange their funeral service or who have already done so, you may begin the process now by gathering your very own favorite life memories and including them as part of your service. Add a personalized message for your family to remember and to make your Memories of a Lifetime even more special!