About Modern Memorials

We love helping people celebrate the lives of loved ones. That’s why we created Modern Memorials.

We hope to help you discover a tangible way to feel close to your loved one.  If you are on our site, you are looking for something that beautifully reflects the spirit of your loved one and that also mirrors your own esthetic.

We want you to have the opportunity to walk by your urn every day and, even for a moment, cherish the memories of the person or pet you lost. And we want your visitors to admire the lovely artful piece that feels natural in your home.

At Modern Memorials, we scour the world to stock special urns and keepsakes – many handmade - at a comfortable price point. Our hand-curated site has what we believe are the most beautiful urns sold today — whether made of wood, ceramic, stone, steel or eco-friendly materials. These are quality pieces worthy to place in your living room, den or bedroom, or to wear as jewelry.

We hope to make this time of many difficult decisions a tiny bit easier. We want your buying experience to be easy and hassle-free. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or email us.

A Note from Our Founder and President, Kate Ottenberg 

I launched Modern Memorials in 2015 during a moment of frustration. I had recently launched a company to help people plan memorial services and funerals, unburdening those in mourning by handling details both large and small. Knowing that planning a 100-person event in one week would come with challenges, I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to find something as seemingly simple as a beautiful urn. 

As friends and others learned what I was doing, I kept hearing over and over again that people stored one of their most precious possessions – the ashes of a relative or pet – in their closet as they couldn’t find an urn worthy enough to place in their homes. That gave me the jump start to launch Modern Memorials.  I, along with my wonderful staff, hand pick each urn, many handmade, with the goal that they will look natural and beautiful in your home.

Prior to Modern Memorials, I enjoyed a career in celebrity PR and as the head of video strategy for a large content marketing/publishing company.

Yet, I was drawn to do something to help others. My mission and the mission of Modern Memorials is to make it a little easier for you cherish and pay tribute to your loved one everyday.

I live in Washington, D.C. and am passionate about art and design. I enjoy cooking, reading and running with my puppy, Sally. I also practice Transcendental Meditation, which is a non religious practice to relieve stress and add harmony to my life.

Please feel free to contact me anytime at kate@modernmemorials.com. I would love to hear from you.

All the best, Kate

P.S. If you notice “Samantha” engraved in many of our product photos, it is in honor of my beloved golden retriever Sam who lived beautifully for 17 years.