My name is Christie Lou. I am a forensic genealogist working in the energy industry since 2014.

As of October 5, 2023, I have officially stepped away from volunteering on Find A Grave. I will no longer contribute in any capacity beyond approving edits.

I can no longer support a platform that allows complete strangers to create memorials for the recently deceased using publicly posted obituaries—often within minutes of publication—with little regard for the families left behind.

When my friend's father passed away, an unrelated person had already claimed and created his memorial less than an hour after the obituary appeared on the funeral home's website. This kind of obituary vulture behavior is deeply disrespectful at the most vulnerable time in a family's life.

Until Find A Grave implements meaningful protections that prioritize grieving families over speed and volume, I'm done contributing.

PHOTO RELEASE

I hereby grant permission for anyone to download and use my photographs from Find A Grave for personal, non-commercial purposes only. No need to contact me for permission—just please give me clear photo credit (e.g., "Photo courtesy of Christie Lou").

Commercial use, publication, or any form of redistribution requires my explicit written consent. Thank you!