WordPress is honoring contributors the community has lost over the years through a new memorial page called WordPress Remembers:

WordPress dedicates this page to the memory of those we’ve lost. They’ve shaped our project and enriched our community. As we remember their passion and commitment to WordPress and open source software, we celebrate their spirit.

Forever in our hearts, their legacy endures through every line of code and every user they’ve impacted.

The page lists code and community contributors who left a lasting impact on the WordPress project, and links to their profiles and external blogs and memorial pages.

“As WordPress continues through the decades, we have to deal with all parts of life, including death,” WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg said, introducing the page on Twitter. “As a community, we now have a memorial place we can remember and honor those who contributed to WordPress but are no longer part of this world.” In a followup tweet he added, “I will be on this page someday.”

For a software project that is 20+ years old, with an aging contributor base, departures from this world will soon become more common. Visiting this memorial page is a heart gripping experience if you had the privilege of knowing any of these beloved contributors. It’s sobering to consider the impact and legacy of one’s investments in WordPress, but this elegantly designed memorial calls those questions to mind.

If you know of someone who is missing from this page, you can contact memorials@wordpress.org and volunteers will add them.