The most challenging part, Pam says, was the voice.
Bill was a quiet, reserved man, and there were few recent recordings of him. Older audio sounded stronger; later recordings reflected his poorer health.
Engineers worked to find a balance, something family members would recognise, even if it wasn’t perfect.
At the memorial service, around 200 people gathered. Most had no idea what was coming.
When Bill’s hologram appeared, life-size and from the waist up, on a screen and speaking directly to the room, the reaction was immediate.
“Now, before anyone gets confused, I’m not actually here in Valhalla today,” explained the hologram of Bill. “Is this going to be fun?”
“People were aghast,” Pam said. “Some genuinely couldn’t understand how it was happening.”
The hologram did not just deliver a prepared speech. It also took part in a staged Q&A, with Bill’s nephew acting as host.
The hologram even joked how marrying Pam despite his nerves had been the “best decision I ever didn’t make”.
Several attendees believed the exchange was happening live.
One of Pam’s sons noticed only one small detail. “His voice is just a little bit off,” he said. For Pam, that reaction confirmed how close they had come to getting the likeness perfect.