Iowa's Done-for-You Family Legacy Video Service
EraLoom is a family story preservation service rooted in Iowa. Founded by Theresa Ritchie after the unexpected loss of her father in 2023, EraLoom was built on a single belief: a recording does something a photograph never can. It gives your family their loved one's voice. Their laugh. The way they told a story.
We serve Iowa families from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City, Des Moines to the Quad Cities — and anywhere in the state where a parent or grandparent has stories that haven't been captured yet. For families outside Iowa, virtual sessions are available nationwide.
"A photo shows you what someone looked like. A video shows you who they were."
Why Iowa Families Choose EraLoom
There's something particular about Iowa families. The stories go deep — farm life, the Great Depression, small-town schools, communities built on hard work and quiet pride. These are stories that don't get told at the dinner table because they seem ordinary. They're not. They're irreplaceable.
EraLoom doesn't just record your parent. We prepare. We listen. We ask the questions that unlock the stories they've never thought to tell — because nobody ever asked quite the right way.
In two weeks, you have a film. In twenty years, you'll understand what it was worth.
Iowa communities we serve in person
- Cedar Rapids
- Iowa City
- Des Moines
- Marion
- Ames
- Waterloo
- Quad Cities
- Coralville
- North Liberty
- Dubuque
- Sioux City
- All of Iowa
Don't see your city? Email us — we'll make it work. Virtual sessions are always available.
Our Partnership with the Genealogical Society of Linn County
EraLoom + GSLC Iowa
EraLoom is a proud partner of the Genealogical Society of Linn County, one of Iowa's premier family history organizations. Together, we hosted a free Family Storytelling Workshop in Cedar Rapids — bringing together families who understand that preserving stories is preserving identity. More events are planned. This partnership is just beginning.
Theresa's Story — and Why Iowa Matters
Theresa Ritchie grew up surrounded by the kind of storytelling that makes Iowa families feel like Iowa families — aunts and uncles at reunions telling the same stories for the twentieth time, everyone filling in the gaps, everyone laughing at exactly the right moment.
After her father passed unexpectedly in 2023, she found video footage she'd taken of him almost thirty years earlier. Watching it didn't feel like looking at the past. It felt like he was right there in the room.
That was the moment EraLoom became necessary. Not as a business — as a response. Because Iowa families, like families everywhere, are running out of time to capture what matters. And most of them don't realize it until it's too late.
Questions from Iowa Families
Do you travel to smaller Iowa communities?
Yes. If your parent is in a rural area or a smaller Iowa community, reach out. We've traveled throughout the state and we'll make it work. Travel fees may apply for sessions outside Cedar Rapids and the Corridor — we'll be upfront about that on your free call.
My parent is in a nursing home or assisted living in Iowa. Can you still record them?
Yes — and these sessions are often some of the most important we do. We'll coordinate with the facility, move at your parent's pace, and create conditions where they feel comfortable and at ease. Please don't wait on this one.
Can you record at my parent's farm or childhood home?
If the location has meaning, it becomes part of the story. Recording your parent in a place that shaped them often draws out memories that a generic setting wouldn't. We love working with meaningful locations — let's talk about it.
Is EraLoom only for older parents?
No. We work with anyone whose stories are worth preserving — and that includes people in their 50s and 60s who haven't thought about this yet. The right time to do this is before urgency forces the decision. If you're thinking about it, that's the signal.