Why the Yext 2026 Consumer Search Behaviors Report Should Be a Wake-Up Call for Cemetery Owners
For years, cemetery marketing has revolved around one primary objective: earning visibility on Google, according to Welton Hong, founder and CEO of Ring Ring Marketing.
That strategy still matters. But it is no longer enough, he writes an article.
The newly released Yext 2026 Consumer Search Behaviors Report confirms what many in in digital marketing have been watching unfold over the past year: Consumers are fundamentally changing how they search for businesses. Instead of beginning with Google, many are beginning with artificial intelligence.
That shift has enormous implications for cemeteries.
Unlike many retail purchases, cemetery sales often involve substantial financial decisions. Premium family estates, private mausoleums, custom monuments, cremation gardens, memorial benches and advance-planning packages frequently represent five- and even six-figure investments. Those are purchases affluent consumers research carefully before making a decision.
The Yext report found that the highest-income consumers are leading this behavioral shift. Among households earning more than $150,000 annually, more than half now begin their search using AI, making them the demographic most likely to rely on artificial intelligence during their buying journey.
Project EverGreen to Lead Renewal & Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery Beginning in 2027
The National Association of Landscape Professionals has announced that Project EverGreen will take over leadership of the annual Renewal & Remembrance volunteer service event at Arlington National Cemetery starting in 2027, Pro Landscaper Magazine reported.
For the past 30 years, the initiative has brought together landscape and lawn care professionals from across the United States to donate their time, equipment and expertise to help maintain and beautify the historic cemetery in tribute to the nation’s military veterans.
NALP CEO Britt Wood said the event has long showcased the landscape industry’s commitment to service and expressed confidence that Project EverGreen is well-equipped to guide the program into its next chapter.
Project EverGreen, a nonprofit organization established by industry professionals more than 20 years ago, coordinates volunteers, donors and community partners to create and maintain healthy green spaces across the country. Executive Director Cindy Code said the organization is honored to assume responsibility for the event and recognizes the importance of preserving the cemetery’s grounds while paying tribute to those who served in the U.S. military.
Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance Earns National Stewardship Award
Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance has received the National Cemetery Administration’s Stewardship Award, recognizing its exceptional performance in maintaining and operating a state veterans cemetery, the Alliance Times Herald reported.
The award was presented on July 9 by James Earp, director of the NCA Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, to Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance Manager James Goodwin.
The honor is based on the results of an NCA compliance review conducted at Veterans Affairs grant-funded state, territorial and tribal veterans cemeteries. Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance earned the recognition following its compliance review in July 2025, where it achieved outstanding evaluation scores.
According to Earp, the cemetery’s leadership and staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to maintaining the grounds, providing meticulous care and upholding the highest standards in honoring veterans and their families. He noted that the team’s professionalism, attention to detail and compassionate service exemplify the mission of the National Cemetery Administration.
Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director John Hilgert also praised the Alliance cemetery staff, crediting them with ensuring veterans and their families receive a dignified and honorable final resting place. He added that the cemetery has consistently ranked among the nation’s top-performing veterans cemeteries and said the latest award reflects the dedication of Goodwin and his team.
Maryland Authorities Recover More Than $100,000 in Stolen Cemetery Bronze, Charge Two Men
Two Maryland men have been arrested in connection with the theft of more than 100 bronze memorial vases from Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf, where authorities ultimately recovered property valued at more than $100,000, Southern Maryland News Net reported.
Trey Franklin Mason, 25, of Nanjemoy — who also appears in Maryland court records as Otto Franklin Mason — and David Anthony Downing, 34, of Waldorf, are both being held without bond following separate bail hearings.
Mason faces charges of fourth-degree burglary with intent to commit theft, theft of property valued between $1,500 and $25,000, and malicious destruction of property valued at less than $1,000.
Downing has been charged with seven offenses, including two counts each of fourth-degree burglary and felony theft involving property valued between $25,000 and $100,000, two counts of malicious destruction of property, and one felony count alleging participation in a theft scheme involving property worth at least $100,000.
According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, bronze memorial vases were stolen from Trinity Memorial Gardens during two separate periods: June 8-21 and July 4-6, 2026. Court documents allege Downing’s involvement in offenses occurring between July 3 and July 8.
Maryland law prohibits both the theft and attempted sale of bronze cemetery property. Scrap metal recyclers are likewise barred from purchasing or accepting cemetery bronze, including memorial vases, markers and plaques.
Hidden Family Cemeteries Preserve New Hampshire’s History Amid Modern Development
Some of New Hampshire’s oldest burial grounds remain tucked into some of the state’s busiest commercial areas, quietly preserving centuries of history despite the spread of modern development, WMUR 9 ABC reported.
Across New Hampshire, where cemeteries date back to the 17th century, numerous small family burial plots can still be found in unexpected locations, including shopping centers, parking lots and along heavily traveled roadways. Many motorists pass them every day without realizing they are there.
New Hampshire archaeologist and cemetery specialist Marika Labash has spent years documenting these overlooked sites. She said her fascination with historic cemeteries began in childhood, when visiting them was a family pastime. Today, she researches and interprets the stories behind burial grounds that are often mistaken for decorative features or forgotten entirely.
One such cemetery in Newington sits adjacent to the parking lot of a Spirit Halloween store. Although its surroundings might suggest otherwise, the burial ground is authentic and includes graves dating back more than two centuries. Among them is the 1816 grave of a 16-year-old, illustrating how these sites have survived while the landscape around them has changed dramatically.
Labash credits much of that survival to a New Hampshire law requiring a 25-foot protective buffer around historic cemeteries during new development projects. She noted that before those legal protections were enacted, many small family burial grounds were relocated or destroyed.
Genealogist Helps Restore Identities to Forgotten Residents of New Haven’s Paupers’ Cemetery
For more than 100 years, Anna Horan’s grave was one of thousands in New Haven’s Blake Street Cemetery identified only by a small numbered marker. Over time, even the number on her headstone disappeared, leaving her burial place anonymous, the CT Mirror reported.
Horan, the daughter of Irish immigrants, died in 1907 at the Springside Almshouse after a life marked by hardship. Her father died when she was an infant, her husband later abandoned the family, and financial struggles forced her to place her children in an orphanage. Newspaper accounts from the era also documented a legal dispute following an encounter with police. After her death, she was buried in Blake Street Cemetery, which served as New Haven’s burial ground for the poor and unclaimed between 1884 and 1931.
In recent years, Horan’s descendants used DNA testing and online genealogical records to trace their family history, eventually leading them to amateur genealogist Sherill Baldwin. Baldwin has spent the past five years researching the approximately 2,200 people buried at Blake Street Cemetery, where most graves are marked only by numbers. Drawing on census records, newspaper archives and historical documents, she has reconstructed many of their life stories through her blog, Buried Stories.
Read about her work and what she’s discovered in the full article.
North Carolina Woman Accused of Stealing Nearly $10,000 From Church Cemetery Fund
An Iredell County, North Carolina, woman has been charged after authorities alleged she misappropriated nearly $10,000 from a church cemetery fund, WCTI ABC News 12 reported.
According to the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, church officials contacted investigators on May 28 after the church treasurer identified questionable financial transactions while reviewing the cemetery fund account.
The ensuing investigation found that multiple checks totaling $9,700 had allegedly been written from the cemetery fund to Jamie Bame Shore, 58, of Cleveland, North Carolina, who was listed as one of the account holders.
Investigators allege the money was spent on personal expenses rather than being used for the upkeep and maintenance of the church cemetery.
Shore has been charged with four felony counts of embezzlement. She was arrested and booked into the Iredell County Detention Center, where she was held on a $10,000 secured bond.
Family’s Search for Missing Headstone Raises Concerns Over Phoenix Cemetery Construction Project
A Phoenix woman is calling for greater accountability after a visit to her younger brother’s grave at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery turned into an emotional ordeal when she discovered his headstone had disappeared during an ongoing construction project, KPNX TV News 12 reported.
Shirley Carpena said she went to the cemetery to leave flowers at her brother’s grave but was unable to locate his marker. According to Carpena, the headstone, which had been in place for more than 10 years, had been covered by dirt and gravel.
The discovery was especially distressing because Carpena had previously spent years trying to locate her brother’s final resting place after the siblings were separated in foster care during childhood. She said the experience of not being able to find his grave brought back painful memories and underscored the importance of a visible headstone for grieving families.
Carpena said a member of the cemetery grounds crew searched for the marker on the day it was reported but was unsuccessful. Workers returned the following morning and uncovered the headstone.
The cemetery said the incident occurred during a 60-acre irrigation and landscaping improvement project that began in November 2025. The work includes water conservation upgrades, xeriscaping and the planting of more than 200 trees.
In a statement, St. Francis Catholic Cemetery acknowledged that four headstones have been inadvertently covered during construction. Cemetery officials said each incident was corrected after it was reported, inspection procedures have since been strengthened and the family involved in the latest case was contacted directly.
VA Awards Nearly $2.2 Million to Expand Veterans Legacy Education Programs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded nearly $2.2 million in grants to eight educational and research organizations to support projects that honor veterans buried in VA national cemeteries and VA grant-funded veterans cemeteries through the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program, the American Legion reported.
The grants, totaling $2,199,686, will fund educational initiatives that encourage students to research the lives and military service of veterans while visiting national and state veterans cemeteries. Each participating institution will develop projects that preserve veterans’ stories and provide students with opportunities to present their research to the public.
VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown said the program helps connect younger generations with the experiences of American veterans while teaching lasting lessons about military service, sacrifice, courage and perseverance.
The grant recipients were selected through a competitive review process and represent schools, universities and nonprofit organizations from across the country.
The Veterans Legacy Program was established in 2016 to encourage educational outreach through VA national cemeteries while helping students, educators and communities better understand the lives and service of American veterans.
Ponchatoula Approves $1.2M Drainage Project to Protect Historic Cemetery
The City of Ponchatoula in Louisiana is moving forward with a $1.2 million drainage improvement project designed to address longstanding infrastructure problems at its historic cemetery and help protect graves, some of which date back more than 100 years, the Hammond Star reported.
The City Council approved funding for the project during a regular monthly meeting.
Covering about 11.5 acres, the cemetery has no official inventory of burials. Mayor J. Wesley Daniels said the city plans to conduct a survey later this year to document the location of every grave and identify those interred there. He also confirmed that all burial plots have been sold, leaving no remaining space for future burials.
Located at the intersection of Highways 22 and 51, the cemetery is one of the first landmarks visitors encounter when entering Ponchatoula. Originally established as the Catholic Cemetery, the site borders approximately two acres that remain under the ownership of St. Joseph Catholic Church. The cemetery was privately owned during the late 19th and early 20th centuries before being donated to the city in 1935.
According to Kiley Bates, administrator of Tangipahoa Parish Gravity Drainage District No. 1, the cemetery has struggled with drainage, erosion and limited burial space for decades.
Alabama City to Create First Cremation Scatter Garden at Historic Maple Hill Cemetery
Families in Huntsville, Alabama, who choose cremation will soon have a dedicated location to scatter a loved one’s ashes at the city’s historic Maple Hill Cemetery, WZDX TV reported.
The Huntsville City Council has approved a $19,080 engineering services agreement with Schoel Engineering Company to begin designing the city’s first scatter garden at a municipally owned cemetery. The contract covers surveying, design work and construction administration, with the planning phase expected to take approximately one year.
The scatter garden will be developed at Maple Hill Cemetery, the oldest and largest cemetery in Huntsville. Founded in 1818, the cemetery has expanded from its original two acres to 81 acres and is the burial place of generations of local residents.
According to city cemetery officials, the new memorial area is intended to provide families with a peaceful and thoughtfully designed setting where they can scatter cremated remains, remember loved ones and spend time reflecting. The goal is to offer a permanent, comforting location specifically created for families who choose cremation and want a meaningful place to gather.
Iowa Cemetery Reaches Halfway Mark in $2 Million Endowment Campaign
Fairfield’s Evergreen Cemetery in Iowa has reached a significant milestone in its effort to establish a $2 million endowment fund, surpassing the $1 million mark that will help provide long-term financial support for the cemetery’s upkeep, the Southeast Iowa Union reported.
The Evergreen Cemetery Board recently announced that the fund has grown to $1,120,331, placing it just over halfway toward its fundraising goal. To track the campaign’s progress, the board maintains a large thermometer display at the cemetery’s entrance on Kirkwood Avenue, with each donation moving the indicator closer to the $2 million target.
The endowment campaign was launched in November 2023 to generate a permanent source of funding for maintaining cemetery roads and preserving headstones. By October 2024, donations had already exceeded $500,000, and several additional estate gifts have since helped the fund more than double in size.
Ferncliff Cemetery to Launch Clark County’s First Dedicated Green Burial Preserve
Ferncliff Cemetery & Arboretum in Springfield, Ohio will introduce Clark County’s first dedicated natural burial preserve this fall, offering families an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial while preserving the site’s natural landscape, the Springfield News-Sun reported.
Known as Terra Meadow Natural Burial Preserve, the new section is scheduled to begin construction this summer, with burials expected to begin later this fall, according to Executive Director Shelley Baker.
The preserve’s name reflects its mission and setting. “Terra,” derived from the Latin word for earth, symbolizes the natural return of the body to the soil, while “Meadow” highlights the preserve’s location among native grasses and wildflowers within Ferncliff’s grounds.
Baker said the project was developed over several years in response to increasing interest from people seeking end-of-life options that align with environmental values and a desire to minimize their ecological footprint. Rather than simply following a national movement, Ferncliff sought to create a burial space tailored to the needs and character of the local community.
Terra Meadow has been designed to blend seamlessly with the existing cemetery. The preserve will feature mature trees, native prairie grasses, wildflowers, crushed-limestone walking paths and seating areas intended to provide a peaceful setting for reflection and remembrance. The grounds will be maintained without pesticides or herbicides to help protect the surrounding ecosystem.
Ferncliff Cemetery is a certified member of the Green Burial Council, and Terra Meadow has been designed to meet the organization’s standards for environmentally responsible burial practices.
Mount Auburn Cemetery Revives Popular Book Club with Literary Walks
A unique book club has returned to life at Mount Auburn Cemetery on the Cambridge-Watertown line in Massachusetts, bringing readers together once again to explore literature connected to the cemetery’s rich history and notable residents, WBUR reported.
Surrounded by landscaped gardens and the graves of influential figures such as Buckminster Fuller, Julia Ward Howe and Isabella Stewart Gardner, Mount Auburn first launched its monthly book club more than a decade ago. The program was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but strong public interest prompted cemetery officials to restore it this year.
According to cemetery leaders, the revived program is designed to bring people together around shared literary themes while fostering community connections. The books are carefully selected to reflect Mount Auburn’s ties to history, art, architecture, science, biography and the natural world.
The renewed series began in May with a discussion of Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra. Participants gathered at Story Chapel before concluding the event with a guided walk to Gardner’s mausoleum, allowing readers to connect the book’s subject with the historic site.
Organizers hope the revived book club will encourage participants to discover the many historical and cultural connections found throughout Mount Auburn while strengthening both community relationships and appreciation for the cemetery’s role in Greater Boston’s history.
