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Cemetery Insider: Business Insights for Professionals (Preview)
How Cemeteries Can Drive More Preneed Conversations with Facebook Ads
By Welton Hong, founder and CEO of Ring Ring Marketing
There are a lot of ways for a cemetery to market itself today, and the best strategy is rarely going to be built around a single channel.
I still believe strongly in direct mail. It remains an effective way to put a cemetery’s message directly in front of people in the communities it serves. But I also recognize that direct mail doesn’t produce the same return it once did, and one of the biggest challenges cemetery operators face today is figuring out exactly what happened after a piece of mail landed in someone’s mailbox.
That’s where the internet has changed the game.
Someone can receive your direct-mail piece, see an offer, and never respond to it directly. Instead, they might pick up their phone, search for your cemetery on Google, visit your website and eventually contact you. You may have generated that lead, but the digital trail makes it much harder to attribute the result to the mailer.
The same thing can happen with Facebook advertising. Someone might see your ad, not click on it, and then Google your cemetery later.
That doesn’t mean you should abandon direct mail because you can’t track every lead back to a specific piece. It means we have to think differently about attribution—and, more importantly, think about how online and offline marketing can work together.
So where does Facebook fit?
Connecticut Veterans Cemetery Receives Nearly $600,000 for Expansion
The Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown is set to receive nearly $600,000 in federal funding for improvements to the facility and the addition of hundreds of new burial spaces, the Hartford Courant reported.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration has awarded Connecticut a grant of up to $584,250 for the cemetery, located at 317 Bow Lane in Middletown.
The cemetery serves more than 357,000 veterans and eligible family members in the surrounding region. The federal funding will support the construction of 1,510 new in-ground burial plots, along with a range of site improvements.
Planned improvements include a new entrance gate, fencing, landscaping and irrigation. The project also will include concrete-block storage bays, site furnishings and other infrastructure needed to support the cemetery’s expansion.
The grant is part of a nationwide VA program that provides funding to state-operated veterans cemeteries. The program is designed to help states expand and maintain burial facilities so veterans and eligible family members can access the burial benefits available to them closer to home.
Since 1980, the VA has awarded 525 grants totaling more than $1 billion to establish, expand, improve, operate or maintain 125 veterans cemeteries throughout the United States.
Utah Veterans Cemetery Projects Receive $16.5M in Federal Funding
Plans for a new veterans cemetery in northern Utah are moving forward with the help of significant federal funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, KSL TV reported.
The VA’s National Cemetery Administration has awarded $16.5 million for two projects in Utah. The funding will help establish the Northern Utah Veterans Cemetery in Washington Terrace and expand the existing Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale.
The planned Northern Utah Veterans Cemetery is expected to occupy approximately 75 acres of a 100-acre parcel of state-controlled property in Weber County. The facility is projected to have enough capacity to serve approximately 4,000 veterans and eligible family members in the region.
Of the federal funding, $14.7 million is designated for the new cemetery. The money will support construction of administrative and maintenance facilities and other infrastructure, along with 500 pre-placed crypts, 600 columbarium niches for cremated remains and 550 in-ground gravesites.
Construction of the Washington Terrace cemetery could begin in 2027, according to KSL. The first phase is expected to take approximately one year to complete, while the state will be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the cemetery.
The remaining nearly $2 million in federal funding will go toward improvements at the Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale. The cemetery and memorial park serves more than 102,000 veterans and eligible family members.
The Bluffdale project will add 1,400 columbarium niches and support landscaping and irrigation improvements at the facility.
Tennessee Expands Veterans Cemetery Eligibility
For years, some Tennessee National Guard and Reserve members who served their country were not eligible for burial in the state’s veterans cemeteries. A new state law has changed those eligibility requirements, opening access to more service members, News Channel 5 Nashville reported.
The change affects veterans such as Richard Norment, a Tennessee National Guard veteran who learned several years ago that he did not qualify for burial at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.
Norment regularly visits the cemetery and considers it a peaceful place to reflect and remember those who are buried there. He also hopes to have his own final resting place at the cemetery.
His eligibility issue stemmed from the circumstances surrounding his military service. Norment served in the Tennessee National Guard and was activated in Memphis in 1968 during the unrest that followed the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. His unit’s primary responsibility was to support the Memphis Police Department.
When Norment previously asked about being buried at the state cemetery, he was informed that the circumstances of his activation did not meet the eligibility requirements then in effect. The rules had excluded certain National Guard and Reserve members whose service was performed under state orders.
Tennessee lawmakers had considered changes to the eligibility requirements for years. Supporters of the legislation maintained that National Guard and Reserve service should be recognized even when a member’s activation did not meet the standards previously required for state cemetery eligibility.
Legislation approved by lawmakers this year expands eligibility for burial in Tennessee’s state veterans cemeteries.
Under the new law, National Guard and Reserve members may qualify if they completed at least eight years of honorable service.
Eligibility also extends to individuals who were called to duty under state orders, regardless of the length of their service.
Nebraska Woman Sentenced to 15 Years’ Probation for Undelivered Headstones
A Nebraska woman who pleaded no contest to felony charges stemming from the sale of headstones that were never delivered has been sentenced to 15 years of probation and ordered to pay more than $266,000 in restitution to victims, Central Nebraska Today reported.
Hall County District Judge Andrew Butler sentenced 49-year-old Kelli Lepler of Grand Island on Sept. 30. She was ordered to pay $266,636.28 to customers who paid her business, Monument Advisors, for headstones they did not receive.
Lepler reached a plea agreement on Aug. 4 and pleaded no contest in Hall County District Court to three reduced counts of attempted theft by deception. All three charges are felonies.
As part of the agreement, prosecutors dismissed 43 additional theft-by-deception charges. Those included 35 felony counts and eight misdemeanor counts. The purchases involved in the charges occurred between Jan. 8, 2020, and Feb. 9, 2023.
Butler imposed five years of probation for each of the three felony convictions, with the sentences running consecutively for a total of 15 years. The judge also established numerous conditions that Lepler must follow during her probation.
As part of the sentence, Lepler must make minimum monthly restitution payments of $1,500, with the first payment due Nov. 1. If she maintains payments of at least that amount each month, the full restitution obligation will be satisfied within the 15-year probation period.
Westerly, Rhode Island Considers Taking Ownership of Cemetery
Officials in Westerly, Rhode Island, are considering whether the town should seek ownership of a historic cemetery that has no identifiable record owner, Uprise RI reported.
The Westerly Town Council was told that the town could petition Superior Court to take ownership of the 0.83-acre Babcock Historical Cemetery. A title search conducted by the town found no recorded property owner for the burial ground.
No decision was made during the council’s discussion. The matter was placed on the list of items to be considered at a future council meeting.
Town Manager Shawn M. Lacey said the issue arose after a neighboring property owner contacted the town about trees on the cemetery property that needed attention. Because the cemetery is not town-owned, municipal employees have not routinely handled its trees.
The town subsequently researched the property’s ownership and determined that there was no owner listed in the records. The cemetery dates back to the 19th century and is associated with the Babcock family. It is visible from the road toward Watch Hill.
Town officials also said the cemetery receives annual maintenance. The Lions Club participates in cleanup efforts, while volunteers who care for historic cemeteries throughout Westerly leave accumulated brush near the roadway for removal by the town’s public works department.
Town Solicitor William J. Conley Jr. conducted a title search and prepared a memorandum outlining the town’s options.
One option would be to leave the cemetery’s ownership status unchanged. Town officials, however, raised concerns about potential liability associated with an unowned parcel, particularly if a problem were to occur on the property.
The second option would involve asking Superior Court to transfer the cemetery into the town’s ownership and control.
The legal process is estimated to cost approximately $10,000, with advertising and legally required notices accounting for a significant portion of the expense. The town would then be responsible for maintaining the property as a cemetery.
Officials indicated that volunteers could continue helping with routine cleanup, while the town could address larger maintenance needs, including the removal of problematic trees.
The process could take several months, and any transfer of ownership would ultimately return to the Town Council for consideration.
Toronto Cemeteries Become Outdoor Spaces for Art, Architecture and History
Ten cemeteries across the Greater Toronto Area are serving as settings for a free public art and history project that combines architecture, nature, storytelling and community participation, Canadian Architect reported.
Mount Pleasant Group and Space for Grief have created Yesterday. Today. Forever., a series of site-specific outdoor installations developed to commemorate Mount Pleasant Group’s bicentennial. The installations are open to the public throughout 2026, with some elements scheduled to remain in place into 2027.
The project uses the cemeteries themselves as the foundation for exploring Toronto’s history and the communities connected to the sites. The installations draw on archival material, architecture, landscapes and local histories and include sculptures created from reclaimed doors, projected imagery, original soundscapes, interactive Memory Gardens and outdoor exhibits designed in the style of museum displays.
Visitors are invited to participate in the installations by sharing memories, leaving reflections in public guestbooks and exploring stories about the people, communities and changing landscapes that have shaped Toronto and the surrounding region.
The installations explore themes including individual memory, public history, the natural environment and the evolving communities associated with the cemeteries.
The project encompasses all 10 Mount Pleasant Group cemeteries, located throughout Toronto and the surrounding communities, including North York, Scarborough, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Brampton, Pickering and Oshawa.
The installations are free and open to the public during 2026, with select components continuing into 2027.
Williamsburg’s Former Naval Cemetery Becomes NYC’s First Internationally Accredited Botanic Garden
A former naval cemetery in Williamsburg has been transformed into a thriving native plant sanctuary that is now recognized as New York City’s first internationally accredited botanic garden, CBS New York reported.
The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative’s Native Plant Sanctuary occupies 1.8 acres alongside the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. What was once an overgrown and abandoned property has become a meadow supporting native plants and a variety of wildlife.
The sanctuary opened in 2016 on the former site of the Brooklyn Naval Hospital Cemetery and is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. Its transformation demonstrates the potential for restoring natural habitats even in densely developed, industrial areas.
During the summer, the sanctuary received accreditation from Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the world’s largest plant conservation network. According to Brooklyn Greenway Initiative leaders, the designation makes the site the first internationally accredited botanic garden in New York City.
The organization views the recognition as evidence that portions of highly developed urban areas can be returned to more natural conditions while creating spaces where native ecosystems can flourish.
The property’s history, however, extends well beyond its transformation into a botanical sanctuary.
The land originally served as the cemetery for the Brooklyn Naval Hospital. It was formally designated as a cemetery around 1838, and the last recorded burial took place in 1910.
Louisville Cemetery Faces Potential State Dissolution as Questions Mount Over Its Future
A historic Louisville cemetery could face significant changes after its private operating entity was listed by Kentucky as being in bad standing and classified as having a status of “Pending Dissolution,” WHAS 11 ABC reported.
The situation has raised concerns among community members about the future ownership, maintenance and management of Louisville Cemetery, located near Poplar Level Road.
At a recent cleanup organized by the Louisville Cemetery Improvement Association (LCIA), Metro Councilmember Josie Raymond said the cemetery’s owner intends to close the private cemetery. Raymond represents the area where the cemetery is located and said Louisville Metro has consulted with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, which handles issues involving abandoned cemeteries.
The possibility of a closure comes as community members continue to raise concerns about the cemetery’s condition.
Maintenance problems have been a continuing concern for the community. Louisville Metro Codes and Regulations has addressed violations involving conditions such as excessive grass growth, dead trees and abandoned vehicles. The family that had maintained the property for years and lived at the cemetery was dismissed from its responsibilities last year.
By September, vegetation in some areas had grown several feet high, obscuring portions of monuments.
Denver’s Riverside Cemetery Pursues Water-Free Landscape
Riverside Cemetery in Denver is embarking on an ambitious effort to transform its parched grounds into a sustainable landscape that can thrive without irrigation, potentially providing a model for other cemeteries facing increasingly severe water constraints, the Colorado Sun reported.
The 77-acre cemetery, located along the South Platte River just north of downtown, is owned by the nonprofit Fairmount Cemetery Company. It contains an estimated 65,000 graves, including the resting places of numerous Colorado pioneers, civic leaders and other historically significant figures.
For decades, Riverside was known for its landscaped, park-like grounds. Today, however, much of the property is covered by weeds and sparse vegetation, the result of lost water rights, drought and the devastation caused by Dutch elm disease.
Kendra Briggs, president and CEO of Fairmount Cemetery Company, oversees both Riverside and the organization’s flagship Fairmount Cemetery location. She has seen firsthand how traditional expectations for lush, manicured cemetery grounds are increasingly difficult to maintain in Colorado’s dry climate.
Riverside’s deterioration has generated significant criticism from visitors, with online reviews frequently focusing on the condition of the grounds. The cemetery currently conducts only about 10 burials annually and has space for approximately 500 additional interments.
Rather than attempting to restore Riverside to its former appearance, Briggs and her partners are pursuing a different approach: transforming the property into a landscape dominated by native grasses and flowering plants that can survive on precipitation alone.
For Riverside, the project represents a fundamental shift in what a cemetery landscape can look like—not a return to its former manicured appearance, but an effort to establish a new model suited to Colorado’s increasingly challenging climate.
Indiana Townships Face Responsibility for Thousands of Abandoned Cemeteries
Indiana is home to thousands of abandoned or neglected cemeteries, many of which have been left for decades with little or no maintenance. In many cases, however, state law provides a framework for determining who is responsible for caring for these forgotten burial grounds, according to The Lebanon Reporter.
The issue recently surfaced in Galveston, where 92-year-old retired gravedigger Allen McCloskey spent years maintaining an abandoned cemetery after discovering it near his home.
About 15 years ago, McCloskey began searching for an old graveyard he had heard about decades earlier. He eventually located Old Galveston Cemetery, a Civil War-era burial ground hidden in a wooded area at the end of an overgrown path alongside a cornfield.
The cemetery had been largely reclaimed by nature. After realizing no one appeared to be maintaining it, McCloskey took responsibility for clearing the property. He mowed the access path, removed brush and fallen limbs and uncovered several headstones that had fallen over or become obscured.
Old Galveston Cemetery is one of thousands of Indiana burial grounds that have been abandoned or neglected, according to the Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project. In some cases, vegetation has completely concealed the graves. Other cemeteries have been buried beneath soil, vandalized or effectively erased from public records.
Volunteers often care for such properties informally, filling a gap that might otherwise leave historic burial grounds completely unattended. But after McCloskey retired from grave digging last year, his family began looking for someone else to assume responsibility for the cemetery.
That raised a fundamental question: When a cemetery has no active owner or organization maintaining it, who is legally responsible for its care?
Read the full article to learn what The Lebanon Reporter discovered.
Nevada Opens First VA National Cemetery in Elko
Nevada is set to open its first U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs national cemetery, giving veterans and their families in rural communities surrounding Elko a permanent burial option much closer to home, Fox KVVU TV reported.
The VA will formally dedicate Elko National Cemetery as its 158th national cemetery during a ceremony scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4. The hour-long event will include remarks from state and federal officials, the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and military honors.
Among those expected to participate are Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei and VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Samuel Brown.
The new cemetery is part of the VA’s broader effort to expand access to national cemetery services in rural areas where veterans and their families may otherwise face lengthy travel to reach a national burial site.
Elko National Cemetery will serve more than 3,700 veterans, along with eligible spouses and children, living within approximately 75 miles of Elko.
The facility will provide several burial and memorial options. These will include traditional casketed burials, in-ground burial spaces, a columbarium for cremated remains and a memorial wall for veterans whose remains are scattered at sea.
