This lengthy review is very well deserved for Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home…read more My father passed away suddenly on a Friday in his hometown of San Francisco. We took the weekend to grieve and began the difficult task on Monday of finding a funeral home. My father was a proud Army Veteran and his wish was to be buried at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. Initially, we thought it would be best to choose a local funeral home in the Bay Area that specialized in military burials. We believed we found one in San Bruno, but from our very first interaction, we were disappointed. When we explained why we were there, the funeral director did not offer condolences. When I asked about burying my father at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, she suggested we could bury him at the National Cemetery in San Bruno instead. To my knowledge, that cemetery is closed to new burials -- it clearly states so on their website. Her response was, "You can always go over there and ask them directly." I was taken aback. Why was she unaware of the burial closure? And why were we expected to do the legwork when we were seeking professional guidance during one of the hardest moments of our lives? We left feeling discouraged and unsupported. After more research, I realized it would be costly to keep my father's remains at a local funeral home and then transfer him to a facility closer to Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. On Tuesday, my mother, sister, and I drove to Vacaville to visit three funeral homes. The first one we stopped at was Vaca Hills. We didn't have an appointment -- we showed up unannounced -- and we were warmly greeted by Joseph. Joseph is one of the drivers who assists with transporting loved ones and supporting burial services. The moment he heard why we were there, he offered his sincere condolences. He clearly stated he wasn't a funeral director, but he patiently answered every question he could. He was knowledgeable about the burial process at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery and provided us with their price list. He also took my contact information and assured me that one of their funeral directors, Mercedes, would call me the next day. Our next two stops were at two other Vacaville funeral homes that work together. One was closed, so we went to the other. While the staff was polite and the funeral director -- a former military member -- had a great sense of humor, the entire meeting felt transactional. It felt more like business than care. The location was also in a very busy area, and we couldn't imagine trying to hold a funeral procession there or mourning in the middle of so much activity. The following morning, Mercedes from Vaca Hills called exactly as promised and scheduled an in-person meeting for the next day. From the moment we met her, she mirrored the compassion Joseph had shown us. She immediately offered her condolences and approached everything with empathy and patience. She never once felt pushy. She answered every question thoroughly and offered thoughtful solutions whenever we needed adjustments. When the topic of payment came up, she handled it with professionalism and respect. She did not ask about life insurance policy amounts. In fact, when my mom attempted to share that information, Mercedes gently let her know that it wasn't necessary and that many families prefer to keep that private. Mercedes is also a military veteran and that meant a lot to us. She ensured every step of the process for my father's burial at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery was handled promptly and properly. As soon as we confirmed our preferred date, she had her team secure the appointment. We selected the Platinum Package, which included a 3-hour viewing and funeral service, followed by a 1-hour burial service the next day. Because my father's burial appointment at the cemetery was scheduled for 9:30 AM, it would have required a very early service and felt rushed. Mercedes worked with us and graciously allowed us to extend our Sunday service to 4 hours instead of 3. On Monday morning, we simply met at the funeral home for the 8:50 AM procession to the cemetery. The entire experience with Vaca Hills was smooth, compassionate and dignified. At no point did I ever feel pressured. They were communicative, understanding and accommodating throughout the entire process. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to extend our utmost gratitude, love and appreciation to Mercedes, Joseph, Brigitte, and Angel. You loved on our family in such a remarkable way during one of the most painful seasons of our lives. You helped us give our father -- our Patriarch, our Protector -- the most honorable Homegoing celebration he could have ever received. We will 100% choose Vaca Hills again if we are ever in need of services in the Vacaville, Dixon, or Fairfield area. With deepest gratitude, The Faagau Family

I had 3 calls with Bridget, the owner. I was astonished by her grossly unprofessional, unhinged…read morebehavior. I had to repeatedly ask her to slow down, lower her voice, and stop interrupting me, so that I could get clear information regarding my father's funeral plans. She wound herself up so badly that she delusionally accused me of doing things I wasn't, which she was actually doing. Despite my multiple calm, gentle efforts to give her space to take a moment to calm down and return to clarity, it was impossible to speak with her before she hung up on me. As if the trauma that I've been going through of losing my father in the way that I did isn't hard enough.... Obviously, I strongly recommend not using this funeral home if you want the kind of professional services and staff that you and your family deserve.

My daughter is buried here. It's a beautiful cemetery and my only hope is when I pass I can be laid…read moreright next to her and that's all I need.

I've had to visit this cemetary a few times over the years and have always liked how the grounds…read moreare kept clean and respectful. The ground guys that do the service are always respectful of the families and polite. A very nice place to honor a loved one. And the location is so convenient to visit.

Amanda was so helpful, gracious compassionate and kind. She helped us navigate through this…read moredifficult process smoothly. Forever grateful Johnna, Julia, and Jill

It's a type of service that you don't want to think about using until you have to use it, but it's…read morea much better alternative to all the other forms of funerals, etc.. It's a lot cheaper for one and environmentally better than cemeteries. My mom and dad both paid for the Neptune Society to take care of them when the time came and the time came for my dad and everything about the service was flawless, very respectable and professional from the pick up of the body to the paperwork, and then the actual scattering of the ashes in San Francisco Bay went off perfectly without any problems. I highly recommend them.

Okay, it's kinda weird to be all 5 star excited about a cemetery but I'm saying this right now, if…read moreyou're either, Catholic and/or Filipino, and/or a military veteran....this is the spot to be buried in the Vallejo/Benicia area. It's almost like a little community in there with who is buried and who is visiting the buried. Everyone I've encounters (living that is) have been friendly and respectful. I had the unfortunate experience of burying my mother recently....but the fortunate experience of burying her here.It's a small but very convenient and functional Catholic cemetery. They keep their grounds clean and attended all the time. The staff here is very nice and easy to work with as well, and because its a faith based cemetery, they are more spiritually minded with their processes and procedures. . Fact: There is a veteran's portion of the cemetery by the flag poles...veteran's and their spouses can be buried here. There is a children's cemetery behind the administration building. Almost all the lots are easily accessible by car (meaning you can drive up and park next to the plots...no hiking miles in).

We have one of our loved ones put to rest at this cemetery. There was a situation here…read moreapproximately a year later, and I notified the manager, JAY. He did an excellent job taking care of the situation and resolving the issue. I give him an A+ for Management skills and Customer Service!! Thank you JAY!!!

Have been meaning to give Blessed Floral Design a 5 Star review for their amazing work they…read moreprovided for me and my family during one of the most tragic times after we lost my Dad last year. It was so unexpected and tragic, we had to prepare his funeral with not a lot of time to plan. It was easy to find standing sprays anywhere, but I was specifically looking for a custom flower arrangement that spelled Dad. Luckily, by the grace of god, we found Blessed Creations!! I contacted her and with complete ease and really hardly anytime for her to prepare herself, she came through with the absolute most perfect DAD flower spray. We asked for red flowers with beautiful white rose accents and she truly delivered!! She created the most beautiful DAD flower arrangement, it ended up becoming the centerpiece to his table at his funeral. It literally was so perfect!! It was huge! So it definitely was a statement piece and it lasted for weeks after! I got to enjoy its beauty for longer than just that day and even that was a great unexpected surprise. Not only that, the communication with her was clear and easy! She delivered and setup the arrangement for us. She came straight to the funeral home and was so professional and kind! Extremely helpful and respectful of the fact that we were all there grieving the loss of my Dad, trying to put the final details together, and she came in and handled her business without really bothering us or making things harder. She arrived on time and delivered perfectly and professionally! It was an absolute great experience and I am truly, truly grateful to have found her. Her flower arrangement was the best piece of all the arrangements!! Thank you so much for making one of the saddest days on earth for my family, one of the most beautiful still!! Will definitely be coming to you for any of our future flower needs!!

If I could give this business 100 stars I would. I definitely felt the amount of love they put in…read moreeach custom piece made. The great communication from the time of order until the time of drop off. The extra mile they go for their customers. I highly and not doubly would recommend this business 100% here are a couple of pieces I have gotten personally made for a funeral and flowers my friends order for me through blessed mourning my loss of my baby.

To begin: No one wants to pick out a coffin. It means that a loved one's earthy journey has ended…read more Imagine the sadness I felt as our family was navigating the imminent loss of my mother and I had to assist my father in funeral and burial planning. It was truly the most painful time of my life. However, after a great deal of searching for the resources and providers we needed, I was led to Blue Pine Coffins and we could not be more grateful. Not only was the coffin stunningly handcrafted and beautifully made, it provided a deep and unexpected comfort at burial and beyond because it was an "elevated" object that was made individually for her with reclaimed wood, supporting her values and aesthetic. Blue Pine Coffins is a family business with a husband-and-wife duo; they custom make each coffin and their word is gold. When I reached out to Danielle two months before mom's passing, she was responsive and made every effort to get the essential info and while being so kind and compassionate. Danielle made sure the coffin we ordered would be perfect for my mom's petite frame. I could reach her via text or email and when the time came for mom's funeral, Danielle was incredibly responsive and arranged for the coffin to be delivered to the funeral home we chose. Meeting Danielle in person at delivery and having a brief hug was touching. My mom was a one-of-a-kind person who always did things her own way. She was an early adopter of earth friendly ethos- yes, she used canvas grocery bags staring in 1991! Mom made her own bread, soap, herbal tinctures, and cleaning products. She gardened and loved the natural world- trees, forests, plants. Imagine my delight finding out that Blue Pine Coffins uses regionally sourced, reclaimed blue pine and are made entirely of wood. This means the coffins are suitable for traditional Jewish and "green" burials, which is what we chose for my mother. The craftmanship is impeccable and you can request a carved Star of David or cross for the top of the coffin. I may add that the price is a great value (mom loved a good value!) and they deliver locally. Choosing Blue Pine Coffins felt authentic to my mom's ethos. I was unexpectedly moved when the coffin was delivered and I could touch the smooth wood with my hand, feeling the weight and heft of this most impressive object, while delighting in its somber beauty. It was absolutely right for mom. It was a vessel that honored her body and her life. Thank you, Blue Pine Coffins and Danielle and Dean. You are doing such important work in the physical and spiritual realm, and our family cannot thank you enough.

From the owner: We specialize in environentally friendly coffins for green and jewish burial. Blue pine refers to…read moretrees that are already dead. They were not cut down to make the coffins. PG&E in Nevada City removes these trees because they threaten powerlines or are a fire hazard. Many already died from beetles or drought. There is no metal, synthetic fabric or padding inside Blue Pine Coffins. Just wood shavings and -- if the family desires -- a cotton sheet. For more information, email Danielle Newberry at coffins@dcn.org or call 530-270-3029.

If you have to be interred, this is the place. My Mom wanted to set up her and my Dad's funeral…read morearrangements so that when they go, we don't have to pay for anything other than the flowers, reception, etc. Located at the top of the hill in Sunset View Cemetary, this place impressed. They have views of the San Francisco Bay from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate. You walk in and the ceilings are super high, so there's a grandness to the place. I have no idea how they still have open spots, but Mom got one in the Oak Room, near a plant which I thought was great because she loves plants. Claude was able to do all the paperwork in half an hour and off we went. Mom and Dad didn't want to do any financing and wanted to pay cash. Here's a tip, bring your checkbook or actual cash, or else you'll be hit with a crazy processing fee of almost 4%, which would have equaled almost $500, just to use a credit card. Save yourself that fee by being prepared. If you need to make your arrangements, you can't do it online. They want you to come in and do the paperwork, but it doesn't take long.

They list their hours as 24 hours a day. Don't plan on visiting relatives or putting flowers in…read morethe building because they lock people out with no attendant on duty. There is a machine to leave a message but once you've arrived it is too late to make other plans. We arrived from the South Bay with flowers for my grandparents- couldn't get into the building. If you plan to close this business at least figure out a way to let people know. Very disappointed in this business!

During one of the most hardest times in anyone's lives, this place and its staff are here for you…read more They aren't here to price gouge, they aren't trying to capitalize in your time of grief, they are here to do the right thing. I will recommend them to anyone and everyone I know going forward.

Amazing service and consideration to family members hurting for lost is very appreciated.read more