I recently called Cypress Hills Cemetery to locate my loved one. The person that answered was…read moreabsolutely awesome. She was very patient, understanding and caring. She gave me the information and said when I did come to visit they would give me a map and show me how to get there. I asked if I could ask for her when I do go, she said yes and that her name is Olga. A couple of weeks later I did visit the cemetery and found Olga working in the office. She remembered our conversation and gave me a map with the directions, she was very kind and offered her condolences for my loss. I was actually thinking I would be given the information and be on my own. However it was totally opposite, she was very helpful, knowledgeable, and her voice and tone was that of an Angel. She made what was for me a very difficult situation totally manageable. Thank you Olga for all your help, you're a very special person.

The only National Cemetery in New York City also functions as one of the city's best (and unknown)…read morepublic open spaces. Solemn rows of uniform white stones matched by pure white dogwood trees in May. More immaculately manicured than any other cemetery or park in the city; atop the steep hill lies a grassy spot for quietly enjoying the view over Jamaica Bay.

We had a good experience here. When my mom passed I had no clue of what to do or where to go. I…read morespent a day googling funeral homes and cemeteries and chose St. John's because it's a Catholic cemetery and not that far from where my dad lives so it would be easy for him to get to. The front desk staff was fairly friendly and the gentleman that helped us purchase the plot was very helpful and walked us through everything. He was also patient with me, in terms of decision making because I was in a total fog since it was barely 48 hours since everything happened. Once we finished the paperwork the gentleman walked us over to the actual location of the gravesite and showed us. On the day of the funeral everything went seamlessly and they did a great job of coordinating with the funeral home. They coordinated well with monument place when we purchased a headstone later in the year. It is definitely expensive but worth it for what you get. I appreciate that maintenance is included and we don't have to pay that on top of everything else you pay for. The location of the gravesite is perfect, about 2 mins from the entrance on Metropolitan. I appreciate the cleanliness of this place, every time we visit Mom's gravesite is clean as well as the surrounding areas. They also communicate well throughout the year, they will send you a flier for seasonal flowers as well as other mail for other things that may need to be addressed. If you are a Catholic and have a Catholic family member that needs a burial I would recommend this place.

I have family in two plots here a few rows away from each other and it's always well-maintained…read morewhen I visit, unlike another cemetery in the area. The masoleums are gorgeous as are many of the statues. A lot of mafia people buried here.

First off, this is not a happy place. It is a place of the afterlife where your loved ones is…read morehoused. To my family, what was important was the kindness of the Director and her staff's willingness to guide us through the whole plot purchasing process along with options provided. My mom passed away a few years back (f*ck cancer!) and we were not in the right headspace. We were first timers and really needed guidance and patience. Landscape, Upkeeps, Grounds are all clean. The staff are very nice. It can be quite hectic at times during traditional Chinese cultural visits like during Cheng Ming, which coincides with Easter. The staff keeps it going and are usually helpful. If you have the money, this location is best for any family living in the 5 borough. Otherwise, it's Jersey or Upstate NY. The only 2 issues I have with Cypress Hill is 1) we paid for perpetual care but often we see lots of weeds & trash around my moms' grave. So we end up cleaning it ourselves. 2) WHY is there ONLY 1 bathroom?!? It's horrible and that bathroom is quite gross... so you might want to hold your bladder... Good luck friends.

My family and I have been visiting CHC nearly yearly since 1990 when my grandmother passed away…read more The land has been consistently well cared for. They even have trash receptacles just in case. I normally bring a large jug of water because the water spigot is a bit of a walk from where my grandmother is buried. I'd also imagine that the spigot is shut off during winter to prevent water from freezing and damaging the pipes. Normally I go to Glendale Florist about a few blocks away from the cemetery for a bouquets of flowers and cemetery cones but there are many other similar businesses in the area too. For those who might be wondering why there are large evergreen bushes planted next to graves in the Asian section, it's a symbolic cultural ritual that a number of people cherish. I respect other people's beliefs but my family and I don't participate in this particular activity. I had to ask about the beliefs behind this practice since I was not knowledgeable and also wondering. It was explained to me that these evergreen bushes are connected to the thought of eternalness which is probably why these bushes aren't shaped or pruned either. The sections are well marked. I don't know how much a plot costs because a family member made these arrangements so contact CHC for answers to your questions.

Did you know that the Westchester Funeral Home is a historic, family-run funeral parlor owned by…read morethe Benedict family since 1832? It all started in the East Village of Manhattan, then moved north at the turn of the century. The business is currently run by 5th-generation great great great grandson, Alan Benedict, his wife Maria, and their daughter, Carrie Benedict, who run the business with true compassion, taking care of every detail seamlessly. The Benedicts have provided wake, visitation and funeral arrangements for both my husband's and my family over the years. We cannot thank them enough for their kind thoughtfulness, ease, comfort and professionalism during the most difficult of times. God bless.

If 1 were to ask me the 2 most beautiful, historic, aesthetically pleasing, and artistically…read moreenriching cemeteries in the northern U.S. (maybe the entire U.S.), I'd have to say it's a toss-up between Greenwood in Brooklyn, and Woodlawn in the Bronx. My personal favorite? Impossible to say; I love them both, even though I haven't been to either 1 in several years. Maybe Greenwood, because it's easier to get to. I first came to Woodlawn in the late 80s with my father, who wanted to look up the grave of his maternal grandfather. We stopped at the main office, which looked as if it hadn't been updated or refurbished since the time "Cemetery John engaged "Jafsie" Condon through the cemetery fence during futile negotiations for the return of the Lindbergh baby. However, cemetery staff were very helpful and we found the gravesite easily thanks to the map they provided. The cemetery itself is enormous, and enormously impressive. Its 1st burial occurring in 1865, Woodlawn is a 400-acre oasis of architectural splendor, pastoral loveliness, and restorative tranquility in the center of the Bronx. It's the last resting place for robber barons from the "Gilded Age" like Jay Gould and John "Bet A Million" Gates to humble artists like Herman Melville (his modest tombstone has the engraving of a blank sheet of paper on it) to statesmen like Fiorello LaGuardia (a friend said, "The Christian concept of Heaven was very real to him, except he believed it was achievable on earth, and, if he only hurried, possible in his lifetime.") and Ralph Bunche, to criminals like Ruth Snyder (her murder of her husband, accomplished with the aid of her lover, served as the basic plot for the classic film "Double Indemnity") and Charles Becker (a crooked cop executed in 1915 for the murder of gambler Herman Rosenthal, although he may have actually been innocent of that particular crime) to mobster Frank Scalise (his fatal shooting while buying fruit from a Bronx fruit stand was re-created in "The Godfather") to those you least expect, like Western lawman Bat Masterson. The more ornate, elaborate mausoleums resemble hilltop castles, a stark contrast to the tombs of the more humble "permanent residents" (like my great grandfather). Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and George M. Cohan are buried here. So is poor, luckless actress Diane Barrymore, daughter of John Barrymore and author of the book "Too Much, Too Soon." She died too young as a suicide and is buried in the plot of her mother's family. A multitude of family names are on the stone, with the exception of hers. I've always been haunted by some of the highly realistic and sometimes disturbingly lifelike statuary populating the cemetery. One in particular is of a lifesized nude woman (tastefully rendered) sitting alongside a grave in eternal mourning, or until she ultimately crumbles into dust. In turns mournful, sad, historic, lovely (in spite of the sometimes grim reality of the Bronx surrounding it), Woodlawn is a must visit cemetery on your list, if you visit any cemetery at all (although Greenwood in Brooklyn is in the running, as I've mentioned). If you're interested in the history of cemeteries, or of NYC, or just in history itself, Woodlawn is a repository of it all.

Small chapel and lovely service for a dearly departed friend. Several prayers, singing and eulogy…read moredone. The funeral service to the crypt was by car to a very large plot area. The service was short due to the cold but a great memory to our friend. Rest In Peace. Lot parking.

(Visited 06/27/2025 FR @ 5:00pm and 06/28/2025 SA @ 2:00pm): I loved an historic cemetery any time…read moreof day or night! In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City and specifically the Heights, I made my way to Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery where the 2025 Goatchella Music Festival was being held. If you knew me, I loved the lore and mystique of an old cemetery, especially one that had some history tied to it. I've walked by this place numerous times on my way to downtown Jersey City but never had the urge enough to venture in. Finally, it took a local fundraising music festival to grab my attention. How would this historic cemetery in Jersey City compare to others I've visited!? PURCHASE (N/A): Nothing to spend money on that directly affected the cemetery - 'nuff said. EXPERIENCE On these dreaded humid sunny days, I made my way to the cemetery gates, went inside and gravely read the stones of all these people and those lives as I wondered where they were now. With the utmost respect https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=aVeSAJGD1OPhiQV9u7m0ug for the dead, I slowly made my way along each barely-managed uneven pathway https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=zhtA3qcW7tIauEGDOUraDQ as I solemnly gave appreciation to each person whose spirit has since passed. The oldest dates I saw were from the mid-1800s to recent times, the ethnicities/nationalities ranged from predominantly Caucasian (older) to Hispanic (newer). I roamed about as much as allowed, and I could see myself packed with a lunch as I sat on a bench. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=CzJLdWFXj88A0NGa-C_gkQ SERVICE Once I passed through the check-in table for the Goatchella Music Festival, I was left to my own devices to explore the grounds at my leisure. Other than the staffing who was mainly associated with the music festival, I dealt with no one directly with the cemetery which was perfectly fine. Sure, I would've loved to have a docent guide me through since I didn't see any literature anywhere to read, it was completely fine to casually walk among the many sections and rows. Apparently, it was a volunteer staff that managed and took care of the place. All was good! PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) Generally speaking, this was an easy flat-to-downhill 20-minute walk from my friend's place. Otherwise, there appeared to be plenty of spots (no known private lot) along the main drag of Newark Ave. and all surrounding roads - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A sprawling ramshackle spooky-esque undulating field of tall grass and weeds pocketed with headstones https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=pJ_P5tcVC32zuxDdAYy2mQ of all shapes and sizes reminiscent of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. During the daytime, the place was harmless enough, but once nighttime came, I imagined this place turned into a spookier ground of souls and spirits. It was a very no-nonsense cemetery placed in the middle of an urban wasteland. Plenty of natural lighting since you were completely outside while the only electric lights I saw were the ones along the street. There were noTVs while the only background noise was the whirls and whiz of the passing vehicles. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=TnalYkQ5N7Pa9RbUw9pCVA ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery was pretty cool, and I felt it was a nice place to spend an hour or two to relax, get some retrospection, and escape from the world for a bit. It wasn't very decorative (e.g. fountains, monuments, murals), but at the end of the day it was a place for loved ones to pay their respects to those who have gone before them. It needed a ton of TLC (hence, the goats, which will be covered in my next review), and more historical marketing. And, I always loved supporting small businesses whenever possible. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience between the two visits was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, unless they accepted online donations to help with the upkeep, I wasn't aware whether or not they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

What a beauty to go there! If yoire looking for an outdoor museum basically...this is it! Pay your…read morerespects, help volunteer on a tuesday or saturday, or donate tools and water if you can't physically offer some hours of help abd time. I know landscaping is hard on the body but you'll get to help a historical site , get steps in, and learn a new skill! The femetary employs goats in the summer, so we got to see them today, and sheep, ...and a groundhog, and butterflies! Cardinals here too lol. Tombs dates back to early 1700. The other one nearby at old bergen, is 1600s.

Thank you to the entire staff of Volk Leber for the extra efforts you made for our family when our…read morefather passed away in early May. Dad was an American hero who should not have had to endure the suffering he did with a leg amputation weeks before succumbing to the bladder cancer that ravaged his body and mind. You were so patient and kind, leading us through an unpleasant process and we were thrilled beyond words at the chance for a private viewing and cremation. In his last few months, Dad had so many indignities - giggling nurses, gruff doctors, losing his mind - but YOU gave him in death another chance at dignity and treated him and us with utmost respect. Because of Matthew and Volk Leber, we found some peace and comfort as we said goodbye to Dad. Thank you so much.

A funeral home? Yes, why not? From time to time we have the unfortunate need for them. So wouldn't…read moreit be good to know who you can rely upon? I was at Lawton-Turso just last week for a wake. It was a nice place with attentive, caring staff. What I particularly liked about this funeral home was its personal nature. There were no services going on other than the one I was attending. And while there was a high volume of visitors, it was nice to have an option to move into an adjacent room to sit or have some water. Just nice touches.

The most compassionate, professional, heart warming experience ever had at a time of such despair…read more My family and I had originally went with tradition in choosing where to celebrate my father's life. Upon meeting john and speaking within the first 20 minutes his warmth, his words, his energy and patience to have everything meticulously done in such a classy, elegant, and forever remembering way. He helped us break a old tradition just to start a new tradition with him going forward. Special thanks to Marty as well! Thank you all for everything! Words cannot Express.