Cemeteries. I like them or dislike them. Usually for the same reasons. It's only a matter of…read moretiming. I recently lost a long-time friend to ovarian cancer. I stopped by Deer Creek to pay my respects and say my own goodbyes. Deer Creek is much bigger than I expected. It may have been the lack of trees or tall bushes that can break up the long site-lines in a typical cemetery, but the gravestones seemed to go on forever, up and down the small slopes. The grounds were spotted with dashes of color from the flags or flowers placed near the markers. I noticed the well-paved, large roads that take visitors to all corners of the grounds. There are street signs and street names on the intersections. I've not ever noticed that before in a cemetery, but it gives it the feeling of a small town. If I consider, also, the other markers designating areas within those blocks, almost like house numbers, I suppose it is like a mini-town. A well-laid out town. Bittersweet. As I roamed, looking for the one place I needed, I saw the well-groomed grass and nicely maintained grounds. You can move from the older to the more recent without noticing. Deer Creek obviously chooses not to save money by letting things becomes overgrown. Good job. After several minutes, I gave up and stopped by the office to ask for directions. The man working that day found the information on the computer, gave me the location, and pointed me in the general direction. Fewer than 5 minutes. Efficient. It's a nice cemetery. Next time I'm in the area, I may like it. But right now, in this moment, at this time: I dislike it. Cancer sucks.

Over the years they have really kept up with the place. Even found out they have Lots available…read moreonce again. Definitely gonna have to stop in for a purchase.

My wife was buried here several months ago. This place is very well maintained. I came to visit my…read morewife on a recent day when we had four inches of snow. The cleanest roads I encountered that day were within the cemetery. All the employees I have interacted with are very respectful, and helpful. I plan on joining my wife here when I die.

This place is nice enough, that I am choosing to be buried here when I die . . . How's that for a…read morereview?!?!?! Cheers!

We worked with Simons on funeral services and were treated with courtesy and respect. Communication…read morewas outstanding. They helped us even find a contact for the cemetery out of town we wished to use.

This is the funeral home that my family has used for years- not sure why- but I have to say they do…read morea phenomenal job. Everything about this place is classy. The house itself is beautiful & it's surrounded by pretty trees. The attendants and personnel are extremely professional but also very caring. The makeup person does a great job as well. They also have a nice little chapel area where we actually had the funeral services for my grandparents. The bathrooms are also very nice- seems strange but I can always appreciate a good bathroom! They also go the extra mile & make a slide show DVD of your loved one if u provide them with pictures. The DVD makes a beautiful & comforting keepsake. Overall I would highly recommend Simons.

It is never a good thing when you need to go to a funeral home but if one must then White Memorial…read moreChapel would be the one that I would recommend. The entire experience was very pleasant. I interacted with 3 staff members and all three were very accommodating and extremely pleasant. I believe one of the three was the owner. A very nice gentleman with a very pleasant demeanor. Not sure what I was expecting a funeral home owner is supposed to look and act like. I guess growing up watching "The Addams Family" stuck in my head. This place was certainly not like that. The lead person (lady) seemed to have a passion for her line of work or else she really enjoyed putting the client and guests at ease. One thing I noticed was that she was very detail oriented. There was a piece of cloth that was visible once the casket was closed. I didn't even notice because it was just a tiny piece... and she discretely came over and fixed it. I'm thinking that maybe someone whom didn't really care would have just let it stay because it wasn't obvious. I thought her attention to detail was impressive. She was great! She had an assistant that was very accommodating too. I gave him specific music to play for the service and he did it superbly. He put me at ease with his qualifications by letting me know that he works the sound system for his church. Very nice young man. So everything ran smoothly. Inside the facility was beautiful and very comforting. Must have been the warm earth tone colors. I think I just want to say that they are top notch for that line of business. Upon closing, I'm hoping not to need that type of service again although I'm thinking it's inevitable but if I have to experience death of a loved one I can rest assured that if I used White Memorial Chapel that my loved one would be in good hands.

This is not a classic cemetery in that it lacks vertical headstones and mausoleums. Natural…read more("green") burial is the rule. Bodies are not embalmed or preserved and are usually buried shortly after death in a shroud or natural casket. The concept of green burial is based on the biblical concept, "You were made of the earth and to the earth shall you return." That is, once the soul and spirit of the individual have left the physical body, the components of the body should return into the earth as quickly as possible in order to maintain the flow of nature. The property is quite large and beautiful with woods, meadows, and a variety of other settings to choose from for your loved one. We walked around with the proprietor until we found a spot we liked at the edge of the woods with views of the meadow. There are a limited number of cemeteries that are in sync with the green burial movement, and we are fortunate to have Penn Forest in Pittsburgh.

The cemetery is nice and clean and kept up. No one was working so we couldn't get help finding a…read morecouple graves. I knew the vicinity but after 1.5 hours of searching we gave up. That was so disappointing. We were there on Oct 12. So sad to leave without seeing my grandparents graves. I live in Missouri so it's not like I can come back soon.

Calvary is the third and final of the large cemeteries in PGH that I've visited. Although it's not…read moremy favorite large cemetery in PGH (that would be Allegheny Cemetery), it's nevertheless still a strong contender. It's unique in two major respects: (1) Its location on top of a hill between the Greenfield and Hazelwood neighborhoods and (2) Its status as the largest Catholic cemetery in PGH. I've visited Calvary Cemetery twice--once about a month ago, and more recently this past Sun.--and both visits have been quite pleasant and relaxing. Like Allegheny and Homewood Cemeteries, there is a variety of different styles of gravestones and monuments, although there didn't seem to be quite as many older ones as in those cemeteries. There is also at least one large mausoleum near the entrance, but I didn't go inside to check it out. Because the cemetery is on a hill, I was hoping for an unobstructed view down to the Mon River and the surrounding neighborhoods. Unfortunately, however, vegetation from trees obstructs the views in most directions, so I was only able to see peeks down the hill. In terms of size, Calvary seems a bit smaller than the other large cemeteries in PGH, and it doesn't offer as many amenities for living visitors (benches, ponds, etc.). The one thing that's a bit strange about this cemetery is the presence of several tall microwave communications towers that overshadow it on a plot of land adjacent to the cemetery. I realize that the placement of these towers is due to the topology, and that the cemetery has no control over their placement, but they do feel out of place in this otherwise peaceful and naturally beautiful cemetery. Despite these minor shortcomings, Calvary is a great place to take a stroll and check out some cool gravestones. If you happen to be in the area and enjoy exploring cemeteries or are looking for somewhere to take a walk that's different than the usual parks, check it out!

Operated by Catholic Cemeteries, St Mary's is somewhat smaller, and is located along Mt Troy Road…read more It's beautiful to walk here, especially the dramatic overlook in the back. It's a peaceful walk with lovely trees and birds.