I have been walking through Oak Woods Cemetery for many years, and the new folks in charge are making this cemetery beautiful again. The area is cleaner, improved landscaping, everything looks so much better. It's a beautiful and historic cemetery. read more

I left a one star review 24 days ago. Management did reach out to me and invited me to leave my information with Ms. Erica D. I have left several messages for her in the past For some reason, I thought this time would be different since Management got involved, but I see that it is not. My mother had a message for (Ms.Erica D.) This message, I believe, would work out the problem that my family is having with Oakwoods but no one will call me back to get the message. Never mind posting! Try picking up the phone and calling 312-480-8804. Everybody is not well versed in technology. Patricia Alexander read more

They have an amazing team there! Ericka GM and Deadre office Manager! They were so helpful with my husband's headstone. They made the process easy and with a great price. I left there feeling at ease and loved! I appreciate them for all the help and kindness they showed. If anyone is looking for a beautiful place to put their loved ones Oakwood Cemetery is amazing.. and the crew there are respectful, professional and kind. read more

My Family and I have our beloved Mother and Brother remains at Oak Woods Cemetery! Our Mother remains have been there since 1993 and Brother since 2021. This past Mother's Day 2024, we held our annual tribute to our Beloveds. The cemetery did not pass out any Mother's Day tokens. The burial grounds were ugly, garbage and weeds galore. Our Beloveds are across from late Chicago's first Black Mayor Harold Washington and we visited his memorial as well and again were very disappointed on the lack of upkeep. It's unfortunate that such a previous beautiful cemetery is looking like a garbage dump! read more

Oak Woods Cemetery - Memorial - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My mother and several relatives are buried here. A number of them are in the in a columbarium, like a (sorry) group of file cabinets that is outdoors and built upwards. Others, like in the picture, are in a memory chapel with a similar structures, indoors in caskets with plaques and a vase for flowers, but when indoors the flowers have to be artificial. This time we visited in the recently built chapel, there were benches for sitting, and stained glass windows. I admit I liked having a view when I visited but it's a nice, quiet space, away from the elements. We have mostly good experiences here, they are very professional, though flowers placed in the vases on the sides end up being discarded. The website claims they are now open 24 hours. Not in the literal sense of course, just by phone. Like some cemeteries in the area, they are taken over by Dignity Memorial. I am not altogether fond of the 'corporate' approach to grief but after the nightmare/monstrosity of Burr Oak, it is reassuring to know that these places are being monitored. The grounds are usually well kept, but some plaques need polishing. read more

Oak Woods Cemetery - Indoor memory chapel with benches - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My recent experience with Oakwood Cemetery was wonderful. The person who guided us through this process was professional, patient , knowledgable and kind. It made a difficult time in our lives easier. Thank you Ms. Danette Dotson! Picture: Virtual flowers to you! Sincerely, Rev. Dr. Shari Cosey read more

Oak Woods Cemetery - Flower pic - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Of course this is one of the few cemeteries that I visit every once in a while. I am of course one of those Chicago graver's and history buffs. I like the fact that a Chicago keeps its history Intacked with forever residents like Big Jim Colosimo the great notorious Chicago Gangster who built his empire in Chicago through racketeering, prostitution and gambling. He was "supposedly" murdered by of course the Kingpin himself, Al Capone or more so by his hit men. His tomb is a bit rundown and please note that his wife is not interred in this mausoleum, she was once a princess in his brothels and when he died, she didn't stick around. Wonder if it was the money she got? One of my favorite spots at Oak Woods of course, is the gravesite of Chicago's late Harold Washington. I was fortunate to attend his wake in City Hall and so his memory is important to me. Granted, there are many other notables at Oak Woods that many never realize, like the family of the city's own staple singers, who coincidently own a large portion of a block not far from here. Oak Woods is not the dangerous spot that I keep reading about, on the day it was nice out and just a pleasant experience. Beautifully kept and manicured, except for the Jewish private back lot that is filled with weeds and overgrown bush. With its brick shack all disheveled and showing signs of age and wear and tear. But still such rich history. Visit but respect the grounds and I am sure you will have a great experience. And if you decide to bury your loved ones, you will also see that it's not a bad place at all. I do on occasion do the tours here, but unfortunately I don't get a lot of people who want to travel here. read more

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I called to see if they had our cousin buried at the cemetery. While I was providing the basic information, the woman on the phone kept interrupting me. Had she allowed me to finish, I could have rephrased my request. Instead, she put words in my mouth. She was very, very abrupt. The call was finished by another woman who was very kind, and I received my verification. I understand that people are overworked these days, and perhaps she had an off day. We all have them. Still, it felt like I was being "challenged" instead of being helped. read more

Many family members, including my mother and siblings are buried at Oak Woods. It has been very reassuring that our loved ones final resting place is so well-maintained Recent ownership changes were concerning; however, our recent interaction with Ms Del Valle, Location Manager, were reassuring. Ms Del Valle is the consummate professional; sensitive, patient, and thoughtful. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her and highly recommend Oak Woods for it's beautiful grounds as well as respectful attention and courtesy read more

Oakwoods Cemetry graves are water filled shallow graves which are not 6 feet deep. Beware ..... Beware customers ! Do not bury your loved ones here. !! My mom was placed in a shallow grave April, 2019. Whowell read more

I'm shocked. Only one Yelper has written a review of this historic cemetery, and that was over three years ago by someone irritated with the construction traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 6,000 Confederate soldiers are buried here, unnamed Civil War prisoners of war, buried in one mass grave with a big monument over it. Governors, Mayors, even Enrico Fermi, who first split the atom. Jesse Owens of Olympic fame. It's huge, hundreds of acres, with tens of thousands of old tombstones. Located near where the 1893 Columbian Exposition was held, it's where I recently discovered my great grandfather is buried in an unmarked grave. Interesting that he died at 49 in 1893, the year the world's fair opened nearby and when thousands of immigrant workers were employed building the facilities. (And by the way, the people at the cemetery's office were extremely helpful to me.) Lots of history, and one outstanding joke - the mausoleum Illinois Senator Roland Burris has already built for himself while still alive. It stand alone surrounded by pavement in the middle of a three road intersection, covered with carvings of his "accomplishments," like being the first African American foreign exchange student from Southern Illinois University to a school in Germany in 1960. What an ego! What a joke! If you're in the area, it's worth taking a ten minute drive through. read more

Outstanding service!! Danette Dotson was very timely and efficient. She took me on a tour of the grounds and by the time we got to the plot it was already being marked and prepped. Great coordination between the groundskeepers and the front office. The groundskeepers even carried floral arrangements for our family, they were very courteous. It was a great experience!! I would recommend them to anyone looking for burial services read more

Oak Woods Cemetery - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a serious pain in the tushie. I decided I could go here in the morning before my flight out of Midway. I called ahead. I said I would have little time at the cemetery and asked if they could look up my family and prepare a map for me in advance of me getting there. The lady on the phone refused. She said I would have to come into the office and they would do this while I waited. She said it would be very fast. I nicely asked again, explaining that I had a flight to catch. She again said she wouldn't do this until I was in the office and that it would be fast. Then she had the audacity to say (I'm not making this up) that she couldn't help me over the phone because there were four people waiting in line at the counter. When I arrived, I was stressed because freaking Dan Ryan construction had made my drive there take FOREVER, so I had even less time than I hoped. I walked into the office and thankfully there was no line. But when I gave the lady at the counter my names, she said, "Oh, that's in the old Jewish cemetery." The next 20 minutes involved being told that there was no map of the Jewish cemetery, there was only one guy who knew about where the gravestones might be but he was in a meeting, the suggestion that I get in touch with some synagogue that maintains the old cemetery, and then producing a map where they could vaguely tell us the region my graves would be in. At this point I was really, really irritated that they hadn't fulfilled my earlier request. So we finally drove to the run down, old Jewish Cemetery, which is a tiny part of enormous Oak Woods (which houses former mayors and several other notables). Then we walked around among the graves for twenty minutes before I had the delight of shouting, I found it!" The other couple that was hunting for a grave didn't seem so lucky. My advice: insist they make up a map for you before you get there. For those who say this is in a "bad" neighborhood, what a joke. It's a cemetery. Who is going to bother you there? I took surface streets from the cemetery to Midway (following Google maps' directions) and had no problem. I think it took around a half hour (not counting the huge line at the car rental return). read more

My dealings with Eliza Hill, Family Service Director at Oak Woods Cemetery, were "over the top." She was knowledgeable, efficient, friendly, helpful, and very speedy. She is the consummate professional and has a warm, comforting approach in dealing with sensitive issues. She is a real asset to Oak Woods Cemetery and should be highly commended. Thank you Oak Woods Cemetery for having her in your employment. Thank you, Eliza, for all you do. My most sincere thanks. Very sincerely, Dorothy L. read more

I rarely write reviews, but I felt compelled to share my wonderful experience with Oak Woods Cemetery. Mrs. Aris Simpson, an Family Service Counselor at Oak Woods Cemetery, came to my home to talk about pre planning for my final wishes. Her presentation was informative, giving me more options than I thought was available. I am better informed because of Aris Simpson's presentation and confident with pre planning. Charlene Porter read more

I would like to commend Oak Woods Cemetery and their staff on their professionalism during the difficult process of burying my father. I worked with Kimlianne (Kim) Washington and over the couple of days of planning; she was not only professional and knowledgeable, but personable too. My father's burial ceremony went off without a hitch. I was very surprised to find out how many famous and infamous Chicago public figures made Oak Woods their final resting place. read more

One of the most interesting cemeteries in Chicago. From the Civil War to old Jewish congregations burial section to civil-rights leaders, there is almost too much to see in one visit. The Chicago Architecture Center runs an excellent tour that covers the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement. Worth the trip to the South Side. read more

I came here the other day to see family that I have interred there and the setting is very peaceful which gets four stars. What really got to me was how they're failing to clean up the fallen branches because as I drove through the cemetery I saw fallen branches everywhere and in what I believe is section Y there was this 8 foot long 7 inches thick branch off an oak tree that was covering a bunch of graves and they needed to get this taken away before someone gets hurt. I am in the process of having headstones laid for both my grandmother and mother and I may have to start bringing a small broom to sweep my grandfather's headstone since it was covered in grass clippings. A couple of months back they were closed citing flooding and when the news ran a drone over the cemetery it wasn't flooded as bad as they say it was and only certain sections were flooded and I was seriously thinking about reinterring my mother and grandparents in above-ground crypts. Overall it's a nice cemetery, but they need to get it together in terms of keeping the grounds better kept in terms of the falling branches. read more

The only reason I can't give a 5th star is because Oak Woods is expensive, but the service they provide is exceptional. Danette helped me through an extremely difficult time when I lost my husband suddenly on Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. Not only did she answer the phone on the holiday weekend, she also was available to show me around the cemetery on Monday, Labor Day itself. She was patient and kind as she showed a friend and I the sections of the cemetery that were in my (budget) price range and she carefully explained all of the elements of the burial process to us. She was generous with her time and a comforting presence each time we talked. On the day of the burial, Danette made sure everything ran well and on time. The grounds crew also were professional and caring people. If Oak Woods is within your means, then I highly recommend their services. The cemetery itself is beautiful and well-maintained. Since there are so many historic figures buried there (Albertina Walker, Jesse Owens, Harold Washington, to name a few) I am confident that it never will be in disrepair. read more

Oak Woods Cemetery buried my Mother in a muddy water filled shallow grave on Monday, April 22, 2019. The GM, Natalie Wood was rude and very unconcerned that the behavior she displayed to my family and friends when we arrived to bury my Mother was horrific. We were told that the integrity of the grave cite was not safe and a liability for the cemetery. What they did not say is the graves were all sunken holes that should not have been sold for any bodies grave. My Mother purchased 4 graves in March 2007 and never did Oak Wood staff mention they did not dig graves 6 feet. Only when my sister and family friends did we witness the shallow hole in which they placed my Mother. Telling the family they are only required to have 18 inches of dirt to cover the grave. My Mother paid Oak Woods Cemetery over $11,000.00 for 4 graves to find out when she was to have her remains placed into one the graves purchased that her remains would be placed in a sunken hole filled with muddy water. Oak Woods Cemetery as stated in Jim Williams interview on March 20, 2019 that Oak Woods Cemetery is flooded and has sinking graves. If you love and care about where you want your loved ones to have their final resting place Do Not go to Oak Woods Cemetery. My dog was buried with more dignity and respect than how Oak Woods buried my Mom. My sister and I are now looking for a final resting place for my Mom because she will not continue to float around in that grave. Oak Woods Cemetery is a disgrace to all that have entrusted their loved ones remain. Marlin read more

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My wife and I visited Oak Woods Cemetery for a Per-service consultation. We found the location convenient and the grounds exceptional. The variety of options and settings were a pleasant surprise. Dignity Memorial Associate, Ms. Aris Simpson was exceptional. She provided a thorough overview of the history of the site, services and options. We found the services and associated costs to be reasonable and within reach. The tour of the administration building, chapel, grounds, ponds and mausoleum were very informative. Although we are still in the planning stages the consultation was very useful. Billy M. Chicago, IL. read more

I didn't come here for the historic significance of some of the "residents," but for the wildlife. I'd heard for years that Oak Woods has a population of gray foxes, which are rarer than the red fox. Gray fox are beautiful little animals, very catlike (they climb trees) and this population supposedly had become so habituated to humans that they would approach close enough for photo ops, in the hopes of getting a handout of cat food. Unfortunately, the guy in the office did not know anything about gray foxes--he said there were lots of coyotes, however. This was sad news, because coyotes often push out the smaller predators, like fox. But, we drove around to the Jewish section to have a look anyway. That's where witnesses said they hung out. The guy in the office was really nice and gave us a handout listing famous gravesites as well as a map. This place is LOADED with history. The Jewish cemetery, where we tried to track our little canid friends, is near the civil war memorial commemorating the 6000 Confederate soldiers buried here. This was the site of Camp Douglas, and a cholera epidemic burned through the POW camp before the end of the Civil War. The tribute to these young men, who died so far from home, is moving and well-maintained. The Jewish cemetery itself is overgrown and unkempt. I'm not sure if there is some arrangement with a Jewish benevolent organization that, at one time, was supposed to maintain the graves, but in any case it is not being done. The Jewish section is fenced off from the main cemetery, and the main cemetery is decently cared for. A little neglect here is actually okay, because the graves themselves are intact, and the overgrowth should be conducive to fox dens. We did not see any foxes--but maybe they saw us! We did, however, come across several examples of fox scat. We also saw coyote scat. These weren't fresh, exactly, but would have been fairly recent because they were mostly intact. We will return after a snowfall and see if we can find tracks. I hope the gray foxes are still there, and aren't--like the poor boys buried at the CSA mound--gone for good. And I hope our search for them isn't a "lost cause." I will update this post if we see a little fox--maybe I'll post a picture! Oh, and FYI to the reviewer who pooh-pooed the idea of being unsafe in a cemetery ("who's going to bother you there?"): obviously, this person has not been around the block much. I did not feel unsafe at Oak Woods. However, I live four blocks away from Mt. Hope, which has the unfortunate reputation of being a gang funeral destination. You can look up the news stories about this; because of its allure to various gangs, it is the busiest cemetery in Illinois. Our community has really worked with the police and our representatives to address this, because the fact is, there has been a LOT of spillover mayhem when gangbangers are laid to rest. Hopefully things are getting better, but it was NOT safe to go anywhere near Mt. Hope at any time it was open, because of the violence that then spread all along the processional routes. Ridiculous. Almost every day, we had police helicopters circling the area because of all the nefarious characters paying their respects. So: visit Oak Woods, and other places, but use common sense. The cemetery staff are not body guards. You are not bulletproof. Be alert and don't go alone, and report any strange activity. read more

Danette Johnson employee for Oak Wood Cemetery not only did an excellent job, but she went above and beyond to assure that my father's repass went well. She supplied music in addition to the wonderful catering and open bar service. It brought a connection to family and friends that haven't seen each other for such a long time. The burial grounds were clean and it brought a since of peace amongst us. Thank you so much Oak Wood for hiring such a dedicated professional staff member such as Danette Johnson. read more

Someday I hope to make a trip from Texas to visit the graves of my maternal great great grandparents; Jennie Amanda Johnson and (1/29/1867 - 3/6/1945) and Aron Andrew Johnson (2/22/1864- 4/2/1929). They were both Swedish immigrants. I have her Swedish Bible and New Testament. The New Testament has her signature inside the front cover. They were both devout Swedish Baptists. They had 5 children of whom I knew two in my lifetime: my great aunt Myrtle and my great grandmother, Ruth. So, I have a living connection to them. Someday I hope to lay flowers on their graves. read more

Thank you Danette Dotson for a personable, efficient and exceptional customer experience today. On Tues Oct 21, i visited Oak Woods Cemetery to finalize burial arrangements for Sun Oct 26. Due to the tight timeframe i had called the previous day to let Oak Woods Cemetery know that i was coming. By the time i got there the next day, the files had been pulled and the cost estimate prepared which allowed Danette to review and answer my questions promptly. Even more impressive, by the time she took me to inspect / validate the burial location, the grounds crew had already prepared the site for the burial occurring several days later. Oak Woods Cemetery is an amazing place with amazing staff read more

Since my last complaint about this facility I have not received a response and the grounds around my father's burial site are still substandard More importantly the staff is rude condescending and unresponsive read more

Well, there is good news....... I wrote a letter to the corporation that owns Oak Woods....... haven't heard back from them yet, but, I also sent the same letter and attached a copy of the death certificate of Laura that showed she was buried at Oak Woods, to an employee at Oak Hill who had helped me before. She contacted the office manager at Oak Woods and forwarded my email to her. The office manager did the research, found Laura and sent me the grave and plot details then had the grounds department flag her grave so she could take a photo and send it to me. Had to flag the grave since there is no stone. I am happy to have found Laura, but it's still a shame that I had to write letters detailing my unfortunate experience to get the results I was hoping for. Hopefully this won't happen to another person looking for ancestors...... read more

I have been looking for burial information for family members for a while now. I finally tracked down one family member. The same day I called Oak Woods Cemetery I was given the information I was looking for. The employee, Pamela, was pleasant and so very helpful. So grateful for the effort and assistance. read more

My grandfather's brother is buried in the mass grave that is called The Confederate Monument. The story of 17th Texas Infantry involves not allowing the prisoners to bring their coats, transporting them on the deck of a barge hundreds of miles into a blizzard at St. Louis, and moving them on up to Camp Douglas. What was involved was indubitably pneumonia and influenza, rather than such diseases as dysentery, measles, and typhoid. Both sides were guilty, at times, of mistreating prisoners and camps often proved a disgrace to humanity. Had it not been for that unjust and unnecessary war my family could have been much larger. I trust that the rabid abolitionists and rich planters suffered less that the poor boys whose remains lie in the confederate mound. It is altogether possible that not one soldier in the 17th Texas owned even one slave. I doubt that even one of them hated Yankees. I do think that they joined, as young men do now, for a reason called patriotism. That is not glorious nor admirable. It is sad. read more