Continuing my self guided historical tour of Lake Worth found me at I.A. Banks Memorial Park, a…read morehistorically black cemetery. The cemetery was originally called the Osborne Municipal Cemetery. It was renamed I. A. Banks Memorial Park in 1983 in honor of Reverend I. A. Banks (1890 - 1975). Reverend Banks was the founder and 35 year pastor of New Hope Baptist Church which is located diagonally across the street from the cemetery. In 1885 Samuel and Fannie James, believed to be former slaves, were among the first people to homestead this area before it became Lake Worth. Fannie petitioned for and operated the first post office in what was then called Jewell. In 1914 other Bahamians and African-Americans settled in between Lake Worth and Lantana which was the only area they were permitted to be in due to segregation. When Lake Worth's first municipal cemetery Pine Crest was created in 1923, it was whites only. Blacks had to be buried in Boynton Beach or West Palm Beach. In 1960, Lake Worth established the 1.5-acre Osborne Municipal Cemetery for black residents. The first cemetery care taker was David U. Millines. Recently the city paid to have the cemetery fenced in for added security. I.A. Banks Memorial Park contains 262 graves including veterans. This cemetery is part of the Florida Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. It raises awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of churches, schools, buildings, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, and cemeteries like this one. Historic marker F-1234 was installed in 2023 by the City of Lake Worth Beach and the Florida Department of State.

I must say at such a difficult time everything went well. Lori Scope was the kindest and most…read morehelpful . A heart that you hope you'll deal with during such a difficult day but I felt covered . Lori my thanks you you land everything you did for my fiancé Mike and my brother Fred. It was a brutally hot time of year in Florida the unveiling although Lori helped me write it also has remained on top of everything. Yes Eternal Light Memorial Gardens was beautiful and the process was seem-less and yet it all came together . Thank You to all who work there but especially to Lori Scope .

Meticulous cemetery in a great location with knowledgeable, friendly and helpful staff. We were…read moreable to pre-arrange our funeral and select plots. Debbie Layne zipped around the property with us in a golf cart pointing out all of the interesting corners and options available. We were shown a lot to choose from and were given a lot of good advice and helpful information. Dying isn't cheap, but I'm glad we were able to make arrangements that were comfortable for us and should be for our family.

Dealing with the passing of a loved one is already difficult along with making funeral…read morearrangements. That being said, I have to say that Mark at Neshama made this unpleasant situation less stressful with the funeral arrangements. We spoke to Rabbi Kopelman and Mark. They were both very pleasant and guided us through the process. The staff at Neshama came to the service and were so professional, kind, understanding and so respectful. To anyone facing such a great loss of a beloved family member do not hesitate to contact Neshama JFS LLC. We were very pleased in the decorum, the respect and kindness they all displayed with our beloved father who passed away. Thank you to Mark and the entire staff at Neshama. 5 stars

My family and I had a very easy & thoughtful experience with Laurie Schope( sp) & everyone we came…read morein contact with. As I'm coming up on a year of loosing my mom it's hard to believe that I'm looking at her unveiling. Laurie makes every detail seemless & for that I am forever grateful to her.....& Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Delray Beach. R.I.P. mom ...... Thank You again Laurie

When my wife and I decided to pre-plan our funerals, we attended a seminar conducted by Beth Israel…read moreand were very impressed. We made an appointment to speak with the representative named Jacqueline Schuller. We spoke with her and she laid out what would be required. My wife and I had a choice of a funeral here in Florida or having the funeral by north and Jacqueline laid out the costs for both. We opted for going back north. She gave us all the information we needed to make an intelligent choice; what was best with us personally considering all aspects of what would be entailed. After some delays which were cause by family circumstances, (she kept in touch throughout the delays) we were able to meet with Jackie and complete the agreement. Jackie laid out all the prices, what we would be included in our costs. There was no pressure, no incidents of trying to sell us more than we wanted. She listened to our wants and needs and presented us with just what we wanted. Jackie is a perfect person for her position. She is professional, and knowledgeable about everything involved with the pre-planning, giving us pointers on what we should be looking for and what we did and didn't need based on our discussions. She is also very personable and made us feel completely comfortable. She made the "purchase" easy and something that made an unavoidable discussion a lot easier to take. I can truly say that I would refer Beth Israel Memorial Chapel to anyone who is looking for this service and would recommend Jackie Schuller to anyone who asked.

This is a historic cemetery founded in 1892 by the Evergreen Cemetery Company in what was then…read moreknown as Lantana Point. The land for the cemetery was purchased by Morris B. Lyman, the founder of Lantana. The cemetery is a city block long and 85 feet wide. There are 20 headstones but an unknown number of African-Americans and sailors washed up on the beaches are also buried here. There is also a mass grave containing victims of the 1928 Hurricane. The earliest grave here is from 1886. Morris B. Lyman and his father, Morris K. Lyman are buried here. In addition to founding the town, Morris was also the towns first postmaster. He chose the name Lantana for the flowering plant that grew in the area. Sadly soon after Morris purchased the cemetery, he and his wife Mary buried their nine month old daughter, Bertha Rachel. Also buried in this cemetery is Dan McCarley, the areas first Barefoot Mailman. The Barefoot Mailmen were US postal workers who delivered the mail in South Florida from 1885 to 1893 by walking barefoot on the beach from Palm Beach to Miami. Dan also became Lantana's first chief of police. Burials in the cemetery ended in 1950 so that the only people buried here are city pioneers. The City of Lantana currently owns the cemetery and in 2012 a fence was installed. In the center of the cemetery is a large Banyan tree. A historical marker was installed explaining the historical significance of this cemetery. This is a well maintained an excellent place to explore the history of this quaint beach side town.

Old cemeteries like this one contain important information about history and genealogy. Pine Crest…read moreCemetery also has one of the blue historic markers in front of it that is part of the Florida Historical Marker Program. The Historical Marker program is one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. It raises awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of churches, schools, buildings, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, and cemeteries like this one. Historic marker F-1235 was installed in 2023 by The City of Lake Worth Beach and the Florida Department of State. When Lake Worth was incorporated in June 1913, it had 700 residents along with a post office, several stores, a church, bank, school, and a newspaper. However, there was no cemetery and all burials were made in Woodlawn Cemetery in West Palm Beach or privately. In 1915, the Lake Worth government appointed a committee to find a suitable location for a cemetery. The committee found a 9.2 acre parcel in the southwest corner of town. Lake Worth purchased it for $10 per acre for a total of $920.00. The first recorded burial took place in July of 1923. The city held a contest to name the cemetery and compromised between two suggestions, Pine Crest. The original cemetery was Sections A through P. In 1935, the American Legion requested that the city designate a portion of Pine Crest Cemetery as a memorial plot for service men. In response the city created section I which was set aside for veterans at no charge, with standard government markers. American Legion Post #47 donated the labor and material for sidewalks. Veterans from the Spanish American War, and World War I and II were laid to rest here. In 1949, the city acquired more land on the western edge of the cemetery and created sections 1 through 30. Until 1970 the cemetery was segregated with only whites buried here while black residents were buried nearby at I. A. Banks Memorial Park, formerly Osborne Municipal Cemetery. In 1971 Pine Crest cemetery was enlarged again to a total of 17.25 acres and 8,625 burials. Section BB is for infants. A time capsule was buried on the grounds in 1976 by the Lake Worth Centennial Committee and the Lake Worth Civic Council. It will be opened July 4, 2076. Pine Crest Cemetery is very peaceful and well maintained. Despite the age, the graves look well tended and there are beautiful flowering royal poinciana and plumeria trees. The city recently added a fence for added security.

This is a beautifully maintained local cemetery. I have only visited a handful of times, but each…read moretime, it has been free of visible trash, with bright green grass and no one loitering. There are shady parts with trees, as well as long stretches of mostly car free pavement. Parking inside is limited to certain hours, and only certain gates are open dawn to dusk. It is appears fully gated. There is limited sidewalk access outside of it.

Brad at Tillman Funeral Home was incredible. He honored my father--a Navy veteran-with dignity,…read morecare, and deep respect. The service was beautiful and heartfelt. Brad also saved us from a stressful situation with another funeral director LARRY who tried to take advantage of us. His integrity and compassion made all the difference. Thank you, Brad, for honoring my dad and supporting our family when we needed it most. Your family made our family feel safe! That to me is priceless, but once again, Brad told us the cost up front and no hidden "director's fees" were added. This company is upfront and honest!

The team was gracious, compassionate, and friendly every step of the way. From Brad, the funeral…read moredirector, to Price, Anthony, and the entire staff, their professionalism and genuine care were truly exceptional. I toured many places beforehand, and they stood out as the absolute best. Thank you for your kindness, understanding, and for going above and beyond to accommodate our needs! I highly recommend them.

I did not know that there is a chapel separate from the cemetery, for funerals. We drove 1/2 mile…read moresouth of the cemetery for the funeral service. It was indoors & comfortably air conditioned. Coffee & ice water were offered. There was plenty parking & clear directions. After the service we lined up at the cemetery. Here we went to an outdoor tent for the funeral. The coffin was then brought to the grave.

The funeral home was truly a blessing for us. The team behind it, especially Phillip and his right…read morehand Mike, were extraordinary -- not just in how they do their work, but in who they are as human beings. Losing Uncle Tilden has been incredibly painful, and walking through this process hasn't been easy. But this funeral home made us feel cared for, supported, and not alone. So valuable for the money we spent as well. There is absolutely nowhere else I would go.