I want to thank Trinity Memorial Chapels and Cremation Services for taking care of my family when…read morewe needed it the most. I had never experienced anything like the loss of my father, and they literally took us by the hand and walked with us every step of the way to plan my father's funeral services. They took away the stress of planning a service on top of grievance. They listened to us and made sure even the most suttle details about my father were captured in his ceremony. I can truly say my father's service was most beautifully orchestrated by this funeral home. We thank Ms. Ilah, Ms. Cherie, and the whole team for handling my father and my family with love and care. We are grateful that God led us to entrust my dad's arrangements to you all.

My mother transitioned Sept. 8, 2020. We had an Immediate Burial with a Grave Side Service. Trinity…read morememorial Chapels' personnel were kind, patient, and professional. I give them five stars for being so accommodating to our family. Trinity Memorial Chapels also handled my sisters' funeral July 2, 2020. They did an excellent job on her body.We thank Ilah Ball, Funeral Director for guiding us during this time of grief. One person said that when they transition, they want to have the kind of service my mother had. May God continue to bless Trinity Memorial Chapels' personnel, in Jesus name.

It was a nice day to stroll around Mount Carmel Cemetery today. I decided to hang out in Section A…read moreand take a few photos. Although I wasn't looking for her, I came across the "Italian Bride" monument. She's got quite the story. So, if you're interested look her up. Her real name is Filomena Buccola. Muscato and Lamanna is a nice looking monument. There are a bunch of rosaries around the neck of the lower statue. And it happens to be next to the "Italian Bride". The Greco monument has what looks like a couple child angels and a cross on top. I think it's cool that this monument has "Mother Theresa" on it. The McDermott monument is very near the corner of section A (nearest to the North entrance.) I LOVE Celtic crosses and really like the way this one looks. It had Celtic designs on the cross as well as symbols on all four ends. I'd like to figure out what the symbol on the top represents. There's not a ton of Celtic crosses in this area, so I appreate when I see them. The Marie Serritello monument grabbed my attention. It's quite different from many other monuments. It always feels much sadder when I see that someone has died so young. There were a few small statues and lanterns nestled inside the nooks. Angelina Serritello's headstone was in front of it. The A. Conforti monument appears to be named after Alessandro Conforti (1861-1933) who is the father of the two young children listed on the front. The mother is Margherita Marzano Conforti (1872-1936) Their two young children died at around 4 years old, but were not alive at the same time. Josephine G. (7/31/1908 - 6/4/1912) Joseph (Feb 1903 - 8/2/1907) They also had an older sibling, Benjamin (3/8/1897 - Jan 1960) Benjamin's spouse was Minni Ronnie (1897-1941) This was a sad one to see. The O'Shea monument also has a beautiful Celtic cross carved into the stone. I like that they added an epithet along the sides. The Rousseau mausoleum is beautiful...especially the front and the ornamental top. I took a photo of the front and also the stain glass window on the side. I'd like to go back and get the names and dates of those who have been interred here. Graziella Tito mausoleum had a bunch of black and white photos on the doorway. Stompanato and Dasto mausoleum had a boarded up entry. I bet the original doorway was beautiful. Enjoy all the related photos.

All cemeteries are repositories of history, of course. Mt. Carmel is one that has some more…read morewell-known cultural history because it is the final resting place of several people from Chicago's criminal underworld as well as the Cardinals of the Diocese. The most famous of these people would be Alphonse Capone. Born on the east coast, he rose to prominence as probably the most well-known leader of the Chicago Outfit. He served his sentence for tax evasion in Alcatraz, died of syphilis in Florida, and then upon his death was laid to rest here in the area where he was most prominent. One of Capone's major rivals, Dion O'Banion, is also at rest in this cemetery but don't worry, they're interred a fair distance apart. Deanie's grave is not nearly as ostentatious as Capones, but does have a significant monument. Dion had a passion for flowers, and owned a flower shop on the north side. But he met his end after he and his North Side Gang cheated Johnny Torrio (Capone's mentor and predecessor), and shortly thereafter Torrio was gunned down in his flower shop when three men came to pick up an arrangement for another mobster's funeral. Amongst the other underworld figures at rest here are Hymie Weiss, Roger Touhy, Frank Nitti, and Sam Giancana. On the other end of the spectrum (or not, depending upon your view of the Catholic Church) are the many high-profile priests laid here. Bishops Mausoleum is where Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, perhaps Chicago's most beloved cardinal, spends eternity. Several bishops and archbishops are also interred in this towering mausoleum. The cemetery is sprawling. There's also a very large number of mausoleums here--over 400, more than any other cemetery in the state; there's also a war memorial here. If you're seeking some of the "famous" gravestones, it can be a bit confusing since the layout is not terribly sensical (there are sections by number, but they're not necessarily in order). Capone is near one of the entrances, and O'Banion is relatively close to the Bishop's Mausoleum.

Montrose Cemetery on the north side has a particularly interesting history. I've seen it many…read moretimes, as I live fewer than two miles away; however, I've never know much about it. I took a self-tour of it recently to change that. Montrose is one of the trio of cemeteries on Pulaski between Foster and Peterson, with the other two being Saint Luke and Bohemian National cemeteries. Montrose is the youngest of the three, established in 1902. The cemetery was owned by Andrew Kirchner, who owned a funeral home, and is still an independent cemetery owned by his descendants. They did not have a One of the early burials was a victim of the Iroquois Theatre Fire, which was one of the deadliest fires in US history (if you're unfamiliar, I highly suggest reading about it). Of the over 600 victims, nearly all were claimed in the months following the tragedy--all but one, a woman who was never identified even though hundreds of people visited her over the course of six months. She was interred here in Montrose in a casket engraved The Unknown. Kirschner donated his services and the plot to this unfortunate victim. Today, there is a diamond-shaped Iroquois Memorial on the site, erected five years after the fire. Another unique monument here is a mausoleum placed by the Japanese Mutual Aid Society. That organization began purchasing several lots for use by people of Japanese descent in Chicago, so that they would have a place to be buried; the group also covered burial fees for those who were unable to afford burial. In the years surrounding World War II, there was growing anti-Japanese sentiment even as hundreds of thousands of Japanese Americans came to the city, and these somewhat prescient actions on behalf of the JMAS to help their community were indeed an important measure to take. The Society acquired more plots and there are two sections of the cemetery that are dedicated to people of Japanese heritage, as well as a sitting area for quiet reflection. In addition to the large number of Japanese Americans buried here, there are a lot of people of Eastern European descent here too. There is an incredibly large memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide. It's a relatively new addition, installed around 2000. There are elaborate memorials to some of the religious leaders of one or more Eastern European Christian denominations as well.

Office staff not friendly. You have to call for appointment and you can see people sitting in the…read moreoffice and they won't answer the door. We asked a groundskeeper for a map and they said we had to call the office just for a map but you can literally see people just chatting in the building. You would think given the situation staff would be overly nice to help a person grieving.

Beautiful, serene, well landscaped cemetery. It's especially resplendent in Autumn. I can't…read morereally evaluate the value because burials vary so much by region. I came here to honor a veteran to play taps, on Veteran's Day when all cemeteries are looking their best. I was given to believe that it is always well maintained by the family.

Working with this organization has been so difficult. We had great service when we visited and…read moreselected a grave site and made a deposit. Then that person disappeared and would not reply to requests to set a burial date and complete the plaque. After several emails, texts, and two weeks later I was able to find someone who would help us. Also, I was never notified when the remainder of the payment was due. If I had not asked, the date would have passed and I would have been hit with a surcharge. When you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, this is not what you want to have to deal with.

This is a very special place for our family. My grandmother has been buried here for many years. It…read moreis very lovely, peaceful, and well maintained. The memorial service was very meaningful.

The first time I visited this cemetery was several years ago, and for a very specific purpose: To…read moreattend a concert in the columbarium near Halloween. That was when I first learned what a columbarium is (a place for cremains to be placed). Most often these are outdoor resting places, but this indoor one has a large chapel-like area inside. There are benches near the wall niches for one to visit their loved ones. Bohemian National Cemetery is a major graveyard in the city. Its origins lie in discrimination. After the Great Fire, a woman who was a member of Chicago's Bohemian community was refused burial at one of the Catholic cemeteries. Bohemian in the 19th century did not have the same meaning it has in 2022; the area once considered Bohemia is now Czechia. Thousands of members of this immigrant community worked to establish the cemetery, which saw its first burial in 1877. Bohemian National Cemetery is not affiliated with a specific religion. Upon arrival at this cemetery, you'll see one of its most unique features: The funeral bell that still hangs within the stone cemetery gate. Every other funeral bell in a Chicago cemetery has been removed and/or replaced. I'm not sure, however, if it still tolls when a funeral procession passes through the cemetery. There are several sculptures throughout the cemetery by the artist Albin Polasek. Amongst them is The Pilgrim, just in front of one of the family tombs, and Mother, which is directly in front of the columbarium. I was surprised to find the Beyond the Vines is really a wild monument. Made to replicate the outfield wall at Wrigley Field, major Cubs fans can be interred in this outdoor columbarium. Ivy covers the wall, and there are stadium seats on the west side of the monument for people when visiting. Lastly, this cemetery is home to a memorial for the victims of the Eastland disaster. In 1915, the Eastland was docked and ready to set off for the annual picnic of a local electric company. The ship never left the dock; rather, it capsized where it was docked near Clark Street. 844 people lost their life--and amongst those, 22 full families perished. On the 100th anniversary of this tragedy a memorial was unveiled to those who died that day. Bohemian cemetery is certainly historical and has some very interesting monuments and sculptures, and is a must-visit for any taphophile. However, it's a bit unkempt in some areas, and rumor has it they don't allow tours through here any longer because someone on a prior tour stepped into a dip and hurt themselves. So if you do visit, be careful.

The office receptionist is awful. I called to obtain information on my grandmother. I was told to…read morecall back in 15 minutes because she was using another program on her computer and couldn't look it up. I called back 20 minutes later and she hung up the call, then called again to be put on hold for 10 minutes...no joke. I called back and she asked for my information and said she'd look it up and call back. I ended up going to the cemetery about 45 minutes later and she was on a personal phone call talking loudly until she realized someone was in the office. Lack of professionalism and sensitivity to the whole situation.

Sprawling cemetery with lots of interesting markers and some notables at rest here. It can be a bit…read moretricky to navigate with the general layout and the narrow paths (just enough room for one car).

Props to the cemetary office staff. You can call them to find out where anyone is buried. They will…read morethen email you a map to help you find your way. Even with a map it can be hard to find a grave you haven't been to before, though, so call em up on your cell phone, tell them what grave you see, and they'll tell you which way to walk. So polite and great, I really appreciate it. I've noticed many graves in Waldheim have pictures on them! If you don't have pictures of your ancestors, go check out their graves, it can be very rewarding.

Nice older cemetery. They sustained a lot if tree damage during the tornado in chicago. They have a…read moregorgeous marble statue that has been encased in glass or lucite container to keep it from damage. The flower carvings are beautiful. A few forgotten stones covered in vines and some surrounded by bushes. Beautiful symbolism and and epithet that said " A good time was had by all " Someone had decorated a plot for Halloween and Day of the Dead. The Hebrew Benevolent Cemetery was next door and very over grown. We weren't able to go inside.

Lovely grounds including large older trees and spring bulb flowers. I took a walk and visited…read moretoday to satisfy my curiosity about a memorial I've seen dozens of times as I rode down Irving Park on my way to the airport. I've often seen a large white statue enclosed in a glass case so today I took a walk to investigate. I found the statue with the name Raithel on one side and Sei getreu bis in den Tod or Be thou faithful undo death on the front of the monument. I'm still curious - more investigation to be done...