Month: June 2025

When a large-scale tragedy or injustice leaves a mark on society, a public memorial serves as a lasting reminder. A memorial park can feel different than a cemetery, with more natural and peaceful features.

The sandstone slabs that make up the walls are covered in “frieze” made of countless grooves of varying depths. This reflects the diversity of experiences within the community and a sense of collective loss.

The Park’s Design

The Park serves as a natural, forested gateway and sanctuary that replenishes the human spirit. It is a gathering place where fellow citizens compete in sports, discover nature and engage socially with each other.

A new memorial to the 1,487 local service personnel from both New Jersey and Delaware killed in the Vietnam War is the first addition since the Park’s inception. The memorial features a central water feature, statuary and a plaza to allow people to gather.

The memorial space above the enshrinement space is designed as a new typology that combines a plaza and park into one. This allows socialization and a space for cultural and educational events to be held, while also creating a garden for visitors to enjoy. It is a space to honor the memories of those who died and to keep this event that left deep traces in the society fresh on people’s minds. Using angular walls, the space is configured to make the narrow lot appear larger, integrating architecture and landscape into one.

The Park’s History

Since its inception Memorial Park has been a place of unity, cooperation, and community. As the years passed many changes were made in order to improve the Park for its growing population.

The first major addition was the Wall of Remembrance in 1917 to honor America’s armed forces. The newest addition is the Gold Star Monument, which was built in conjunction with style guidelines set by the Woody Williams Foundation to honor those who have lost their lives and are missing forever from the hearts of their loved ones.

Unlike traditional cemeteries, Memorial Park uses dignified sculptured bronze markers that lie flat on landscaped plots to memorialize a grave. This allows people to focus on their memories of their loved one in an atmosphere that offers natural beauty, peace for quiet meditation, and a sense of dignity.

The Park’s Contents

Memorial Park is a natural and forested oasis that replenishes the body, renews the mind and recharges the human spirit. It contains many miles of multi-use trails, including the Tan Oak and Mt. Ellen nature trails, a family camping area and a natural and educational discovery center. It also features a golf course, tennis courts and sports fields including rugby and softball fields.

While memorial parks and cemeteries both offer a respectful final resting place, they differ in design and feel. If religious traditions and more traditional features are important to you, a cemetery might be a better option. However, if you prefer an atmosphere of natural beauty and peace for quiet meditation, a memorial park may be the ideal choice. Visiting a few locations can help you understand the differences and choose the property that feels right for your needs.

The Park’s Experience

There is something humbling about standing in the presence of old redwoods, a sense of peace that envelopes the surrounding forest. At Memorial Park, this feeling is experienced every day.

The Park is a natural oasis that replenishes the body, mind and human spirit. The Park offers many ways to connect with nature and with fellow citizens. The Park has miles of trails, a forested gateway to downtown Houston, an historic golf course and community gardens. It is a place where people gather to compete in sports, discover the outdoors and engage with fellow city-dwellers.

In our increasingly busy and individualized lives, it is vital that we find time to reconnect with the natural world. We are committed to inspiring you to spend more of your life in national parks and other natural spaces, through informative write-ups and immersive experiences. There is no better way to recharge than in the presence of the great outdoors.

Funeral directors must have good communication skills to communicate with families and discover their wishes. They must also be able to solve problems, such as finding funding.

In New York, only a licensed funeral director can make arrangements or take a body to a cemetery or crematory. Licensed funeral homes must register at the Burial Desks in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Licensed and Insured

When you work in funeral service, you hold a position of deep public trust. That’s why it takes so many hours of training and testing to qualify for a license to practice. If the Board finds you have violated that trust, your license could be revoked.

You must give a GPL to anyone who inquires in person about your prices or arrangements for a future funeral, even if they tell you they have already made arrangements or are not interested in doing so at that time. The face-to-face meeting can occur anywhere, including while removing the body from a hospital or nursing home.

You do not have to send a GPL in response to telephone or mail inquiries about your goods and services, although you may choose to do so. However, if those inquiries lead to a face-to-face meeting, you must provide the GPL and comply with all other Rule requirements.

Serving the Community

Funerals serve as critical hubs of social support for grieving family and friends, rekindling relationships and strengthening interpersonal networks. They also provide a valuable opportunity for community organizations to showcase their services, from religious institutions to local businesses, fostering a sense of collective responsibility and participation.

The State Board of Funeral Directors regulates the licensure of professions and occupations in the death care industry, including funeral directing, embalming, preneed sales, burials and cremations. It establishes qualifications for licenses and oversees licensed establishments, facilities and cemetery grounds through inspections.

One way that funeral homes can build their community connections is by hosting lunch-and-learn events. For example, in a recent episode of Deathcare Decoded, Jody Herrington discussed how her funeral home built a reputation for being environmentally conscious and supporting local artists by curating an entirely locally-sourced selection room. This approach was especially important during the coronavirus pandemic, when many families were looking for unique, one-of-a-kind products to honor their loved ones.

Customized Services

As a result of evolving societal norms, many families today desire personalized services that celebrate the unique life of their loved one. This could mean adding personal elements such as photo collages or slideshows, music, cherished mementos, and more to the service.

These customized elements can facilitate a powerful connection to the deceased, and they allow attendees to connect over shared experiences. They can also aid the grieving process by helping turn sorrow into solace and grief into remembrance.

Funeral homes have adapted to meet this growing demand by creating custom memorial items, such as urns and keepsakes. They can also help individuals create a thematic ceremony that honors their passions and hobbies. Whether it is an outdoor garden service, a seaside ceremony, or a musical celebration, these unique services provide a beautiful balance of respect for tradition and the customization that modern families crave.

Compassionate Care

When a loved one passes away, families are often overwhelmed with grief and also have the responsibility of planning their final send-off. It can be stressful, but having a compassionate partner by their side eases the process and ensures that their loved ones receive a well-deserved farewell.

Funeral directors offer their support beyond the service by helping families understand payment options and resources that may help ease financial burdens. They also encourage mourners to seek counseling if needed.

Providing grief resources and aftercare programs like memorial websites and videos is a way for funeral businesses to show their commitment to their clients. This is a great way to build brand loyalty and attract customers year-round.