Arlington National Cemetery Asks Public Input on Eligibility Rules

As space has become limited, the Department of Defense considers new eligibility rules for the iconic Arlington Cemetery and seeks public and stakeholder input.




Arlington Eligibility Survey

Severe Weather Impacting National Cemetery Burials

The National Cemetery Scheduling Office in St. Louis, Missouri, is expecting a severe weather event January 13-14, 2017 that may extended wait times due to and limited staff available to assist you. We will make every effort to answer your call as quickly as possible. On Friday, January 13, only, should you need to schedule a burial, please contact the national cemetery of choice directly and they will be happy to assist with burial scheduling and eligibility questions. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this unavoidable event.

Source: VA National Cemetery Administration, 13 Jan 2017

National Cemetery Closures Caused by Hurricane Matthew

The Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration reports:

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has closed four cemeteries through Sunday evening due to Hurricane Matthew. They are: Beaufort National Cemetery, Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, Jacksonville National Cemetery, St. Augustine National Cemetery, South Florida National Cemetery. When it is safe and possible to do so, we will assess whether conditions are safe enough to reopen to visitors. We will update you at that time through the NCA website and our GOV Delivery system.

We are communicating directly with families and funeral homes that have scheduled interments on Monday and Tuesday on the status of these interments.

If you have questions concerning National Cemetery Administration interments in any of the hurricane affected areas, please call the National Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117.

This announcement came  to The Peripatetic Graveyard Rabbit on Sunday afternoon, 9 October 2016. No word yet on the status of these cemeteries.

Cemeteries As Playgrounds?

From Public Radio International:


In Germany some cemeteries are being turned into parks, playgrounds and gardens 

"What Happens When A Cemetery Dies?" Here's What Happened in One Place

Thanks to Donna Pointkouski for first spotting this!



www.phillymag.com,    Saturday, 30 July 2016.

Tallahassee National Cemetery--First Memorial Day, 30 May 2016

Tallahassee National Cemetery, one of newest VA cemeteries in the nation, marks its first Memorial Day today, Monday, 30 May 2016. Tallahassee National Cemetery is located in Leon County, with frontage along U.S. Highway 27 (Apalachee Parkway) near March Road and east of Tallahassee in Florida. The Department of Veterans Affairs purchased the 250-acre parcel of land in August 2012 for $6.8 million. Construction on the cemetery began October 2014. The cemetery was dedicated 22 May 2015, and held its first day service on 16 October 2015. The cemetery will serve over 83,000 Veterans in Tallahassee and the surrounding area. The initial phase of construction is expected to provide burial options for 10 years. Tallahassee National Cemetery is part of one of the largest expansions ever of the VA's National Cemetery system as recommended in a 2008 independent study. The National Cemetery system has been stressed by the demise of World War II era veterans, an aging baby boomer veteran population, and 14 years of active military operations in Southwest Asia. Tallahassee National Cemetery is located at 5015 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32311.

Can't Find Your Quaker Ancestor's Grave? How Quaker Cemeteries Are Different

If you've had difficulty finding your Quaker ancestor's gravesite, this video may help explain why. It's one in a series called QuakerSpeak, produced by Friends Journal. The series covers a number of topics, historical and contemporary, about the Society of Friends. You can find the magazine online at friendsjournal.org.