Entrance gate at Home of Peace Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery located at 5421 Steilacoom Blvd. SW. The cemetary began in 1890 when the First Hebrew Benevolent Society was formed and the land for the cemetary was purchased. Photograph ordered by Western Iron & Wire Works. (WSHS)

Home of Peace Cemetary (Lakewood); Cemeteries--Lakewood;

Main entrance of Mountain View Memorial Park's funeral home in October of 1945. This is a closer view of D20426, image B, featuring the fine landscaping, awning, shutters and three dormers. Resembling an expensive home, the funeral home and nearby Garden Chapel was located on about 80 acres of land in Lakewood. Four generations of the James Richard Thompson family have owned and operated the memorial park which has since expanded to 180 acres, two more chapels and about 70 full time employees. (www.mountainviewtacoma.com)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Morgues & mortuaries--Lakewood; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood);

Mountain View Memorial Park. This is a side view of the Garden Chapel on the grounds of Mountain View Memorial Park, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., Lakewood in October of 1945. The stone structure with steeple and arched shaped doorway is nestled among trees and quietly portrays the peacefulness of an English countryside. It was built to seat 100 people. Mountain View Memorial Park was incorporated in 1915 by James Richard Thompson. A funeral home was added to the cemetery grounds in 1942 by his son, J. Arthur Thompson; it was the second combination funeral home/cemetery founded in the United States. Mountain View Memorial Park is still operated by the Thompson family. (www.mountainviewtacoma.com)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood);

Exterior view of Mountain View Memorial Park's mortuary, taken in the fall of 1945. With its dormers, shutters and awnings, the funeral home resembles a well-built executive home. Although the memorial park had been incorporated since 1915, the funeral home had not been added to cemetery grounds until 1942. This made Mountain View one of a selected few facilities where funeral preparations and burial could occur in the same location. Through the years, more acreage was added to the property which totaled 180 acres in the 2000's. This enabled Mountain View to build two more chapels and a Celebration of Life Center. (www.mountainviewtacoma.com)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood);

Joe Loveridge funeral flowers at mausoleum. The area around the walls of the mausoleum are filled with flowers hung with ribbons, "Brother", "Dad", "Uncle". The City Directory indicates Joseph L. Loveridge lived at 4205 Asotin and worked as an inspector at the State Vehicle Safety Inspection Station.

Memorial rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Loveridge, Joe--Death & burial; Flowers; Bouquets;

A fallen grave marker from the Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, a four acre plot on the corner of the Calvary Catholic Cemetery, at the end of South Villard. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in the county. The land was originally donated for burials by John and Eliza Rigney. No written records exist for the Pioneer portion which had been in use since about 1850, and there are probably even earlier graves that lie unmarked.. ("A History of Pierce County, Washington 1992", vol. 3)

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Tombs & sepulchral monuments; Pioneer Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma); Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma);

View of flowers and "Mother" bouquet on Robert Lynd's mother's grave site at Mountain View Memorial Park. Robert Lynd was the publicity director for the Tacoma Community Chest; he is married to Louise D. Lynd and they lived outside of the Tacoma city limits. (Note: An obituary did not appear in the Tacoma Times or the Tacoma News Tribune newspapers.)

Bouquets; Flowers--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Death--Lakewood; Lynd--Death & burial; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood); Lynd, Robert C.--Family;

Ceremony at Grove, New Tacoma Cemetery, Wm. B. Reed. A memorial to the memory of the soldier dead of all wars was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1949, at the New Tacoma Cemetery where 300 war veterans were buried. The American flag was raised over the memorial and a wreath was placed upon it by Wellesley Bell, father of Captain Gordon Bell who was killed in Italy in 1944. Others in the picture are William B. Reed, manager of the cemetery, Mrs. Bell, and Ruth, Kathleen and Janice Bell, sisters of the captain. (TNT, 5/31/1949, p.7)

New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Cemeteries--Tacoma; Monuments & memorials--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flags--United States; Bell, Wellesley; Bell, Wilhelmina V.; Bell, Ruth; Bell, Kathleen; Bell, Janice; Memorial rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The New Tacoma Cemetery has just had many Memorial Day services and had hundreds of visitors during this weekend period in 1948. This cemetery was a division of the Tacoma Cemetery located on South Tacoma Way, both were owned by the Tacoma Cemetery Association. View of graves, some have an American Flag, in the New Tacoma Cemetery, a park bench is by a large tree.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Gardens--Tacoma; Graves--Tacoma; Benches--Tacoma; Undertaking--Tacoma; Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma; Death--Tacoma; New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Tacoma Cemetery Association (Tacoma);

This is a May 19, 1952, view of caskets in (old) Tacoma Cemetery surrounded by numerous floral wreaths and other floral arrangements. One casket is a child's casket. Photographer's notes indicate only that this was the Whalen funeral. Buckley-King Funeral Service was in charge. A reader has identified the cemetery due to the concrete wall separating it from South Park in South Tacoma. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Coffins; Flower arrangements;

Mountain View Memorial Park was one of the largest funeral facilities in the area. They were able to offer complete services in one convenient location--combining the cemetery, funeral home, chapel, mausoleum, and crematorium on large acreage in Lakewood. View of office building located on the grounds of Mountain View Memorial Park; it resembles a luxurious brick home rather than a mortuary. Photograph ordered by Clark Richardson Advertising Agency.

Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood); Cemeteries--Lakewood;

Exterior of Western Monumental Works building and grounds. The marble works business was located at 1114-16 Center St. and was the authorized dealer of Rock of Ages memorials. Samples of the company's products are scattered on the lawn and also under cover on the long porch. Howard A. Wilham was listed as the owner in the 1955 City Directory. Photograph ordered by Western Monumental Works.

Monuments & memorials--Tacoma; Monument builders--Tacoma; Western Monumental Works (Tacoma);

A lighted star guides visitors to the Nativity scene of Mary with baby Jesus in her arms at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. A simple statement of "Let Us Adore Him" rests among the holly before the figures. The plywood cutouts are flanked by two tall pillars of light in this December 31, 1954, photograph. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma); Creches (Nativity scenes)--Tacoma; Plywood; Christmas decorations; Signs (Notices); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Christ's crucifixion in stone or marble appears to be on permanent display at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Two angels kneel in prayer on either side of the monument which is decorated in native greenery. Women are portrayed collapsed in grief while others stand and pray. The juxtaposition of plywood angels and stone sculpture apparently works; it is a pleasing blend of materials. The Calvary Catholic Cemetery was one of Tacoma's oldest, purchased in 1905 to be used as burial grounds for the area's Catholic community, and spanned 35 acres. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma); Monuments & memorials--Tacoma; Sculpture; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Scene in an unidentified cemetery. Two graves are especially covered in blossoms on this September, 1927, day. These may have been recent interments as no headstones are visible. G21.1-142

Cemeteries; Tombs & sepulchral monuments; Flower arrangements;

Indian cemetery. This was the Puyallup Indian cemetery located next to the Cushman Veterans Hospital, 2002 E. 28th St, as pictured in May of 1925. Indians under the direction of H.C. Sicade of Fife had spent the month cleaning and renovating the old cemetery. They graded, sown grass seed, planted new shrubs, installed a 600-foot wire fence, repaired 300-feet of old fence, and erected 500 marble monuments. Henry Sicade had secured a $3000 appropriation from the U.S. government for the complete renovation and restoration of the cemetery. There were about 2000 graves but many had been obliterated. Among those buried there were Chief Salatat, Chief Thomas Stolyer, Chief Sitwell, Chief Tommy Lane and Chief Leschi. The low-lying white fences surround the tribal cemetery have since been replaced by high stone walls. The small church next door was a Presbyterian mission founded in 1881 and since rebuilt. The Cushman Veterans (later Tacoma Indian Hospital) Hospital has been demolished. TPL-8741; G5.1-021 (photograph has black marks) (TNT 5-19-25, p. 11)

Puyallup Indian Cemetery (Puyallup); Cemeteries--Puyallup; Indian reservations--Puyallup;

Numerous flags snap briskly in the wind as visitors stroll past them to attend the 1958 Memorial Day service at Mountain View Memorial Park in Lakewood. Speeches and wreaths to honor the men and women who fought for our country's freedom were part of the day's ceremonies. The keynote speaker at the memorial ceremony was Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson. Mountain View, located at 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., was a complete memorial park, offering a complete selection of interment in a peaceful setting. Photograph ordered by Mountain View Memorial Park.

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood); Memorial Day; Commemoration--Lakewood; Memorial rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Flags--United States;

Christmas decorations at Mountain View Memorial Park in Lakewood, taken shortly after Christmas 1939. Christmas tree in front of flagpole, evergreen trees on either side decorated with lights. (filed with Argentum)

Morgues & mortuaries--Lakewood; Monuments & memorials--Lakewood; Christmas--Lakewood; Christmas decorations; Mountain View Memorial Park (Lakewood);

New Tacoma Cemetery is located in the Southwest area of Tacoma, on 9221 Chambers Creek Road. The New Tacoma Cemetery is considered one of the finest in the Pacific Northwest, with a mausoleum and sacred sanctuary on the grounds. The New Tacoma Cemetery is a division of the Tacoma Cemetery located on South Tacoma Way. Exterior view of the grounds, some graves are decorated with flowers and American flags.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Gardens--Tacoma; Graves--Tacoma; Benches--Tacoma; Undertaking--Tacoma; Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma; Death--Tacoma; New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Tacoma Cemetery Association (Tacoma);

The New Tacoma Cemetery offers their clients and families a tranquil serene final resting place. Families can choose from beautiful grounds landscaped with junipers, rhododendrons and azaleas, mausoleum, or an Urn Garden and Rockery constructed in three levels with a perpetual waterfall. View of entrance leading into the New Tacoma Cemetery, the gates are open, the mausoleum is located on the right side.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Gates--Tacoma; Undertaking--Tacoma; Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma; Death--Tacoma; New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Tacoma Cemetery Association (Tacoma);

Funeral services for August O. Cultum, aged 70, were held at the C.C. Mellinger Co. Funeral Home in November, 1951. Mr. Cultum had resided at 6470 South Sheridan Street. He passed away on November 15, 1951. Born in Renville, Minnesota, Mr. Cultum was a 63-year resident of Tacoma, and a employee of Metropolitan Park district. He is survived by three sons, three daughters and ten grandchildren. There were several large wreaths, primarily chrysanthemums, on display near the bier, as well as smaller potted plants. Sepia photograph ordered by Stewart Cultum. (TNT 11-16-51, p. 33)

Funeral rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Coffins; Wreaths--Tacoma; Cultum, August O.; Cultum, Stewart;

The interior of the reception area at the New Tacoma Cemetery as pictured in November of 1950. The room has been decorated with floral draperies, a checked linoleum tile floor, and rag rugs. Ordered by Rill Reid.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Undertaking--Tacoma; Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma; New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Tacoma Cemetery Association (Tacoma);

New Tacoma Cemetary, Colonial style Building.

Cemetaries - Washington State - Pierce County - New Tacoma Cemetary

Colonial style building on grounds of New Tacoma Cemetary.

Cemetaries - Washington State - Pierce County - New Tacoma Cemetary

ca. 1943. This view of the New Tacoma Cemetery, with large firs on right and small bushes by gravesites, was taken circa 1943. The park-like surroundings provided a serene resting place for the deceased using non-intrusive flat markers. Opened in 1932, the 150-acre New Tacoma Cemetery overlooks the City of Steilacoom and the waters of Puget Sound. (www.newtacoma.com-information)

Cemeteries--Tacoma; New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma);

Ceremony at Grove, New Tacoma Cemetery, Wm. B. Reed. A view of the New Tacoma Cemetery as of May 30, 1949, where many of the graves are decorated with flowers. 300 war veterans were buried here.

New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Cemeteries--Tacoma; Memorial rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Ceremony at Grove, New Tacoma Cemetery, Wm. B. Reed. A memorial to the memory of the soldier dead of all wars was dedicated May 30, 1949, Memorial Day, at the New Tacoma Cemetery where 300 war veterans were buried. (TNT, 5/31/1949, p.7)

New Tacoma Cemetery (Tacoma); Cemeteries--Tacoma; Monuments & memorials--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flags--United States; Memorial rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

These wooden crosses mark burial sites in the Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, a portion of the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. One of the oldest cemeteries in the county, it has been in use since about 1850. The four acre old cemetery was located on the Steilacoom Road near South Tacoma and was donated for burials by John and Eliza Rigney. There were no written records of the burials in the Pioneer section. ("A History of Pierce County, Washington" vol. 3)

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Tombs & sepulchral monuments; Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma); Pioneer Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma);

Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, part of Calvary Catholic Cemetery, in use since 1850. Toppled grave markers and overgrown weeds dot the grounds. In 1905, the Calvary Cemetery Association incorporated and bought the adjoining acreage to establish a new cemetery since the old one was full. Pioneer Catholic Cemetery is not owned by the Association, but is maintained by the group. No burials took place in Pioneer after that time and there are no written records of the older cemetery. Information gathered from the headstones is incorporated with the records from Calvary. The condition of the grounds in this picture were probably due to the 1950 cemetery workers strike. ("Calvary Cemetery" Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society, 1985)

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Tombs & sepulchral monuments; Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma); Pioneer Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma);

Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, part of Calvary Catholic Cemetery, at the end of South Villard, in use since 1850. The older graves lie unkempt and overgrown, with the wooden and stone markers tumbled over. Pictures from this series were used in an interesting ad in the Tacoma News Tribune (TNT 4/14/1950, pg. 8), contrasting these old and forgotten graves with the "perpetual care" given by modern cemeteries. The ad continues to say that excessive wage demands mean cuts in staff and care. This was probably a reference to negotiations with the Cemetery Workers Union and the following strike by workers. The ad was a joint effort of the New Tacoma Cemetery, the Old Tacoma Cemetery, and the Calvary Cemetary.

Cemeteries--Tacoma; Tombs & sepulchral monuments; Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma);Pioneer Catholic Cemetery (Tacoma);