Williamsburg Memorial Park is pleased to announce that our General Manager, Angela Byrum, was recently awarded the title of Certified Cemetery Executive (CCE.)

The CCE title is presented to individuals who have attained the highest level of cemetery management as determined by the International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA), an international organization with more than 9,100 members. As of today, only 6 people have received the CCE title in Virginia and only 225 worldwide.

Ms. Byrum began her career with Williamsburg Memorial Park in 2005 as a Family Services Counselor. Within a few short years, she quickly rose to the rank of General Manager. Under her leadership, Williamsburg Memorial Park has made a number of improvements, including a 3,600 square-foot customer care center, better family estate choices, a consecrated area for Jewish families, and more affordable burial and cremation options for people with limited resources.

Ms. Byrum is currently overseeing the cemetery’s most ambitious expansion to date, which is called Cambridge Gardens and features a ten-foot-tall granite obelisk ossuary, inspired by the Washington Monument and handcrafted in the United States. She has also expanded Williamsburg Memorial Park’s annual community outreach programs, which include a Memorial Day Celebration, a Holiday Luminary, and a 1K Kids Run—the last of which raised more than $1,500 in cash and food this year for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.

In addition to her regular responsibilities, Ms. Byrum has been a board member of the Virginia Cemetery Association for the past 11 years and even served as its president from 2016 to 2018. More recently, she appeared on Capitol Hill in support of the cemetery industry and its clients.

“Angela is an incredible person, a tremendous manager, and a strong industry advocate. She genuinely cares about her clients, her staff, and honoring those who are no longer with us. I can’t think of anyone who is more deserving,” said Jay Dodds, President, ICCFA.

Williamsburg is an area rich in history and tradition. So, when we decided to update Chelsea Gardens, we knew that would be our inspiration. The result is a new section that will have the look and feel of cemeteries from the past, but with modern conveniences—such as easily accessible pathways.

The New Chelsea Gardens will feature traditional burial sites with granite headstones, brick pathways, an amazing landscape design. It will also include a new area called Harmony Estates, which will encircle our existing scattering area, which is the brown marble wall shown in the above image. Harmony Estates will consist of eight private cremation estates that gently flow around a scenic shrub-lined circle.

This is the ONLY section we offer that allows traditional granite headstones. It will feature 206 burial sites, which are designed for couples, 48 family burial sites (90% of which are sold), 12 cremation estates, and two sections for cremation burials. If you’re looking for a more traditional setting, the New Chelsea Gardens is the perfect choice. But, don’t delay. This may be the last time we offer this type of product.

Our Community Commitment
Williamsburg Memorial Park is committed to ongoing improvements that add value and beauty. The New Chelsea Gardens is an important part of that plan. In the past five years, we’ve built a new Customer Care Center, added a brand new section (Cambridge Gardens), widened and paved our entryway, and have begun working on several upgrades, including New Chelsea Gardens. For a personal tour, please call our office at 757.565.2006.

Features You’ll Love

• Traditional granite headstones
• Wheelchair accessible pathways
• A premium landscaping design that includes seasonal color
• Easy payment options

Attractive Pricing
Williamsburg Memorial Park is committed to offering our customers the best value. We consistently beat the competition when it comes to price and service. For more information, and a no-obligation quote, please call one of our Family Service Counselors today or use our 24/7 Contact Form. And, be sure to check out our Special Offers page for our latest promotions.

It happens every day. A family member is diagnosed with a serious illness. Friends and relatives arrive to help, but a few months later the family member succumbs to his or her illness. The mood suddenly changes from caring to chaos, as the family is forced to plan an impromptu funeral with little to no information about their loved one’s final wishes.

The funeral director and clergy try to help, but in the end, they are simply guessing. As the number of decisions begin to mount, so do the expenses–all of which are due before the service is performed. The stress and financial burden continues to build, and the family, who should be peacefully mourning the loss of their loved one, is stressed beyond imagination. What if there was a better way? Thankfully, there is.

Last month, I participated in an end-of-life conference called, “Sensitive Journey II.” This wonderful event was held at the King of Glory Lutheran Church in Williamsburg, Virginia. In a comfortable group setting, local professionals shared ideas and advice about pre-planning with area seniors. Some attendees chose to ask questions in private, while others participated in a group Q&A session.

It was one of the most productive and helpful conferences I have ever attended. In fact, I’m already looking forward to the third installment of this extremely worthwhile event, which is slated to take place in the Spring of 2019.

But you don’t have to wait two years to discover the advantages of pre-planning. Our staff is ready to help you today. We’ll teach you about the entire pre-planning process–from the decisions you’ll need to make to the various burial, cremation, and memorization options that are available–all in the comfort of our new Customer Care Center.

Talking about end-of-life decisions is never easy. But leaving your family alone with no instructions is worse. As my grandmother used to say, “no one is getting out of here alive,” and she was right. Save your family the emotional and financial burden of your death by pre-planning your funeral today.

In closing, I’d like to personally thank the folks at King of Glory Lutheran Church for having the courage to tackle such a sensitive subject. To learn more about the benefits of pre-planning please visit the Pre-Planning section of our website or call us today at 757.565.2006. We look forward to helping you.

At the end of 2016, we began construction of our most ambitious park expansion to date. It’s called Cambridge Gardens, and it’s unlike anything in Virginia. The centerpiece is a ten-foot-tall granite obelisk ossuary, inspired by the Washington Monument and handcrafted right here in the USA. Circling the ossuary will be 12 four-foot-wide cremation benches for quiet reflection. Cambridge Gardens will also feature a premium landscaping package, six-foot-wide paved pathways, and a brick columbarium wall. In keeping with the Williamsburg area, everything will have a colonial look and feel.

Our Community Commitment
Cambridge Gardens is an important part of our 20-year expansion plan and ensures that we’re able to meet the growing needs of our community. Once complete, this new section will offer more than 1,000 traditional burial sites and 2,500 cremation niches. The ossuary will accommodate an additional 800 burials and 20 private cremations. With easier accessibility, upgraded landscaping, and a unique design, Cambridge Gardens will surely become our most popular section. Don’t wait. Reserve your space today.

Features You’ll Love

• Affordably priced
• Easy payment options
• Wheelchair accessible
• Traditional colonial design
• Premium landscaping package that adds seasonal color
• Handcrafted in the USA by Eickhof Columbaria

Affordably Priced
Traditional in-ground sites start at $1,895 and ossuary placements in the granite obelisk are just $795. For more information, please call one of our Family Service Counselors or use our 24/7 Contact Form and be sure to check our our Special Offers page for our latest promotions.