Forest Lawn — Local services in Glendale

In February of 2017, my daughter and I arranged her mother’s funeral with Forrest Lawn Glendale. We were both from out of state and were responding to a sudden death. Forrest Lawn was recommended to us by the Pastor of a local church. We had no idea of any funeral homes or cemeteries in the Pasadena area.

We were at the mercy of local recommendations and providers. I honestly had no idea of who Forrest Lawn was, or their reputation as the cemetary to the famous. Frankly, we didn’t care. We needed timely, high quality service with care, compassion and competence.

Arrangements called for a viewing, followed by cremation with transportation of cremains to their final resting place in rural Pennsylvania. This is not an unusual or difficult situation or need in today’s world.

I’ve personally arranged several funerals in my family. Never have I experienced anything as indifferent and commercially motivated as I did in arranging this funeral.

I was, and continue to be shocked at the commercial sales culture of Forrest Lawn. At one point, after making a perfectly reasonable request concerning the required casket for the viewing, Forrest Lawn all but called me a Hillbilly and offered to release the body to us if we wished. The request was not outlandish, as I’ve arranged two funerals in the Midwest incorporating the request. Obviously, we didn’t ask for the body back.

In another instance, the body was dressed in a particular scarf at the viewing. When my daughter requested (before the viewing) that the scarf be returned to her before cremation; the staff refused, saying their “policy” was not to remove clothing from the body prior to cremation. What colossal insensitivity!

Exasperated, I simply told them I will personally remove the scarf from the body at the end of the viewing. If they had a problem with that, they can talk to me about it then.

In the end, the funeral staff did return the scarf to my daughter, but only after we “reminded” them as we walked away from the viewing room immediately after the conclusion of the viewing.

Our treatment at Forrest Lawn Pasadena was outrageous. I’ll never forget, nor frankly, forgive the experience.

I cannot recommend Forrest Lawn to others, at least not anyone in any situation similar to ours.

Possibly if the final resting place had been at the cemetery, their service and our treatment would have...

My husband and I came to visit here as part of our Walt Disney remembered tour and I was very happy to see Forest Lawn for the first time. Forest Lawn offers both above ground and below ground plots for both burials and cremations. The cemetery is very extensive and I marveled at some of the chapels we drove by. One was the sight of Groucho Marx's funeral and where Ronald Reagan got married.

We were specifically going to see the Disney family garden which was near the entrance of the Freedom Mausoleum. Walt Disney was cremated and his ashes are stored with that of his wife, Robert Brown=husband of Sharon Disney and Sharon-(Ashes scattered) behind a memorial stone in the garden. The garden is very beautiful. Hard to believe this was his final resting place.

Not too far away we spotted the gravestones of Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor. Their names may not sound familiar to you however in the corner of their stones you will see MM3 and MMF. These two people provided the 3rd voice of Mickey Mouse and the 4th voice of Minnie Mouse.

We got to visit a little of the Freedom Mausoleum. So beautiful and such as fitting tribute to the remains of Nat King Cole and Alan Ladd. Even Clara Bow Hollywood's "it" girl has a memorial stone.

Time did not permit us to visit the museum which is supposed to house a magnificient stained glass reproduction of DeVinci's Last Supper and the hall of Crucifixion but believe me I could have spent hours here.

This is the final resting place of many celebrities including Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, Clark Gable from Cadiz, Ohio where he was born, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Michael Jackson, Larry Fine of the 3 Stooges, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Aimee Semple McPherson, and Jimmy Stewart.This is only a handful of names I could come up with.

All in all it is a beautiful cemetery and one that deserves the utmost respect whether you have a loved one buried...

Forest Lawn Memorial Park's (Glendale) my favorite place in the world.

When I think of it, I think of three words…

Peaceful | Beautiful | Breathtaking

Since I moved to Burbank last month, I visited (and still visit) Forest Lawn pretty often - first heard of it in 2009 and visited two times in my youth - for the reasons listed above. It ironically uplifts me and others with the towering trees, sweeping lawns, splashing fountains, singing birds, beautiful statuary, cheerful flowers, noble memorial architecture with interiors full of light and color, and redolent of the world’s best history and romances. It’s the perfect place where lovers new and old shall love to stroll and watch the sunset's glow, planning for the future or reminiscing of the past; a place where artists study and sketch or to help clear minds for inner peace. My favorite spot at Forest Lawn's none other than The Great Mausoleum. It’s the centerpiece of it all, radiating in sheer artistic beauty. Fashioned after Campo Santo in Italy, it’s been called the “New World’s Westminster Abbey,” with its stunning architecture. At Forest Lawn, I love to take a stroll, clear my mind, write, and/or read. And every time I leave, I feel good. I’m just so attached to Forest Lawn Glendale. In fact, I finally decided that The Great Mausoleum's where I want to be buried when my time comes, in a private/off-limits area.

Visit when you can!

*Taken from The Builder’s Creed outside The...