St. John Cemetery — Local services in New York

One star review because I can’t give them zero. Horrible customer service. Everyone in the office is rude and passive aggressive. I went in recently to explain that I placed a beautiful flower ribbon on my mothers tomb and that it looks fake but is 100% real (it’s growing season so only real flowers allowed; all fake flowers get thrown out). Was literally told that the caretakers “do not care” and “throw everything out without looking” and then they blame you when you go to complain. Was told by a woman in the front desk that she “tells everyone to not buy expensive things because it will be thrown out.” I then said okay then I will place a piece of paper on the flowers that say they are real and I was told with a nasty attitude “no that isn’t allowed.” I haven’t written a review because I hate giving bad reviews but enough is enough. ME AND MY FAMILY had to grow our own grass for my mother 6months after she was buried because for whatever reason, they would not grow it and make it look nice. It was literal dirt for months. I didn’t even complain because I didn’t want to deal with them so I handled it myself. Even the priest they had when burying my mother was so emotionless and had said with a straight face something to the extent of don’t cry you shouldn’t be crying. Mind you, my mother was buried a year ago so the fact that I even remember he said that shows how much it bothered me. DO NOT get buried here unless you want your family and loved ones to face hardship when visiting you!! I swear if my mother knew the stress I go through when visiting her, she would have chosen someplace else. I thought I was crazy until I read the reviews and realized this is a serious issue. They act as if they are the only catholic cemetery around; as if we have to deal with this. My mother deserves better and so do you and your loved ones. This review won’t change anything but hopefully it will stop someone from making the same mistake...

My experience with St.Johns isn't positive. My mother was buried back in April 2020. Since then I have had 3 incidents where the tractor would run over my moms plot and destroy everything. Today I went to the cemetery for Valentines day and all of my mothers plants (4) and her memorial plaque was gone. There was Mud and tire tracks all over my moms grave. My sister later found half of my mom's plaque a few steps away snapped in half! This was a metal hand engraved plaque, this wouldn't break easily. You would need excessive force to break it, such as a tractor. The cemetery doesn't take any responsibility for their workers actions! We have put so much time and money into making the space for our mom beautiful and special, to which is destroyed very frequently. We never know what to expect the conditions to be when we arrive to visit our mom but today the conditions were absolutely...

I have been to cemeteries around the world in which famous people are buried. There is always a map, and also generally signage to help you locate sites of note. I went here to find the grave of a famous athlete I admire. Not only is there no map available online or at the cemetery, but the worker in the cemetery office told me they "can't" share location information of those buried there unless you are family! Which, 1) what constitutes as proof? 2) that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and 3) what a sad, fearful country we live in where this information isn't readily given.

I guess that, with around 30% of those interred here being mob-connected (check the cemetery's Wikipedia page if you think that's an exaggeration), maybe they don't want to have to fix any damage done by vengeful...