Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery (2024)

Sunset Memory Garden, Leavenworth County Cemeteries

From the collections at the Leavenworth County Historical Societyand Museum. Reprinted with permission from The Leavenworth CountyHistorical Society and Museum and the Leavenworth Times. Donatedby Debra Graden.

Garden cemetery reflective of tradition

Leavenworth Times, Sunday June 5, 1988

Looking out at the grounds of Sunset Memory Gardens, the eyetravels over gentle slopes, broken only by flowers and peacefulstatuary. Caretakers George and Lee Rae say the garden-style cemeteryis reflective of today's traditions, but the age-old respect forthe dead remains.

"There are none of those cold headstones sticking out,"Rae said last week. "When you stand here and look acrossthe grounds, all you see are flowers and more flowers, even inthe winter."

Flowers were at most of the gravesites last week. Rae recalledseveral of the larger funerals as he walked through the cemetery,section by section. The ones touching his heart most often arethe ones for children.

"I remember a little three-year-old girl that was killedin her back yard in an accident. Her parents were so shaken aswas everyone out here at the cemetery that day. It's the funeralsof the younger people that stand out in my mind as being the hardest."

Two recent visitors had stopped off at the cemetery office,Mrs. Rae said, complementing the pair on the work they had doneon the grounds.

"They said it was one of the prettiest cemeteries theyhad even seen. That means a lot to both of us because we takea lot of pride in keeping it up. We live out here and most ofour time is spent making sure it's cared for properly."

Rae is a native of Scotland. He and his wife, a native of St.Joseph, Mo., have been involved with Sunset Memory Gardens since1984. Rae says Wilton "Monty" LaMontaine started the29-acre cemetery in 1956 and Clara A. Shott was the first burialJan. 29 of that year. Since that time, 1170 burials have takenplace in the 10 acres under development.

"The weather has been bad on us this year. The groundis dry and we have lost some trees, but it still looks good. It'sa constant job to keep the place going," he says.

The cemetery is divided into the Christa, devotions and veteranssections. The latter section includes two plaques dedicated bythe Bryon H. Mehl Post No. 23 American Legion.

Rae says the lawn cripts in the devotion section are especiallypopular in today's burials. Husband and wife are buried in thesame lot, one on top of the other, and the sites were preparedwhen the section was constructed, allowing easy access to thegrounds.

The caretakes express concern about the highway curve in frontof the cemetery. During larger funerals, cars are parked alongsidethe highway and the curve cuts down on visibility.

"One time we saw a man come around that curve really fastand there was a car turning into the cemetery. He had to go intothe ditch in order to avoid a collision. That concerns us."