I will highly recommend Mike at Eastern Iowa Monuments. He was extremely personable and easy to…read morework with. The headstone he created for my father turned out absolutely perfect. From the font that looked a lot like Dad's writing to the picture of the fish jumping, he brought our vision to stone.

Visited with Russ to discuss plot purchases in order to have everything in place prior to our…read moredeparture from this world. Russ was very informative and helpful. Oakland is a city-owned cemetery, which allows prices to be on the low side compared to privately owned cemeteries. They plan to build a new columbarium this year, which we plan to reserve a spot for our cremains. It will be a meditative place for our family to visit.

I was on a road trip from Nebraska to Indiana and my friend wanted to stop here to see the Black…read moreAngel. Apparently there are several in Iowa and they each have a unique story. It was an interesting detour, if you're into that kind of thing, and I found a lot of back history about the angel. The black angel of Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City is an eight and a half foot tall burial monument for the Feldevert family, erected in the cemetery in 1912. Since that time, it has been the source of many stories and legends in Iowa City --- most connected to the mysterious change in color that the angel took, turning from a golden bronze to an eerie black. The black angel of Oakland Cemetery was erected by Teresa Dolezal Feldevert, a physician who had immigrated to America from Strmilov, Bohemia, Teresa and her son, Eddie Dolezal, came to Iowa City, where she worked as a midwife. They lived in Iowa City until 1891, when Eddie died of meningitis at the age of 18. He was buried in Oakland Cemetery and Teresa had a tree stump monument erected over his grave. After Eddie's death, Teresa moved to Eugene, Oregon where she married Nicholas Feldevert, who died tragically just a few years later in 1911. In the wake of this loss, Teresa returned to Iowa City and she hired Mario Korbel, a Bohemian artist in Chicago, to design the angel that would hover over the body of her son and the ashes of her husband. After the installation of the angel, Eddie's monument was moved from its original location to its present site alongside the angel. His remains, along with the ashes of Nicholas Feldevert, were placed in a repository under the angel's base. Teresa died of cancer on November 18, 1924, her ashes were also placed beneath the angel and soon after, the strange stories began.

I recently experienced an unexpected tragedy in my family. While traveling for work in Iowa my…read morebrother passed away in a vehicle accident. He was 2 1/2 hrs from home. I chose Iowa Cremation to assist with my needs. The 2 directors I spoke with over the phone were very kind and helpful; and when you are still in shock and maneuvering through all that needs to be done, that kindness certainly goes a very long way. Since I live out of state, everything needed to be handled via phone and email. They sent me the documents that needed to be signed via email. Later, when I received an itemized statement in the mail, it was then I saw a charge for "non-members" of $650. This, I then learned, was for ones that had NOT made 'pre-need' arrangements with them. I did see later, upon my closer examination of the many pages of documents that had been emailed to me to sign; that there was indeed a charge included of $650 for 'non-members'. Unfortunately, I had failed to look at that closely enough upon signing. I never imagined there would be a charge for something like that. I certainly now feel it a bit unfair to charge a 'penalty' (my viewpoint) for not being a member; especially since my brother did not even live in that state, and would not have had a 'pre-need' membership with them. This was, of course, an oversight on my behalf for not examining the documents closely enough at time of signing. I am writing to share my experience with others who may find themselves in a similar situation so that they may not be blind-sided by this 'non-membership' charge.

A wonderful cemetery just north of Cedar Rapids, IA. Easy access from the Interstate I-380,…read moreservices nearby, nice neighborhood. I love this place. The neighborhood used to be called Louisa as it was the old train station stop just across the way (at railroad tracks - south of the cemetery). There are stones that need attention, but at least the person who mows the lawn is very careful and respectful of the fragile stones. With enough visits from me maybe I will restore all the stones.

Mark & Jeannie were extremely compassionate, honest, and attentive to our families needs. These…read morefolks are pillars of the community. I would highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a reasonably priced product backed by exceptional service.

The employee was unhelpful and gruff. He wouldn't even discuss styles or options until we discussed…read morefinancials. And then told us to go walk through a cemetery to figure out what we wanted and dismissed us. We spent our money elsewhere.

Hey, Guys! The Iowa Raptor Project is back…read more After a pandemic-caused hiatus, this Iowa City gem is open to the public. Let me throw some buzz words at you. It is... OUTDOORS. Socially distanced. Free. Kid-friendly. Educational. Easy parking. Good for groups. I have been enjoying the IRP since I was a kiddo. It is absolutely amazing that some of their residents are older than I am! From owls to eagles to turkey vultures and more. You'll see some amazing raptors-- most of which were injured and could no longer live in the wild due to that. (My kids LOVE hearing how old each bird is, what their name is and their story.) Stop by then go on a hike or swing by the beach at McBride State Park! PRO TIPS: Sunscreen and bug repellent, please. Water Bottles are encouraged. No dog! Shhhhhhh. Stop in the bird blind. Bring a picnic. Make a donation.

The Raptor Project isn't flashy or huge, but it's one of my go-to spots when I need to get away for…read morea little while. There's something calming about spending time looking at the birds and then taking a little hike out around the MacBride Nature Area. I've found a couple nice spots to hammock as well. It's not often that you get to see birds of prey close enough to really take in their colors and patterns. Don't just stick to the most well-known like the bald eagle, the owls, and the peregrine falcon. While turkey vultures may not be the prettiest birds, they're still cool to see up close. And spend time with the kestrels - my motto is "kestrels are the best-rels". They also have Family Days regularly featuring a different type of bird with activities for the kids as well as having some of the birds out of the cages for educational purposes.

This is a great gallery with a variety of mediums to capture your creative interests. From clay…read morepottery and glass blown art to paintings and stonework, there is something for everyone. I also found prices to be reasonable and affordable. The owner, Mark, is a delight, and the artists are quite personable. I had the pleasure of meeting a few of them and even walking away with a beautiful piece from one of them, Chris Sell. There is a parking lot right outside the door and a ramp to support accessibility. They make good use of the space they have, displaying pieces at every turn without making you feel like you are going to bump into something. I recommend checking it out if you haven't yet.

Never a line in this Fairfax post office located in the historic part of town…read more Very professional staff, and very efficient as well.