This funeral home provides the best of care/services to meet the needs of families experiencing…read moregrievances. Thank you!

It makes me sad that I even get to rate this place, but here it is. Recently, my partner passed…read moreaway and I was in desperate need of a place that was a) open minded and b) willing to help me work through all the paperwork necessary to get a cremation done. HD Oliver did everything for me. Because of how networked they are in the area, they pick up your loved ones from wherever they are and fill out all the necessary documentation through a hassleless method. They easily could have give me a lot of problems, but instead they took the time to understand my situation and worked through all of it with me. Everything was completed in a matter of 4 days and I was able to come by and pick up the remains at their Norfolk location. I did not use their facilities for a reception so I will not be able to comment on that, but they do deserve 4 stars for their empathy and diligence.

When I asked when my mother's remains would be ready for myself or my brother to collect. The woman…read morehad the audacity to tell me she was just cremated and was waiting for the ashes to cool off. No one in their right mind wants to hear that after losing a loved one. They are not too helpful when we had our mothers memorial service the man from Metropolitan was so quick to throw the bag at me so he could run out of there. Find you a place that would actually have compassion.

Metropolitan Funeral Service was one of most unorganized funeral home services I have ever…read moreexperienced. Their lack of consideration and empathy for those grieving a loved one is shockingly disappointing. I lost my fiancée unexpectedly on February 21, 2023 and met for arrangements on the 24th. That process seemed to go well until all that was agreed upon and promised did not take place. By the end, it felt like hell. There was ABSOLUTELY NO COMMUNICATION about the details of the services except for on the day we met for arrangements. I would say, that was the only time we had clear communication with this company. We were told the family needed to view the body before the public and that they would call with the day and time. We never got the call and was unable to reach anyone. 30 minutes before the scheduled viewing for the public we were told "come now". This is because another family member arrived early and was denied access to view until one of the immediate family members viewed the body first. That is when we were told to "come now". If that family member did not show up early, people would not have been able to see him on schedule. That was very unprofessional and inconsiderate. It definitely added to the load of mourning we were experiencing for our loved one. Second, they assured us the video slide would play on all monitors throughout the facility, but it was only shown on one small monitor in the hallway. And because it was only on one monitor, the hallway was congested with people trying to watch this video on a small monitor. This led to them to having constantly dispersing and disrupting those trying to attend the viewing of our loved one. Third, they never stated a scheduled time for the limos to arrive to our homes the day of the funeral service. We had to contact them that morning. Let me say this... this is not something a people who are in mourning should be concerned about especially when you are entrusting the final plans of your loved one to a service who guarantees it. It was a total disaster. Forth, there was another service taking place at the same time. They asked us to wait in the limo until they cleared the hallway of the other grieving family. Clearly, they have scheduling problems. Why on this God's green earth would you have services so close they would overlap one another. This robs ANY family the thought of feeling like your loved one was special. Instead, it felt more like we were dropping someone off to a busy day care. Fifth, but not final (I am just tired of talking about this), we pre-paid for death certificates during arrangements on Feb 24th. We received a call to come to the funeral home today (Mar 22nd). Assuming we were going to receive the certificates, we find out they were not even ordered. Almost 30 days later! We had to sign documents to have the order placed. How unprofessional is that? Rest assure, I will be forwarding this complaint to the Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, Norfolk City Mayor and a host of publications. I will NEVER use their services again and I will NEVER recommend their services to anyone else. They owe my family apology!

Sam twiford from the chesapeake altmeyer was amazing. Compassionate. In touch day or night When we…read moreneeded him. Good to us in a time of absolute hell. so reasonably priced. I mean he literally went out of his way above and beyond!! GO TO THIS PLACE!!! TJ FISHER quoted us 950$ on cremation for an 17.5 wk baby who was 22 cm long, 1/4 lb .... private cremation for my son who passed in utero... Altmeyer did it for $600 i will never ever recommend a better funeral home. Ever.

There was no attention to the family. Masks were allowed to come off at the viewing because there…read morewas noone there to assure they stayed on. IVE NEVER been to a service where there is no funeral director in the building, unprofessional

The 5 Star Rating is because of Elmwood's history, burials & remarkable sculptures & mausoleums. If…read morethe review was for its current unkempt state its rating would be far different. The condition of the cemetery, owned by the City of Norfolk, is deplorable. Their budget allocation for the city owned & maintained property must be woefully inadequate. Elmwood Cemetery sits on the north side of East Princess Anne Road near its intersection with Monticello. Directly adjacent on the west is West Point Cemetery, the history of which deserves its own review. Across the road is the older Cedar Grove Cemetery. The entrance is guarded by stately brick columns and surrounded by a brick wall. Enter into a veritable picture of Norfolk's History. Elmwood, opened in 1853, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was established because the older Cedar Grove was nearly full. Drive past beautiful old mausoleums & picturesque grave markers & tombstones. There is a plethora of styles many designed in fascinating Victorian style. Some were designed by a Norfolk sculptor of international fame, who is also buried in the cemetery. A walking visit to marvel at the innovative artwork is a reason to visit without consideration of the burials. Follow the entrance to the cemetery's office, which is no longer staffed. In earlier years an employee of Norfolk Cemeteries manned the office and assisted one in locating burial spots. They kept a book of internments, including the occupants of the multi grave burial lots, which were purchased and inherited by descendants. Permits & fees still apply for opening a grave. Now with an unstaffed office an information board has a QR code to direct one to a Web Site for a search. The catalog has been digitized with individuals, plot numbers & location within the cemetery. A picture of one of the records found by the search is included in this review. Due to this current unkempt state of the cemetery navigating the grid to find the unmarked aisles & lanes is almost impossible. But that's a later story. For those interested in the Revolutionary War you'll find not just Patriots, but also a Real Daughter of the American Revolution, the daughter of Patriot Matthew Floyd. You'll find the final resting place of a Virginia Governor, U.S. Senators & Congressmen, one of the first two women House of Delegates members & local city leaders for whom many of the city's streets are named. In addition to the city's wealthy & famous you'll find gravesites for the poor in the paupers plot at the back of the cemetery. There's even an early actress, artisans, artists and those in their time who were just ordinary citizens. As would be expected in our coastal seaport you'll find gravesites of sailors, including individuals who died in ship wrecks, some to a violent storm. A local legend is that the Captain's wife and child died on the shipwreck of "The Dictator" off the coast of Virginia Beach. The mother was buried in Elmwood, separated from her child. There could be sounds of a child crying at the Oceanfront. The crying ended when the child was interred with its Mother. A mass grave exists for victims of the yellow fever plague, which ravaged the city. All this beauty and history is threatened by the lack of maintenance. Ivy has overgrown many beautiful markers & sculptures. Aisles & lanes are overgrown, some completely covered with grass so one has no idea if it's an actual lane. Even having a cemetery map & plot information we were unable to locate burial plots we had previously found with ease. This historic gem of Norfolk's past with its beautifully designed sculptures & mausoleums lies as threatened as the waterfront. But the reason is different. It could easily be cleaned & maintained with proper funding.

I must admit that old graveyards are my jam. Okay, it may seem weird, but I am not alone. A…read moregraveyard is a museum of a different kind. The history and the beauty captivate me. As well I love capturing them through photos. Not to mention it's great exercise when done on foot too! Elmwood Cemetery established in 1853 is the cities second oldest public burial space. It is a beautiful example of a Victorian rural park cemetery. It was placed on the National Register for historic places in 2013. It is 1 of 3 featuring Yellow Fever mass graves. At its height in 1850 one hundred Norfolk residents a day succumbed to the deadly disease. Also VA Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell 1774-1860 remains are here. Hundreds who fought in the Civil War have their final place of rest at Elmwood. There is a memorial statute toward the front by the cemetery office. The huge Core mausoleum seen from the road is the center piece and most famous on the grounds. Built in 1910 for $100k and featuring two beautiful brass statutes flaking the entrance Also of note is the Recording Angel that watches over Euphania Couper's grave site. Her world renowned artist son William who was a Norfolk native designed it. (See pic for the inscription on the scroll) The property is in fair/poor condition with a back brick wall caved in, markers damaged, or destroyed. Robberies to get brass etc. have been an issue over the years. There are efforts by a local group to fund restoration of the three burial sites that are grouped together. The city has on going conservation efforts as well thru NorfolkSocietyforCemeteryConservation.org or their Facebook page. The next time you feel an urge to learn about the history of Norfolk in a different way check Elmwood, or its sisters Cedar the first Municipal cemetery in Norfolk and West Point. Tours are available by appointment only.

My family uses Mr David Loving as our Funeral Director all the time. The care and understanding for…read morethe family is such a blessing to our families. He's super busy but the care and quality of work for our deceased family member goes over and beyond to make sure our loved ones are taken care of properly. You get quality care and respect. They are no. 1 to call in time of need.

Mr. David Loving does an excellent job. My family got the utmost respect and he handled everything…read moreperfect. Thanks so much. God bless you.

Cedar Grove established in 1825 is the first municipal cemetery in Norfolk. Although its condition…read morecould be improved with vandals disrupting the site it's in remarkably good condition for two centuries. The layout is in a Victorian Park fashion. Family vaults holding up to 20 family members are made of arched concrete & brick. Cedar has the distinction of being 1 of 3 know sites for Yellow Fever mass graves. The illness killed 100 Norfolk residents a day at it height in 1851. The cemetery is open to the public during their hours and has staff on the grounds in the office if you need a map.

This is a combination of three older cemeteries many with early Victorian style gravestones. It was…read morean overcast day and perfect weather for a visit. It was lovely, old and interesting.

Christy Crews was Compassionate and very professional in our time of need.. She helped take the…read morestress off of our decisions of cremation and guided us through the whole process. We want to thank her personally and her staff.

Virginia's laws on cremation require several medical signatures before a death certificate can be…read moreissued and cremation begun. Eric Stewart is the Funeral Director and Owner and he took extra time and effort to track down these approvals after a holiday weekend and was able to meet our strict deadline for a funeral mass. Our family is very greatful for all that he did in bringing a quick closure in our time of need. His demeanor and attentativeness helped us in this sad moment.

The staff here is exceptional, and handled my families arrangements with the utmost care and…read morecompassion.

From the owner: Cremation Society of Virginia offers dignified cremation services to all. Because we own and…read moreoperate our own crematory, we can provide quality cremation at affordable prices. Furthermore, unlike many funeral homes that outsource cremation to a third party, at Cremation Society of Virginia, your loved one never leaves our care.As funeral costs continue to increase, cremation is the economical choice. Most people nowadays, regardless of faith and backgrounds, are selecting cremation.