This lengthy review is very well deserved for Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home…read more
My father passed away suddenly on a Friday in his hometown of San Francisco. We took the weekend to grieve and began the difficult task on Monday of finding a funeral home. My father was a proud Army Veteran and his wish was to be buried at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery.
Initially, we thought it would be best to choose a local funeral home in the Bay Area that specialized in military burials. We believed we found one in San Bruno, but from our very first interaction, we were disappointed. When we explained why we were there, the funeral director did not offer condolences. When I asked about burying my father at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, she suggested we could bury him at the National Cemetery in San Bruno instead. To my knowledge, that cemetery is closed to new burials -- it clearly states so on their website. Her response was, "You can always go over there and ask them directly."
I was taken aback. Why was she unaware of the burial closure? And why were we expected to do the legwork when we were seeking professional guidance during one of the hardest moments of our lives? We left feeling discouraged and unsupported.
After more research, I realized it would be costly to keep my father's remains at a local funeral home and then transfer him to a facility closer to Sacramento Valley National Cemetery.
On Tuesday, my mother, sister, and I drove to Vacaville to visit three funeral homes. The first one we stopped at was Vaca Hills. We didn't have an appointment -- we showed up unannounced -- and we were warmly greeted by Joseph.
Joseph is one of the drivers who assists with transporting loved ones and supporting burial services. The moment he heard why we were there, he offered his sincere condolences. He clearly stated he wasn't a funeral director, but he patiently answered every question he could. He was knowledgeable about the burial process at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery and provided us with their price list. He also took my contact information and assured me that one of their funeral directors, Mercedes, would call me the next day.
Our next two stops were at two other Vacaville funeral homes that work together. One was closed, so we went to the other. While the staff was polite and the funeral director -- a former military member -- had a great sense of humor, the entire meeting felt transactional. It felt more like business than care. The location was also in a very busy area, and we couldn't imagine trying to hold a funeral procession there or mourning in the middle of so much activity.
The following morning, Mercedes from Vaca Hills called exactly as promised and scheduled an in-person meeting for the next day. From the moment we met her, she mirrored the compassion Joseph had shown us. She immediately offered her condolences and approached everything with empathy and patience. She never once felt pushy. She answered every question thoroughly and offered thoughtful solutions whenever we needed adjustments.
When the topic of payment came up, she handled it with professionalism and respect. She did not ask about life insurance policy amounts. In fact, when my mom attempted to share that information, Mercedes gently let her know that it wasn't necessary and that many families prefer to keep that private.
Mercedes is also a military veteran and that meant a lot to us. She ensured every step of the process for my father's burial at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery was handled promptly and properly. As soon as we confirmed our preferred date, she had her team secure the appointment.
We selected the Platinum Package, which included a 3-hour viewing and funeral service, followed by a 1-hour burial service the next day. Because my father's burial appointment at the cemetery was scheduled for 9:30 AM, it would have required a very early service and felt rushed. Mercedes worked with us and graciously allowed us to extend our Sunday service to 4 hours instead of 3. On Monday morning, we simply met at the funeral home for the 8:50 AM procession to the cemetery.
The entire experience with Vaca Hills was smooth, compassionate and dignified. At no point did I ever feel pressured. They were communicative, understanding and accommodating throughout the entire process.
From the bottom of our hearts, we want to extend our utmost gratitude, love and appreciation to Mercedes, Joseph, Brigitte, and Angel.
You loved on our family in such a remarkable way during one of the most painful seasons of our lives. You helped us give our father -- our Patriarch, our Protector -- the most honorable Homegoing celebration he could have ever received.
We will 100% choose Vaca Hills again if we are ever in need of services in the Vacaville, Dixon, or Fairfield area.
With deepest gratitude,
The Faagau Family
