This will probably be the most difficult Yelp review for me to write but it's important to let…read moreothers know about the wonderful experience I had today with Cotten Funeral Home. My dad and I met with Chris this morning to go over my mom's arrangements. Chris guided us through the whole process and understood the arrangements that we already had. He guided us through the obituary, took our concerns and desires into account, and treated us kindly in our time of grief. Considering the nature of this transaction, I was very pleased with our experience.

Cotten Funeral Home just assisted our family with my aunt's funeral. They provided amazing…read morecustomer service and guidance, walking us through the process step by step. Even though we were grieving and somewhat stressed, their encouragement, professionalism and tremendous kindness kept our minds at ease. A special thank you to Rex Bennett who personally helped us. Rex, you are anointed to do what you do and we are so grateful for all of the assistance that you provided our family. I will certainly call on Cotten again when the need arises.

Cedar Grove was established in 1800. The main entrance is a stunning triple-arched structure that…read morestands in front of a 12.5 acre property. The cemetery was added to the the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. I was here to visit the final resting place of Pepsi inventor Caleb Bradham but there are others interred here including William Joseph Williams who painted the "Masonic Portrait" of George Washington. Bradham's stone is quite far back and unremarkable. There were a couple of Pepsi bottles on it that make it easier to find. The center fountain is impressive. Many of the headstones are in good condition but many are illegible and the carvings are lost to time. [Review 18902 overall - 3386 in North Carolina - 2425 of 2022.]

This cemetery was recommended to us by the host at our bed & breakfast, but I had also learned…read moreabout it from my research on Yelp. This cemetery, among other people, contains the burial site of the man who invented Pepsi-Cola. That's reason enough to visit, but take time to review the map and accompanying chart at the entrance on the Weeping Arch side of the cemetery and get an idea of who else is buried here. Some of the locations were hard to find because the portable maps were all out, but if you reference an app on your phone (Find-A-Grave) you can get pretty good coordinates for any of the locations that you're looking for. Overall, a worthwhile trip to pay respects to various people who have made their impact in the New Bern area.

Like many national cemeteries, the New Bern cemetery seems forgotten on most days, until you spend…read moretime in it. The chirping birds, the wind in the trees, the flapping flags, and the people quietly moving through the rows of white headstones, bowing their heads, leaving flowers, and saying a quick prayer or two before leaving, really bring home what this place, and other national cemeteries like it, represent. Buried here are men and women from the Civil War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's humbling in a way. And it's nice to know their sacrifice is remembered even if it is only a few days a year. In an ironic twist, the day I visited, the wind carried the smell of bbq from the homes nearby across the fence and across the headstones. The New Bern National Cemetery is undergoing some headstone and grass restorations and doesn't look as good as it should and will, but it's still worth a visit to see history up close and pay your respects.