Beautiful cemetery all around and I have to say the on site staff was so very helpful and kind. I…read morecame in search of an ancestor buried in the oldest part of the cemetery and they kindly offered a staff member to help me locate it. So helpful. This is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I've ever seen. They also have a map, and a list of famous burials. Absolutely gorgeous place.

Kensico was established in 1889 under the Rural Cemetery Act of 1847, a legislative response to…read moreovercrowded urban burial grounds. The cemetery originally spanned 250 acres of rolling farmland. By 1905, Kensico expanded to 600 acres, though it was later reduced to 461 acres when part of the land was sold to the neighboring Gate of Heaven Cemetery in 1912. The grounds were designed with a park-like aesthetic: winding lanes, ponds, shade trees, and statuary that evoke both serenity and grandeur. It is much more peaceful than the flat lawn-like cemeteries but it does make finding your way a bit more challenging. Notable interments include composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, actress Anne Bancroft, author Ayn Rand, and Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. [Round number review 24700 overall - 1147 of 2025 - 568 in New York]

This area is well taken care of and is proven by the luscious greens and the calm view of the area…read more The staff is very professional and provides answers to the best of their ability. If you come during the cooler months, do bring an outerwear as the breezes are quite cool. Also, be careful of the hills, they can get slippery after a rainfall. Like Chun L. says, it's truly "Tranquil... Serene... Picturesque....", a fine place to pay your respects to your loved one(s) without disturbances.

Since my husband died 20 years ago my son and I visit his grave site on his birthday. It is cared…read morefor very well, always neat and clean. I was not prepared with burial plans and found Sharon Gardens was most helpful.

When our family needs to hire a funeral home we always turn to Hawthorne Funeral Home. This past…read moreweekend we lost our Mom and once again turned to Hawthorne. Ernie was so kind and caring and put our minds at ease. Because our mom lived in Florida there was a lot of extra arrangements to be made, and once again we were put at ease and everything went so smoothly. He handled everything effortlessly. It is so comforting to know that Hawthorne Funeral Home and their staff are there to help families deal with a difficult time.

From the owner: Conveniently located in central Westchester County on the Taconic State Parkway at West Stevens…read moreAvenue, our funeral home in Hawthorne, NY, is in close proximity to many local hotels and restaurants as well as several major cemeteries, including Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Mount Eden Cemetery, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Kensico and Sharon Gardens Cemetery, Ferncliff Cemetery Crematorium/Mausoleum, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and more. Our funeral home proudly serves families in Mt. Pleasant and surrounding communities such as Hartsdale, Valhalla, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Thornwood, and Pleasantville.

Our family is facing a death of a dear loved one and i had the worst call with this cemetery trying…read moreto make this difficult arrangement. lack of compassion, lack of information and when I requested other assistance, I was refused. this is hard enough without coming across a person who just simply lacked respect. i was also promised a return call today from a manager who can answer questions, she could not, and that hasn't happened either. sad.

I am a fan of these park-like cemeteries. Rolling hills, trees, curving lanes throughout, they…read morebring peace to what could be a challenging and emotional time. I do now know anyone laid to rest at Gate of Heaven, Mrs. K. and I stopped through here to see the final resting places of some famous people. Gate of Heaven and Kensico Cemetery are adjacent to each other but are operated separately. Kensico was founded in 1889 as a non-sectarian burial ground. Gate of Heaven Cemetery, on the other hand, was established later and is owned and operated by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York. Certainly there are more crosses and other religious icons here at Gate of Heaven. We were able to easily find what we wanted to see. New York Yankees coach Billy Martin. Hollywood actor James Cagney. Baseball player Babe Ruth's grave was easy to spot, adorned with ball caps and such. It is a pleasant park-like atmosphere and worth remembering that some people aren't sight-seeing here, so please be respectful. [Review 1148 of 2025 - 569 in New York - 24701 overall]

This is one of the most beautiful and scenic cemeteries I've ever visited. The grounds are very…read morewell-maintained, and the staff were helpful. It's easy to get lost in this place if you're a first time visitor, because it's huge with so many twists and turns. My favorite feature is the pond which is located just south of the main entrance on W Stevens Ave.

I am writing again regarding the correction to my parents' headstone, specifically the engraving…read morefor my mother, which (RON) agreed was improperly done, and he assured me it would be corrected. It has now been nearly a year since this issue was first raised, and I am extremely disappointed that it remains unresolved. I have made multiple attempts to reach Ron at Zimmerman's through phone calls, messages, texts, and by sending photos, but have received no meaningful follow-up. This matter was clearly discussed, and I was assured it would be addressed and made right. At this point, the lack of communication and progress is unacceptable. I would NEVER recommend this company; they disrespect the dead. A total disgrace!

My family had gone to Zimmerman 12 years ago when my father passed & purchased a beautiful India…read morered headstone. The inspiration was beautiful. Recently, my mom passed & we called to have her inscription put on the other half of the stone. The service was still as comforting & professional . Highly recommend this business.

Matthew was amazing , he was professional and patient with us during this difficult time . He was…read moreable to get us want we wanted for our father . Would highly recommend

Matthew had a wonderful and thorough job done on my Family's headstone, which was in need of…read moreadditional engraving and desperately needed a cleaning, being 1000+ miles away, it was a long distance request and transaction, which I am pleased to say went flawlessly. The image of the completed work sent to me showed a job done to my exact specs, and in a very reasonable amount of time. I would recommend Matthew and Grayrock Memorials for any and all of your memorial needs, they provide quality work at a fair price.

Well it is the best during the worst of times. They understand the hardship you are going though…read moreand help however they can. A++

This is the fourth time that I needed the services of the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home. They are the…read moremost professional and kind people in the profession. They outdo themselves every time. It is a comfort knowing that they are there in your time of need.

I highly recommend this business and this wonderful family. We worked primarily with Patrick Jr. on…read moretwo different occasions. Pat's kindness, patience and compassion helped immensely in getting through these emotional times. His professionalism and responsiveness eased the logistical challenges of funeral planning. Overall, the support received from Pleasant Manor Funeral Home and Pat Jr. was beyond expectations.

Very professional people to work with , when they pick up my dad body from the hospital I call and…read morethe son said your dad is with me and I'm treating him like how I would treat my dad that's said all for me .. we did our on line never met them until two days before my dad funeral and my brothers and I was well pleased.. Thank you guys you did a wonderful job the home was cleaned and nice.

I was so pleased with the compassion and care the folks at Ballard-Durand gave me and our family…read moreduring a sad and stressful time. They were responsive to our needs and questions. I was amazed by their ability to walk us through the cremation process in a guiding manner that would make you think they were a part of our family. Mark Press was wonderful to work with he was very accommodating to all of our questions and arrangements. Kaysie Mandel was quick and efficient in posting our obituary and slideshow on their website. I could not have been more pleased with the attention to details that they delivered. Weeks later the "Aftercare" telephone appointment with Kirstin Ferlin provided by Ballard-Durand provided important information regarding steps families need to take after the loss of a loved one. Kirstin is a well-trained Estate Specialist who can walk you through any questions you may have about what to do with your loved one's estate. This appointment usually takes around 20-60 minutes. Even if you have done estate planning (or already have a lawyer) this appointment covers all the little things that lawyers don't usually take care of. The Aftercare Service is an amazing resource that I recommend you take advantage of even if you have previously worked through this process. Thank you Ballard-Durand.

From the owner: Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Services was designed to be unlike any funeral home you've ever…read moreseen; it's truly one-of-a-kind. You can have your service anywhere, and any way, you want. Your choices include the place of celebration, day of the week, and time of day; the musical selection, what prayers will be said or songs you'd like sung. We can arrange to have doves, butterflies, or balloons released at the close of the service. Keepsake gifts of wildflower seeds or a tree seedling can be given. We're here to help you create the most memorable and meaningful service to honor your loved one. We invite you to come see for yourself how we're revolutionizing the way people view funeral services.