Laurel Memorial Park began with the initial purchase of land in 1927 for the purpose of developing a cemetery.

Mr. John T. Frees marshaled the forces to develop a cemetery during very challenging times. The stock market crash and its ensuing aftermath was right around the corner. As an aside during the same time, the Empire State Building was built in record time – less then one year from start to finish.

Laurel Memorial Park was ahead of its time and hoped to encourage the idea of a memorial park by requiring only flat bronze markers for ease of maintenance – no headstones. However, this concept was not popular at the time, thus headstones were allowed. The Cemetery stipulated that all headstones and monuments must be made of granite, because granite is a harder material than marble. It is more resistant to the wear of the elements.

Mr. H. Paxson Keates purchased Laurel Memorial Park in 1966 and continued to develop and improve the cemetery over the next 50 plus years.

In 1985 the Cemetery was incorporated as a non-profit, non denominational Cemetery. In 2001 a Crematory was constructed on the cemetery grounds to accommodate the newly emerging paradigm.

The Cemetery continues to be ever mindful of the needs of the community and changing customs in the funeral industry. In addition to traditional graves and monument lots, Laurel Memorial Park offers niches in a beautiful outdoor granite faced columbarium.