History & Staff

Ever since we opened our gates we have approached life (and death) differently. While some just see the end of a loved one’s life as a time for grief and mourning, we prefer to think of it as a time for reflection, appreciation and even celebration. This is evident in everything we do, from the way we conduct our services to the amenities we choose to offer. We are not a burial ground. We are a close knit community dedicated to honoring, sharing and preserving the amazing and inspirational stories that are life.

1875

In November 1875, Edmund Warner, the son of a local wheat farmer, was the first person to be interred in the young town of Turlock. The land in which he was interred was owned by John W. Mitchell, an early Californian entrepreneur and wheat farmer.

1876

Mitchell established the site as a cemetery in March of 1876 and operated it with a small group of Turlock citizens until 1885. At that time he deeded five acres and transferred operations to a board of directors who formed Turlock Cemetery Association as a non profit organization.In the early years, operating a cemetery in a town of less than 300 people was simple. Local citizens cared for their loved ones’ graves and fundraisers were held to provide additional funds for continued maintenance.

1891

In 1891, the first well was dug and a windmill erected so trees and shrubs could be planted. The large cypress trees in the old portion of the cemetery date back to that period.

1893

When John W. Mitchell died in 1893, he generously bequeathed five additional acres for future cemetery development. Mitchell himself is entombed in a private mausoleum located in the southwest section of the cemetery.