The Missouri State Cemetery System is a new program of the Missouri Veterans
Commission. The vision of the program is to establish cemeteries
strategically throughout the state, providing access to burial space for
eligible Missouri veterans not served by open national cemeteries, and to
allow access, within a 75-mile radius of such cemeteries, to every eligible
Missouri veteran. Dedication of a new Missouri State Veterans Cemetery
(located just off Hwy 63 on County Road 1675 just south of Jacksonville in
Randolph County) was held on Oct. 25, 2003 with the first interment on
November 3, 2003. Jacksonville was chosen as the site for a veteran’s
cemetery for several reasons: geographical location, availability of
suitable land, and number of veterans in the region. The fact that
Jacksonville was chosen for the site also reflects strongly on the character
of the community and surrounding communities. The cemetery occupies 117.4
acres of
majestic green land enhanced with a lake and includes an administration
building, maintenance facility, a committal shelter for conducting interment
services, a columbarium wall for cremation interment, a carillon tower, a
lake with a floating fountain, and a walking path around the lake.
The goal
of the cemetery staff is to provide a final place of repose for veterans,
which reflects proper respect and honor for their service and sacrifice and
the rendering of Military Funeral Honors for deceased members of the U.S.
Armed Forces is a tribute that our nation’s veterans richly deserve
On the
average 13,000 Missouri veterans are dying each year and that number is
expected to dramatically increase due to the aging of the veterans of the WW
II and Korea. The cemetery will have approximately 40,000 burial sites along
with a Columbarium that will have approximately 800 niches for cremations.
Interment in the cemetery is free to all honorably discharged active duty
veterans and reserve or national guard members who are eligible for
retirement or who have been activated by the federal government and
completed the period of which activated. Also eligible for interment are
dependent spouses
and children.
Members of MCQC personally visited with Director Jerry Quigley
and Cindy Stivers, representative of the cemetery, and received a tour of
the beautiful and spacious grounds. With the flags flying and the carillon
playing, it was an inspiring and awesome experience.
Other Missouri veterans cemeteries are located in Bloomfield, Higginsville and Springfield. For
further information you may contact Mr. Quigley or Ms. Stivers by phone
(660-295-4237) or visit their website
www.mvc.dps.mo.gov. (Note: This is a new website address and differs
from the one in our last newsletter.) INFORMATION FROM YOUR MISSOURI
VETERANS COMMISSION . . . “ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION”
Report Abuse and Neglect. Call the Elder abuse Hotline:
1-800-392-0210
