Holy Cross Mortuary

WHAT, no more decorating graves at Christmas … This was something I always look forward to, it made me feel good decorating with the other families and there was a warmth about it. But no more. I do realize it can be a bit of a mess but emotionally it’s worth everything. Now they’ll let you put flowers on the graves not surprising since they sell flowers, but no artificial anything. REALLY! Pet Haven Cemetery for pets was decorated to the nines with all kinds of artificial little bric-​à-​brac, and if you want to be cremated you can be buried there a whole lot cheaper with your pet, I was just told that by the owner. People have spent a fortune on the graves at holy cross, what’s two weeks of decorations going to hurt. Shame… On… You
You bummed out a hell of a lot of people. Merry Christmas to you too!

Cemeteries in Los Angeles are a peculiar beast that are a tourist attraction for a combination of reasons that is not found in many other places. They’re chocked full of history (both local and national), art (no, really), the final resting places of the famous, infamous, and many other weird & wonderful things that surprise, amaze and astound.
Holy Cross is no exception to the above description. Opened in 1939, to accommodate the growing population of the Los Angeles Catholic Diocese, the ground’s history start in the early 1800’s, when it was part of the original Rancho La Bollona claim.
Since then, Holy Cross has become the end-​destination for thousands of individuals of both note, and a bit more general. On their grounds, you can pay your respects to the likes of Darby Crash, Sharon Tate, Bella Lugosi, and thousands of others, who have been interred in the rolling hills or mausoleums, as well as any friends, associates, or loved ones that may be laid to rest here.
Thanks in part to the «no tombstones» policy (see the literally large-​as-​a-​friggin-​houses graves at Hollywood Forever as to why), as well as the smattering of statues, shrines, grottos, ponds and general areas of rest, H.C. makes an excellent place for meditation and/​or reflection. Just be mindful of your surroundings, and that you aren’t doing it on top of someone’s gramma.
The main mausoleum, while mostly typical and what one would expect to find, with a couple of small but important details. While most that I have visited have a feeling of a sterile coldness, the administrative powers-​that-​be have attempted, almost to the point of going out of their way to give an atmosphere of warmth, comfort, and redemption. This can be seen in the modern mural depicting the resurrection of Jesus in warm, bright colors. The same can be said of the stained glass windows throughout the complex– a spectral opposite of the usual death, suffering or 12 stations that saturates such places.
Did I mention they also pipe in soothing, new-​agy music? While it may seem out-​of-​place or inappropriate, trust me, it works quite well. Especially given the open spaciousness of the interior. The echo-​y acoustics lend to and compliment the Enya-​esque melodious structure of songs.
Speaking of echoes, while it may be tempting to do the Friday The 13^th theme (you know– ch-​ch-​ch-​ch-​ha-​ha-​ha-​ha-​ha), it’s not advisable. On the occasion I did this, the staff member who asked me to refrain found it amusing, the family on the other side of the facility did not.
The only downside to this particular location, is that the main mausoleum, for reasons I can only speculate on, literally reeks of death. But given the size and vastness of this necropolis, there is very little that can be done about it. Except brace yourselves for it when you enter. So consider this a fair warning.
Holy Cross is a pleasant place to go, be it to get away from the daily grind, to pay respects to those whom have passed, or even to make arraignments for the final destination we are all bound for. The staff, energy, and environment are all welcoming– just don’t make ‘Jason is Coming’ noises.

We came here to bury our grandfather and the staff there was nothing but disrespectful and inconsiderate.

My mom’s sense of direction was so bad that she told me my whole life that her dad was buried at a different cemetery. Understandable if they were across the street, but no. The cemetery was in a different city and about a 20-​minute drive away. Could I have been mistaken? Well, every time we passed the cemetery, my mom would tell me about her dad being there. When her mom died 30 years later, she told me that she was buried at the same cemetery as my grandfather. Since I wasn’t able to go to my grandma’s funeral because I was tending to my two young babies, I asked my mom to tell me about the experience. She described everything as being beautiful.
Researching the cemetery that I thought my grandparents were buried at, turned up nothing. New research directed me to this cemetery.
I called the office at the cemetery and gave them my facts. The woman I spoke with on the phone was very helpful, gave me the information for the section, and mentioned I could stop at the gate upon arrival.
Once here on site, the guard greeted me. I told him the section I was headed to and he offered to have a maintenance worker meet me there as he handed me a map. I was so glad they did. It was overwhelming how big this cemetery is.
The cemetery looks more like a park than a cemetery. The views are beautiful with rolling hills covered in green grass and the place is serene.

My grandfather recently passed and three family members are buried here so when my mom and grandma went to go find information for a burial plot, the woman named Elena Villarreal was very rude to my grandmother and was very unprofessional. I would think that this kind of job would drive the employees to be more sensitive to the feelings of the people who are looking for plots there, since it is a cemetery and a lot of times people’s loved ones has recently passed and are barely going through the grieving stages. I believe this is the last place for unprofessionalism and rudeness and I hope that this hasn’t happened to anyone else or will happen to anyone else. But other than ill-​mannered employees who are in the wrong career and should consider a career change, or at least a change in attitude, this is a really beautiful cemetery and I will continue visiting my great grandmother and great uncle.

This place always reminds me to smell the roses while I yet live. Life is but a mere mist… Here today, gone tomorrow. The world can start spinning so fast that priorities get flung about and perspective is dampened overall. Holy Cross seems to do a great job at ‘pulling me back’ into reality.
I was introduced to this cemetery by my Wife during our dating years. She has several loved ones who were laid to rest here. One actually passed away on my birthdate some years back. The upkeep of this property is solid, and professional. I’ve found it to be a really beautiful & peaceful place. From the Catholic church sanctuary, to the grounds… even though it’s a graveyard, I enjoy the sights and atmosphere. *some of the best views in Los Angeles IMO*
Morning mass here is really nice, laid back and enlightening. The people who attend are always super nice and very caring. The priests and nuns are as well. Over the years, I’ve spent hours walking the halls and driving/​strolling around the grounds, viewing the stained glass, sculptures/​statues and many of the gravestones/​vaults. There is security on the premises and a flower & gift shop as well. This place is pretty big overall.
I don’t like to talk about death but it is a part of life that we’ll all have to face one day. I will say… If I die in LA, tell my baby to bury me here. ;-)

My parents bought a plot here, but when my father passed they weren’t able to accommodate the large number of guests we were planning for, or the day we requested. This not only happened once but three times already, once with my grandmother and the other with my uncle. We ended up having to go the All Souls in Long Beach. So if you plan on using this place you should probably tell them way in advance, which is difficult to do.

I grew up around here but never had a reason to go here. I didn’t know anyone who was Catholic, had died, and was buried here. Now I do. So I had to visit to Holy Cross Cemetery and Mortuary to pay my respects to a family friend. I didn’t know where Holy Cross was. However, since it’s visible from the freeway, I knew where nearby Hillside Memorial Park, the Jewish mortuary and cemetery, was located and they gave me the directions.
In reading a Hillside review, I found one comment humorous: «If you’re Jewish and want to spend eternity in L.A., then this is a pretty good place to do it.»
Well, the same applies to Holy Cross: «If you’re Catholic and want to spend eternity in L.A., then this is a pretty good place to do it.» Not only that, the view from Culver Crest, the hilly section of rather banal Culver City, is stupendous, so those few square feet of dirt, to be acquired in perpetuity, are not cheap from what I was able to deduce. From the sloped grounds of Holy Cross, one can see from Beverly Hills and Century City all the way west out to the beach.
Holy Cross is huge. I wasn’t prepared for that. One has to go into a larger office building to obtain a map and be explained a complex indexing system to find someone’s grave. They were really helpful and good natured in the office.
While I was there, I also went to visit the grave sites of others my family or I knew, in addition to the grave site that was the purpose of that trip. My friend said «I like this place. I reaaalllyyy like this place.» I thought that was kind of weird. We’re nowhere near that milestone yet, from an actuarial perspective. Also, why do people have such a thing about being buried in a specific cemetery? It’s not as if they can enjoy the views and the landscaping. I thought about it, returning to Holy Cross when the curtain falls, sort of in the symbolic way of making a full circle journey. However, when I think of how expensive a PERMANENT L.A. address might be, I can pass on this stipulation.

On April 14^th my Neighborhood lost a well loved member of the community and part of my work’s family. Her memorial was held here at Holy cross.
The facility is fairly large, well maintained and very peaceful. I arrived early in the morning and almost got lost. After driving around a few laps around the memorial grounds I stopped by the office to ask at the front desk where to go when I saw some of my co workers and fooled them to the viewing room.
Before walking in, I registered on the iPad at the front door and walked it to pay my respects to the surviving members of the family. They had a stand with some pictures at different times in her life. Her casket was next to the pictures. To some it was very difficult to see the body in the open casket though for me I had no trouble until her great grandson (who is only a year old) was brought to see her and said «gran gra mama» and got me a bit emotional because the poor little boy saw her every day of his young life and already missed her.
After a few hours in the viewing room, every one went the the chapel a few rooms over for her memorial service and many of hr family members talked about who she was and what she did in life. After about and hour and a half (maybe a little more) every one met at one of their break rooms for refreshments though I had to leave at that point.
I wish I would have had more time to appreciate the grounds, and also see where my plot is while I was there as I have a plot but not exactly sure where in the memorial park it is at. Maybe next time
The staff here was very helpful and well spoken when aiding the family and friends who were there.

Pretty cemetery with nice views of Culver City, on the hilltops. Very peaceful/​quiet. Just make sure you come in a car though… very tiring walking up and down those HUGE hills.

I really like coming here. Lots of friends and family. It’s a beautiful cementery, no problem parking, and it’s very therapeutic. I often stop by after church to visit my dad who passed away two years ago.
I wish it was easier to find my other friends and relatives I haven’t visited in a while.

I’ve only known two people to pass away. Coincidentally, they both were buried here.
This cemetery is beautiful. It’s nice knowing that people being laid to rest here have super nice views. The grounds are very hilly and it’s very peaceful/​tranquil here.
I’ve used the Directory a few times and they’re always nice and give me the results I need. Unfortunately, it is confusing once you do get that information.
They do their best though. They name entire sections after someone/​something to help you navigate through everything. It’s creepy walking over so many graves while stumbling around looking for that one person, though. I wish they had floating platforms or something.
The grounds are also well-​kept.
As for me? When I go. I’m gonna get cremated. I don’t wanna come back as a Zombie.

When Christine gets bored she apparently wanders off to cemeteries… and writes reviews in third person.
Anyway, didn’t have anything to do today, so Brandon D. and I trucked it over to Culver City to visit the Holy Cross Cemetery. People really go all out for the holidays, I mean, there were real Christmas trees just mounted and decorated on top of graves.
We primarily went there to see some of the famous folks who’ve been interred by the grotto area (photo:
)
People like:
— Bela Lugosi (photo:
),
— Bing Crosby (photo:
),
— Jimmy Durante,
— Jackie Coogan,
— Jack Haley,
— Rita Hayworth,
— and Sharon Tate (photo:
).
Others like John Candy, Fred MacMurray, Lawrence Welk, Ray Bolger, and others are also buried here with its large rolling hills on inlaid headstones. Come to think of it, I don’t think there were any upright ones at all.
Supposedly Gary Cooper used to be buried here, but was exhumed and moved to another cemetery on the east coast.
I love how someone left some play vampire teeth on Bela Lugosi’s grave. He’s actually only a few stones over from Bing Crosby. Bran wasn’t sure who Bing was (I know! Sacrilege, right?), and I ended up POORLY singing a few bars of «White Christmas» over the ol’ crooner’s burial site.
Pretty cool visit.

This is a beautiful place… Landscaping is gorgeous. Lovely pond with turtles and ducks. love the tree stump trash cans. Darby Crash. Rita Hayworth.Bela Lugosi. Bing Crosby. Sharon Tate. to name a few are all buried here.

I feel compelled to Unilocal this place,
I have several loved ones buried here.
This is the place that I was when I decided not to die.
Like Douglas Adam’s explanation on how one can achieve flight just by forgetting to fall at the moment of impact,
I will achieve immortality by forgetting to die.
It’s a good thing I’ll never die,
because I don’t want to be buried in a place like this.
Sure, it’s clean, serene, near the mall and major freeways,
but this place would bore the hell out of me, so to speak.
As a kid, I remember hopping over the gate and drinking 40’s with the homies, smoking Death cigarettes,
trying to invoke «Bloody Mary» (who never bothered to show up),
a teenager’s nocturnal playground.
I’ve out grown you Holy Cross.
And it might have been a rumor,
but I didn’t like the talk about how people get exhumed and cremated after 100 years to make space for the newcomers.
Post-​mortal gentrification or white-​flight?
If it isn’t true, how is it that you never run out of space?
I don’t like how the lawnmowers scuff the tombstones either.
That being said,
I love the view.
+1 star.

My grandparents and my uncle are buried here. I like how people will decorate the graves during Christmas time. It’s really hilly though. I get scared parking my car there sometimes. They also close early. Other than that, I like how scenic the cemetery looks. It’s not as creepy as others. The staff is nice too.

As I was driving through the gate, Enya came on and it freaked me out a little. Hesistant to check-​in here as normally «checking in» here would be the last thing you want to do, I did it anyway. I was surpised to see there were only four reviews while taking into account the many graves here, clearly a lot more would want to review the place. But then again, death has always been a taboo subject that is not frequently touched upon, as infrequent as sex after ten years of marriage… you might have to do it but only if it’s absolutely necessary.
Driving up and down along the grassy hills, I couldn’t help but to notice how calm and serene the whole place was. Little not too far up of one of the hills was my grandpa’s resting place. His grave had always been well kept. The maintenance crew here would not let the grass grew more than an inch. They must have watered it regularly too as it always exuded the freshest shade of green. Top of the hill would be the Chapel of the Risen Christ where services for the deceased performed. When there wasn’t a service the dead-​silent chamber returned to its somber tone. Double functioning as a masoleum, the hollow interior walls housed rows of sepulchrals all decked out with pristine slabs of marble with gold letter engravings. The families made sure their loved ones were laid to rest here with proper respect and decorum.
My aunt’s and uncle’s cinerary urns were also housed here, the cheapest option for real estate at this place. As we were walking out, my mom complained that she should have bought two plots for my dad and her when land was still cheap. My other aunt did. The notion of preparing for your death still bothered me immensely and I voiced my sentiment by not responding. As we drove away, I wondered what I would want to do with my body when the time comes.

Although I’d agree with the two other reviewers that the cemetery is beautiful and scenic, I was very disappointed with the staff in the cemetery department. Had it not been for the fact that my father had purchased a plot many years before, I would have never used this place for any reason. On each occasion I visited the site or called, the staff was short, rude, and unhelpful. I gave them a pass on the first occasion thinking that maybe the entire staff was having a bad day. But on each occasion it was the same aloof attitude. The type of place where no one ever comes to you to ask if you need any help. And if you ask for help, they roll their eyes and act like you’re being very annoying. Just horrible. Please honor your family and stay away from this place if you want to be treated with dignity.

When I was a kid, and we’d drive past a cemetery, my father would point and say, «See that place? People are dying to get in there…»
He’s gone now too, so I figure that gives me the go-​ahead to share his bad joke with you, intending no disrespect for those who have passed on.
The one previous review of Holy Cross showcases its Christmas decorations, tres cool.
My review is about the waste receptacles disguised as tree stumps.
Forgive me, but I think these things are adorable… and they are all over the grounds.
So…I guess the bad news is that we are all gonna die, it’s just a matter of how & when.
The good news is that some resting places got class.

Having grown up back east where Christmas festivities are plentiful, I’ve been surprised that LA is rather wimpy when it comes to the decorative spirit.
Well, I’m glad I discovered at least one neighborhood that got into the Xmas mood this season. Of course, I would never have expected that neighborhood to be a cemetery. I found tiny trees to full-​sized trees festooned with ornaments, garland and stars on display at gravesite after gravesite. One tree had music emanating from somewhere within its tangle of branches. An army of variously-​sized Santas were deployed on hill after hill. Manger scenes with little statuettes were positioned on flat granite gravestones. Cotton carpets of fake snow were rolled out over the grass and edged with tiny white picket fences. Christmas cards were left by well-​wishers. I even saw an empty liquor bottle well placed.
The holiday landscape here was no spontaneous assemblage of leftover decorations. This was a deliberation of careful craft — all very serious — and many individual sites left the impression that they were planned and executed with the aid of homemade architectural drawings and a trained crew of family members.