Having established itself long ago as San Diego’s most prestigious funeral home and cemetery, Greenwood Memorial Park, Mortuary and Crematory is truly a place like no other.
Built in 1907 on a slight hill with an ocean view, Greenwood’s appeal began with its location. Over the years, it has expanded to include several chapels, a mortuary, crematory, three mausoleums, a collection of international and rare vegetation and statuary.
Many prominent San Diego residents are laid to rest here and many of the markers tell a fascinating story. For those unfamiliar with Belle Benchley, for example, it might come as a surprise to stumble across a grave marker depicting the face of a gorilla. Known as The Zoo Lady, Benchley was the director of the San Diego Zoo from 1927 to 1953, and guided its expansion from a small collection of animals to an innovative, world-class zoo.
At Greenwood, we understand that losing someone you love is one of life’s most difficult experiences, and that’s why it’s so important to us that our clients feel like an extension of our own family. Our incredible team of professionals have many years of experience, and as we comfort families in times of loss, we work tirelessly to ensure they’re all treated with compassion and respect.
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News
The Loss of John McCain: Grieving a National Hero
August saw the loss of Senator John McCain, and our nation grieved. A longstanding and sometimes controversial figure in American politics, McCain was well-respected across the aisle and celebrated as a national hero for his service to our country during his lengthy military career. No one was surprised by the news of his death because
Read More >>Suffering from SAD when You’re Sad
Winter is approaching, and with it the winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder affects between 10 and 20 percent of Americans, causing people to feel depressed or hopeless, disinterested in normal activities, and sluggish or fatigued. If you’ve recently suffered a loss, Seasonal Affective Disorder can be a double blow, intensifying those feelings of grief. The symptoms of grief and SAD
Read More >>What Happens to Your Facebook when you Die? (And other social media questions)
Most of us have a social media presence. In fact, about 73% of online adults have at least one social media account, and that includes 57% of the baby boomers who have an online presence. Social media is wonderful for keeping in touch with friends and family, sharing photos, thoughts, events, and more. Sure, there
Read More >>Ancient Traditions Around Death: Lessons We Can Learn
Modern medicine and contemporary funeral practices have made many of us far removed from death. Things tend to be much more sanitized than they were in the ancient world, and death typically happens out of sight, with the body handled by professionals and whisked away from view. There’s also a push to “get it over with” and rush past death, which means that some people choose to skip the funeral in order to
Read More >>Who’ll Care for Mom? Helping One Parent After the Loss of the Other
People in loving, lengthy marriages are always doing little things for each other throughout the day, whether it’s bringing a cup of coffee, checking the oil in the car, or any of the countless other small tasks that get taken for granted. As they grow older and one partner begins to fail in some way, the other tends to compensate for it, often subconsciously. Some couples may not realize the extent of their interdependence. For others, one might become the
Read More >>From Mendelssohn to Mariachi: Choosing Unique Funeral Music
When you think of funerals you’ve attended, does the music stand out? What do you remember? Hymns played on an organ? Amazing Grace, sung by the gathered mourners? If that sort of service doesn’t fit with your personal style, you’re not alone. Today, you can choose your own music for your funeral. With certain religious traditions, there are restrictions
Read More >>Leaving a Legacy: Establishing a Charitable Fund
If you’ve written a will, you may have designated many beneficiaries. Most of us have financial assets and personal belongings that we want specific people to have. Remembering your friends and family in your will is a great place to start dispersing your assets, but what if you also want some of your estate to be used to support worthy
Read More >>Crystal Remembrance: Treasuring your Loved One’s Memory
When a loved one dies, we naturally want some tangible way to remember that person. For many years that touchpoint was the gravesite, but with the growing popularity of cremation, people are finding interesting and creative ways to hold a loved one’s memory close. At Greenwood Memorial Park, we provide a wide range of cremation
Read More >>How Millennials Could Change Funerals Forever
It’s estimated that millennials will make up about 75% of the workforce by 2030, and many of these young people are working in the funeral industry already. In fact, this tech-savvy, hyper-connected generation could change the funeral profession forever. Millennials tend to think differently than previous generations. They’re typically more flexible and less attached to tradition. They tend to resist doing things a certain way just because that’s the way it’s always been
Read More >>If Tragedy Happens on Vacation: Consider Travel Protection to Bring You Back Home
Whether it’s a cross-country trek or a trip overseas, it’s a good idea to have travel protection. No one plans to die on vacation — but when tragedy occurs, it can be complicated to bring the loved one back home, especially from overseas. Most people buy protection in case their trip is interrupted by unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injuries, a natural disaster or another emergency. International emergency assistance typically covers the traveler if an act of terrorism is to
Read More >>
The Loss of John McCain: Grieving a National Hero
August saw the loss of Senator John McCain, and our nation grieved. A longstanding and sometimes controversial figure in American politics, McCain was well-respected across the aisle and celebrated as a national hero for his service to our country during his lengthy military career. No one was surprised by the news of his death because Read More >>Suffering from SAD when You’re Sad
Winter is approaching, and with it the winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder affects between 10 and 20 percent of Americans, causing people to feel depressed or hopeless, disinterested in normal activities, and sluggish or fatigued. If you’ve recently suffered a loss, Seasonal Affective Disorder can be a double blow, intensifying those feelings of grief. The symptoms of grief and SAD Read More >>What Happens to Your Facebook when you Die? (And other social media questions)
Most of us have a social media presence. In fact, about 73% of online adults have at least one social media account, and that includes 57% of the baby boomers who have an online presence. Social media is wonderful for keeping in touch with friends and family, sharing photos, thoughts, events, and more. Sure, there Read More >>Ancient Traditions Around Death: Lessons We Can Learn
Modern medicine and contemporary funeral practices have made many of us far removed from death. Things tend to be much more sanitized than they were in the ancient world, and death typically happens out of sight, with the body handled by professionals and whisked away from view. There’s also a push to “get it over with” and rush past death, which means that some people choose to skip the funeral in order to Read More >>Who’ll Care for Mom? Helping One Parent After the Loss of the Other
People in loving, lengthy marriages are always doing little things for each other throughout the day, whether it’s bringing a cup of coffee, checking the oil in the car, or any of the countless other small tasks that get taken for granted. As they grow older and one partner begins to fail in some way, the other tends to compensate for it, often subconsciously. Some couples may not realize the extent of their interdependence. For others, one might become the Read More >>From Mendelssohn to Mariachi: Choosing Unique Funeral Music
When you think of funerals you’ve attended, does the music stand out? What do you remember? Hymns played on an organ? Amazing Grace, sung by the gathered mourners? If that sort of service doesn’t fit with your personal style, you’re not alone. Today, you can choose your own music for your funeral. With certain religious traditions, there are restrictions Read More >>Leaving a Legacy: Establishing a Charitable Fund
If you’ve written a will, you may have designated many beneficiaries. Most of us have financial assets and personal belongings that we want specific people to have. Remembering your friends and family in your will is a great place to start dispersing your assets, but what if you also want some of your estate to be used to support worthy Read More >>Crystal Remembrance: Treasuring your Loved One’s Memory
When a loved one dies, we naturally want some tangible way to remember that person. For many years that touchpoint was the gravesite, but with the growing popularity of cremation, people are finding interesting and creative ways to hold a loved one’s memory close. At Greenwood Memorial Park, we provide a wide range of cremation Read More >>How Millennials Could Change Funerals Forever
It’s estimated that millennials will make up about 75% of the workforce by 2030, and many of these young people are working in the funeral industry already. In fact, this tech-savvy, hyper-connected generation could change the funeral profession forever. Millennials tend to think differently than previous generations. They’re typically more flexible and less attached to tradition. They tend to resist doing things a certain way just because that’s the way it’s always been Read More >>If Tragedy Happens on Vacation: Consider Travel Protection to Bring You Back Home
Whether it’s a cross-country trek or a trip overseas, it’s a good idea to have travel protection. No one plans to die on vacation — but when tragedy occurs, it can be complicated to bring the loved one back home, especially from overseas. Most people buy protection in case their trip is interrupted by unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injuries, a natural disaster or another emergency. International emergency assistance typically covers the traveler if an act of terrorism is to Read More >>
Recent Obituaries
“I lost my son in a tragic situation. He was a young adult and the comfort I needed came so effortlessly from the staff at Greenwood. I was in shock, grief, disbelief, numb and clueless as to what had to be done. Jennifer Berry’s warm, caring manner and comforting words helped put me at ease. Jennifer held my hand and took care of everything for me. I feel she was purposely put in my path and I will be forever grateful.” — E.M.
“I viewed my 98-year-old great grandma at Greenwood. Thank you for doing such a nice job on her makeup. She looked absolutely beautiful in her casket. I am happy that she is at peace and that my last image of her will be a good memory.” — K. B.
“Every single person we encountered was phenomenal! Desmond was outstanding! He was so pleasant and thoughtful” — P.K.
Contact Us
Greenwood Memorial Park & Mortuary
4300 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, CA 92113
California License FD#: 843 / COA 661
619.450.1479
© 2018 Greenwood Memorial Park & Mortuary
Proud Affiliate of NorthStar Memorial Group