Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home

Reviews 3

GR

Grieving HurtandAngry

I just dont feel welcome there anymore. Not only do I not feel welcome, I feel sad...and a bit angry, but perhaps some of that is just part of my own grieving. I have been going there ever since I could remember and have always loved visiting. My Mom used to take me there when I was younger and while there we would feed some old bread to the ducks & turtles. As I got older & visited I would sometimes take leftover bread to enjoy those memories. My Mom had lost her parents within a few months of each other. Occasionally, I visit their graves & place flowers as they are buried there along with other extended family members/friends throughout the cemetery. My grandparents passed when I was very young & it wasnt until my Mom passed that I considered how hard that must have been for her. Some of the things Ive pondered on my walks there. Usually, I take my dog when visiting & walk about mostly staying on the road. Sometimes, if I see something interesting & want to take a photo, we venture off the road but otherwise we stay on the road. I am careful to make sure my dog isnt tromping/lying down on anyones grave and I surely dont allow my dog to defecate on any. *If* my dog does have to use the restroom it is in a grave free area & I pick up any solid waste & dispose of it properly. That is nothing to say of any birds, squirrels, rats, possums, raccoons, vagrants, or stray dogs/cats, etc. that might pass through & defecate anywhere on the property, but as for me & my dog, we do respect the property while there. I have walked my last dog & my current dog there on visits spanning the past 15 years or so. There has never been an issue. Most people wave & smile in passing. I realize not everyone likes dogs, but a big reason why I started bringing my dog was because someone had made me feel unsafe during a visit. I didnt return for a while but decided to start taking my dog when I could & it made me feel safer. They have cars that drive through, but they cant be everywhere and bad things can happen quickly. So, yeah, I was a bit surprised to be approached by someone on my last visit & abruptly told that it was not a public park but private property and they did not want me walking my dog there. He did not offer his name and zipped off immediately in his little cart before I could think to ask any questions. There doesnt seem to be anything on the website mentioning dogs arent allowed. There is some mention of being part of the community, serving others, being a good neighbor, truly caring about people, etc...well, its certainly not feeling that way for me, at least. Like I said, Ive been taking my dog(s) there for years. Ive seen others there with dogs and Ive even seen a group of dogs (funny memory that one) traveling through on their own. Being so fond of the place, I had considered FP in making arrangements for myself. Not for burial, as Im planning to be cremated, but just for a service in the chapel & maybe encourage attendees to feed ducks as I have so much enjoyed on my visits. The price I was quoted was steep & I wasnt sure if it included cremation (over 3K), but I hadnt marked it off as a possibility. Well, I will just explore other options. If I cant even bring my dog there, walk around & feel welcomed and safe, I certainly dont want to "celebrate my life" there. Your ad on the yellow pages site mentions "Each one of us is unique with our own story to tell." Thats true. I will find somewhere else to have mine told. We also dont all grieve the same ways. Some of us grieve by taking walks through the cemetery with their dog. I will share this part of my story with other people. Just remember: this is private property. Once you & your family gives them money and turns over the remains of your loved ones in their care, they dont have to treat you with any dignity or respect. They can treat you however they choose.

AN

Ana Orozco

I am less than thrilled with Forest Park. I bought two crypts, one for my late mother and one for my husband and myself. My mother passed in December and at the time I was NEVER told we couldnt put anything at her site, except a monument, which I was fine with. I saw many people had decorated with Christmas trees, fences, balloons, etc. All of these things are what attracted me to this cementary. I decided to decorate around January, and spent over $100 on the decor. A week later, I went to visit and it was ALL gone. There was a sign that said theyd be picking up FLOWERS, which I assumed dead flowers. No. They took it ALL. I was told by people that went to visit loved ones in the surrounding area that they take everything within those dates. There was no way to recover anything. It was until a few weeks ago that I went to get informed on when we COULD place and how their pick up days work. They said we could decorate as we desired, but once those "cleanup days" come, to take your belongings and bring them back. So I went ahead and bought $100 worth of decorations again, including a cross with her name on it. Gone. Again. All of it. Even the CROSS. Now, I went and had a meeting with a rep and was basically told that those "cleanup" days mean nothing, because they picked up all we had when it is far from the last and next cleanup day. And NOW Im being told we cannot decorate at all, but put flowers in the vase THEY sell. Only time we can decorate are for major holidays. One week. And there are no major holidays EVERY month. This means, my mother will not have ANYTHING next month, since the place marker will not be ready for another few months. Had I known this, I would have never bought my mother and my crypt here. Im extremely dissatisfied with the way this has been handled. Now my mothers burial site is nothing but a block of grass with no indication anyone is in there. I would not recommend for anyone to buy their loved ones a crypt here. Unless youre okay with being limited to just placing flowers on an overpriced vase they sell, which many times is stolen or thrown away by the cleaup crew.

MA

Mandy Castro

I would not recommend forest park to anyone. I am so, so frustrated with this place. I recently lost my mother and sister. I went in on 3/18 to order a double marker. I returned a week later to pay in full. Here we are 15 weeks later and still no marker. I originally went to a different place, paid 1/2 my money down and the place up and moved. I contacted BBB and I received my money back, I then went into forest park to order the marker, I explained about my experience with previous location and I was told we will get your Mothers and sisters marker, we are a big company, we stand behind our word, oh really, Every time I call it is something different, I received a text today and was told it will be here by the first week of next month. Oh My Goodness, 1st week of next month comes in and I will be told something different. Ugh, Ive had it with forest park. Enough is enough, I just my mothers and sister maker. I would not give a star but it would not let me post.

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