— from Pierrette Guimond —
Mt. Baker Cemetery
San Juan County Cemetery District #3 owns and operates two cemeteries on Orcas Island: Woodlawn Cemetery, located on West Beach road down past Island Hardware; and Mt. Baker Cemetery, located on Mt. Baker Road, next to Buck Park. Both cemeteries were originally established in 1890, are open to the public, and continue to offer burial plots and services to the community.
The Cemetery District was formed by the vote of Orcas Island residents and property owners in 1985. Woodlawn Cemetery was the original cemetery for which the District was formed. In 2009, Mt. Baker Cemetery was accepted as a donation to the District.
Woodlawn Cemetery offers plots for memorial markers, full casket burials, urn burials, and can even respond to “green burials.” In addition to full plots, which can accommodate a number of urn burials and a casket, Woodlawn also offers smaller single urn plots.
Mt. Baker Cemetery is restricted to urn burials and memorial markers only—no casket or green burials.
Wondering what is available? Reference books with maps and plot listings are available at both cemeteries, and at the Orcas Island Library—or you can call or email the Clerk (information below), or visit the District’s new website at www.orcascemetery.org.
The District is pleased to note that there are many plots still available at both cemeteries, to serve Orcas for generations to come.
The Cemetery District Board consists of three Commissioners, each elected to a six year term. The current commissioners are: Pierrette Guimond, Joyce Nigretto, and Patricia Resch. The public is always welcome to the District meetings, which are held at the library on the first Wednesday of every month. You are also welcome to visit “your” local cemeteries anytime, year-round.
For more information about plots, prices, rules, and schedules you may call the District Clerk at 360-472-1573, email via clerk@orcascemetery.org, or visit the district website: www.orcascemetery.org.
Editor’s Note: Olga Cemetery is privately owned and not a part of the Cemetery District.
This is a great service, Pierrette! Thank you for organizing and informing.
Pierette,
Mike and I (mostly Mike) have been doing extensive research on our family trees which is published at the moment in Ancestry.com. We have found cemetery sites like these to be invaluable for our family members back in NY, WV, MS, and PA. This is a great service you are providing here and I am sure it will be used as the interest in genealogy continues to grow.
Lois