In-Ground Burial
In-Ground burials are available at Riverside Cemetery in Norwalk, CT for either:
- Casket ("full") Burials
- Cremation Burials
- Above-Ground Burials
Here at Riverside Cemetery, each individual full-size grave space in our cemetery will accommodate three (3) potential burials: ONE full size casket burial and TWO cremation burials layered atop.
We also offer mausoleums, columbarium, graveside services, a pet cemetery, and more to meet whatever your burial needs may be.
Casket
In-Ground Burial
Riverside offers families a variety of grave sites for an in ground burial intended for a casket (as opposed to a cremation burial). One will allow for a memorial stone that is flush with the ground, another allows for an upright or a slant memorial stone or in newly developed sections. The difference will depend in which section of the cemetery the grave site is located. There is also a price difference between such locations. Please call the cemetery office for these prices as they are subject to change.
Once the grave site is chosen and purchased, the burial, also called an "opening," is the second of three costs charged by the cemetery. This is the same price for any casket burial throughout the cemetery.
An optional third cost is a "Saturday Fee". If you choose to schedule the burial on Saturday, there will be an additional fee. All Saturday burials must be scheduled to begin at the cemetery graveside no later than 12:30pm.
Once the cemetery staff completes their graveside work of interment they will depart and the family is free to stay as long as desired.
On the day of the burial, our sensitive and trained grounds personnel will have prepared the grave site to receive your loved one's casket. In addition the area will be draped with green carpet, and a lift device put in place to hold the casket during the graveside service. Once concluded, the grounds personnel will respectfully wait for the family to depart. If the family wishes to remain and observe the burial they simply need to let the funeral director know, who will alert our personnel, who will then take over to ensure safety for those gathered and to accomplish the burial appropriately. The family may be asked to step back away from the site for practical safety measures as heavy equipment is often needed to be positioned close by.
It is important to know that when a family's grief is most sensitive in those first days immediately following a burial, it is also a time when the grave site will look it's worst. Our cemetery grounds crew will smooth the site as much as possible and will reposition any graveside flowers. Once the flowers expire, they will be taken away. It can take up to a full year or more for grass to completely fill back in, in spite of our re-seeding the ground. In due time, it will recover.
Cremation
In Ground
Here at Riverside Cemetery, we offer 3 foot by 3 foot lots specifically for cremation burials in ground. Each lot will accommodate two cremation burials as well as possibly two flat marker memorial stones. For those planning for their final disposition to be cremation, we have found many couples choosing this companion-cremation lot to be a perfect solution.
The cemetery has several sections devoted to cremation lots only. However, families already owning full-size grave sites will have the option to include up to two cremation burials in each individual grave in addition to the casket burial therin.
When gathered for the graveside service, our grounds staff will wait at a distance for the family to depart before they complete the burial. However, if the family desires, they may wave to our staff to come and carry out the burial in the family's presence following the funeral at cemetery. The family may also participate if they wish by laying the cremation urn or box into the grave themselves. This is entirely an individual decision. Often the intimacy of a cremation lends itself to a more relaxed ability to participate. To complete the burial, the grounds staff member will need to compress the soil by stepping on the surface. This is not a disrespectful act but one of necessity so that the sod may grow back. The family may even participate. Such is the simplicity of a cremation burial.
Whatever a family selects, their decisions are always respected and considered the best choice for them. So that each family can be fully informed, it is particularly helpful for those who live long distances to know that a cremation burial, above or below ground, allows for: a dignified but relaxed process, time to gather family at their own convenience, and simplicity of transportation particularly if not local. Further, when a family cannot gather together until a later date, it is possible for the loved one's ashes to be shipped to Riverside Cemetery with written instructions to carryout a "direct burial" upon arrival. The family can then gather graveside at a later date to honor their loved one when it is possible for them to do so.
It is not possible for pets (ashes or otherwise) to be buried with their human family members. Nearby Pet Cemetery Sections are available.
Mausoleum, Niches, & Crypts
Above ground options
Riverside Cemetery offers many above-ground burial options in Norwalk, CT for the proper care of a loved one's cremains following cremation.
Cremation Columbarium
Outdoor niches in our beautiful garden Columbarium offer above-ground burial for cremated remains. These niches are in a quiet setting with benches and patios awaiting your visit. Further above ground niches are planned throughout our rolling hills. Urns should be no taller/wider than 10.5 inches. Our Columbarium are quite beautiful and make a great choice for cremation burials.
Community Mausoleum
For those who wish a full casket entombment above ground, Riverside Cemetery offers our Community Mausoleum with individual spaces available. Vases, emblems, porcelain photos as well as engraving can be purchased to personalize the individual granite door of the Mausoleum.
Private Family Mausoleums
Private mausoleums are purchased by families and are custom built to provide the owner with the desired number of spaces for their family and for generations to come and can be artistically designed as a memorial that reflects the tastes and heritage of those at rest. Private mausoleums are intended for above-ground burials cannot accommodate inground burials beneath them.
Companion Mausoleums
Also custom built, private 2-person mausoleums (or larger) provide the owner with a fitting memorial as well as extending their burial space above ground.
