Frequently Asked Questions

Can I purchase a burial site at Rock Creek Cemetery? Yes, although not all sections of the cemetery have sites available. Contact the office for prices and availability.

How do I purchase a burial site for immediate need? Make an appointment to meet with a member of our sales staff who will assist you in the purchase of available sites. The site, interment services, and outer burial container must be paid for at that time. You must decide on the depth of the site (i.e. regular depth for a single interment or double depth when two full body interments will eventually use the site) the date and time of the service, and choose between a concrete liner or a water resistant vault.

What are the hours of the cemetery? Cemetery office? Rock Creek Cemetery is open daily including holidays from 7:30 am until dusk. The cemetery office is open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday and 9:00 am - 1:00 pm on Saturdays. The office is closed on all federal holidays.

Is the Cemetery open on Christmas Day? Yes, Rock Creek Cemetery is open daily including all holidays from 7:30 am until dusk. However, the cemetery office is closed on Christmas and all other federal holidays.

Where is the Adams Memorial located? The Adams Memorial is located near St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Section E. A map of the location can be found in the window of the cemetery office.

Is the statue called "GRIEF" located in Rock Creek Cemetery? The Adams Memorial, which has also been referred to as the Grief Statue, is located near St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Section E. A map of the location can be found in the window of the cemetery office.

Can I plant flowers at our sites? Requests for permission to plant must be submitted in writing for approval by the Board of Managers of Rock Creek Cemetery. All plantings must be made within the memorialization area of burial sites (the area where headstones are generally placed) and cannot infringe on the surrounding sites. The memorialization area of each site measures three feet by two feet.

When are artificial flowers permitted at grave sites? Artificial flowers are permitted between Thanksgiving and President’s Day and may be removed by the Cemetery without prior notice at all other times.

When should I contact the cemetery to make interment arrangements? The cemetery should be notified three days prior to the scheduled funeral. It is important that you confirm your date of service with someone from our staff before placing the obituary ad in the paper.

Can I pre-plan arrangements? Yes, however, we cannot accept payment for interment services or outer burial containers until the date of service has been scheduled. A burial site can be purchased prior to immediate need of use. You can take advantage of the monthly payment plan by placing a deposit of 20% of the purchase price down and paying the balance in installments for 36 months (three years) with no finance charge or interest.

Why should I make pre-arrangements? If you don’t make decisions now, a family member will be forced to make emotional decisions later. A tremendous burden is placed on those you leave behind and their decisions tend to be colored by grief and not by reason.

Can I sell my unused burial site? The cemetery reserves the right to repurchase burial privileges at a rate specified in the original sales contract or at the original sales price less 20% for administrative costs, whichever is higher.

Can I donate my unused burial site? In some instances, owners find it preferable to offer to donate the burial rights back to the cemetery. Such charitable donations are tax deductible and are acknowledged at the current sales price for similar sites.

Do you charge a placement fee on flower deliveries? With the exception of flowers delivered for a grave side funeral, a fee of  $5.00 is assessed to all flowers delivered to the cemetery to be placed at grave sites.

Can I purchase a memorial from Rock Creek Cemetery? Yes, we carry a variety of monuments and markers already in stock in the rear of the main office. We also purchase granite and bronze from quarries in Georgia and Vermont. Make an appointment to meet with our sales staff and discuss the many options of memorialization.

Do I have to purchase a memorial from Rock Creek Cemetery?  You may purchase a memorial from a dealer of your choice, however, certain fees related to installation and care are payable to Rock Creek Cemetery on all memorials installed here.