As we continually strive to improve the quality of service we provide to the Yankton community, the Garden of Memories Cemetery and the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home are pleased to announce the addition of a new columbarium to the cemetery. This 5 ½ foot tall solid granite structure provides families a distinct alternative to earth burial and features a combination of 96 single and double niches which will honorably preserve your loved one's urn for all time. This new columbarium is unique to Yankton. The Garden of Memories Cemetery continues to offer families more choices than any other cemetery in the area and it perfectly compliments the two existing mausoleums already in the cemetery. A columbarium is a free standing structure which contains single or companion niches. One urn can be placed in a single niche and two urns can be placed in a companion niche which is twice as deep. One distinct advantage to a niche is it will keep your loved one's urn dry and protect it from the elements in the ground. This can be a very comforting thought for some families. When you factor in all the cost involved with burying an urn, which includes the grave space, the opening and closing of the grave, and the cost of a headstone to mark the grave, it is actually less expensive to purchase a niche in a columbarium. Included in the cost of niche is a bronze name plaque. Below is a cost comparison which only focuses on the difference between the costs involved to bury an urn in the ground and the costs to entomb an urn in a niche. There are other costs for funeral services and merchandise, but those would remain the same

Comparison for a Single Niche vs. One Urn Burial:   One Grave Space Single Niche One Grave Opening and Closing One Niche Opening and Closing 2 ft. Single Granit-Bronz Marker Single Niche Name Plaque   Total Earth Burial $450.00   $200.00   $1050.00   ________ $1700.00 Niche   $1495.00   $100.00   Included ________ $1595.00 Comparison for a Companion Niche vs. Two Urn Burials:   One Grave Space Companion Niche Two Grave Opening and Closing Two Niche Opening and Closings 3 ft. Companion Granit-Bronz Marker Companion Niche Name Plaque   Total Earth Burial $450.00   $400.00   $1950.00   ________ $2800.00 Niche   $2195.00   $200.00   Included ________ $2395.00

Garden of Memories Cemetery

Lives are commemorated, deaths are recorded, families are reunited, memories are made tangible, and love is undisguised. This all takes place at our Garden of Memories Cemetery. Daily we experience testimonies of devotion, pride and remembrance that are stated in silent prayer, in flowers or carved in stone to pay tribute to accomplishments to the life - not death - of a loved one. The Garden of Memories Cemetery is a history of people, a perpetual record of yesterday and sanctuary of peace and quiet today. Our cemetery exists because every life is worth loving, remembering and celebrating...forever.

The Garden of Memories is a private, nonsectarian cemetery that is open to anyone who desires the very finest interment for their loved ones. For over 30 years, area families have chosen the Garden of Memories for its tranquil setting and serene surroundings. Our funeral home and cemetery combination allows families to make all final arrangements easily and affordably from one beautiful location. Our cemetery offers several different options for families to consider.

Earth Burial
Earth burial is the most common form of disposition at our cemetery. A monument or marker is placed at the head of the grave, which is the most visible sign of the memorialization process. At the Garden of Memories Cemetery, we strive to provide the beauty and peacefulness that families deserve.

Mausoleum Crypt
Mausoleums are above ground structures that contain concrete or stone crypts in which the casket is placed. They offer an enduring peace of mind that the sanctity of the deceased is fully protected. A mausoleum crypt offers secure protection that is clean and dry because the burial containers entombed do not come in contact with the earth.

Mausoleum Niche
For families choosing cremation, we offer mausoleum niches in our cemetery. A niche is just like a mausoleum crypt, only smaller, designed to hold an urn. It offers the same peace of mind that a mausoleum crypt does.

Pet Cemetery

Many people consider their pets as part of the family - almost like one of the kids. So when a pet dies there is a certain amount of grief that is associated with that experience. Along with that grief is a desire to provide your pet with a peaceful final resting place. For some people, this can be done on their own property. For others, there is a desire for a more permanent place. In 1987, Stan Ray opened the state's first pet cemetery.

The Garden of Memories Pet Cemetery offers families a permanent and peaceful place to remember their pets. The pet cemetery is located just west of the funeral home and is open for visitation during daylight hours. The Pet Cemetery Plan includes a grave space, the opening and closing of that space, a container, and a temporary marker (which can be used as a permanent marker). In addition to earth burial, we also offer the option of cremation.

For more information about our pet cemetery, please call 605-665-3645.