Augusta Memorial Park

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE CARE...........FOR OVER FIVE YEARS I HAVE VISITED MY FAMILY MEMBERS THERE AND SPEND WHAT SHOULD BE A PLEASANT TIME BECOMES VERY STRESSFUL BECAUSE I SPEND MY VISIT CLEANING GRASS AND WEEDS FROM THEIR HEADSTONES AND THOSE OF OTHERS. THEY MOW AND THE DEAD GRASS COVERS THE STONE TO THE POINT YOU CAN'T TELL ANYONE IS BURIED THERE. I COMPLAIN TO OFFICE STAFF AND EVEN TO THE OWNERS AND NOTHING CHANGES. IN MY OPINION THE STATE TAKES BETTER CARE OF OUR ROADS THAN THIS PLACE DOES OUR LOVED ONES.

I lost my beloved mother in May. She had bought her plot & vault, so that much was taken care of - but I was informed by the funeral director that opening the grave on a weekend would cost $400 MORE....When the day of the service came, I was absolutely appalled to learn that the funeral director had NEGLECTED TO HIRE A MINISTER: he'd told me that either he or I could do that, but that the $100 charge was covered, so I told him to handle it; thanks to his blundering, we had to make do with reciting the 23rd Psalm and saying a prayer....



As for the Augusta Memorial Park guy I dealt with, he was too abrupt: he didn't give me sufficient time to choose the features of Mama's outrageously expensive $3,300 marker; it was as if he wanted to wrap it up and go home. Just another day at the office for him - but a time of heartbreaking grief for me.



The bottom line: I do not recommend either Augusta Memorial Park OR McDow Funeral Home.

Parents bought plots here. Had to pay $400 more to be buried on a weekend! Contract said nothing about that little extra!

My husband and I buried both of his parents at Augusta Memorial Park. The memorial park itself is truly in a beautiful location, situated on a quiet country road and surrounded by idyllic pastures. When my father-in-law passed away in 2008, my mother-in-law purchased plots for both her husband and herself. The result was that my husband and I were forced to be subjected to the same callous treatment by the staff when she passed away in 2013.



The office assistant was abrupt, rude, and completely unprofessional. However, her demeanor of hostility did manage to soften to indifference upon hearing of our loss. Later, when I called with follow-up questions, she was unable or unwilling to answer a single one of them. When I asked to speak with the manager, the phone was abruptly disconnected.



The other members of the staff were tolerable enough, but far too concerned with turning a profit. They attempted to sell us unneeded and unwanted memorabilia at a time when all we wanted to do was survive the day. False notes of care and concern rang in their voices, as they attempted to maneuver us into providing them with the names and contact information of friends and family for marketing purposes. Through the guise of providing us with a funeral guest book and sending our guests sympathy cards and maps of the cemetery, they shrewdly attempted collect an ever-widening pool of potential clients. This was a crafty business maneuver, geared toward preying upon victims in a moment of vulnerability.



Thankfully, the grounds are maintained and manicured well enough—certainly better than Riverview Cemetery in Waynesboro. However, my mother-in-law passed away in November and, now in March, the mud from where her grave was dug has yet to be cleaned off of the headstone. Dead flowers are only removed from vases twice a year, which means they remain an eyesore the other 10 months of the year. The American flag that sits atop the hill in a crumbling base is tattered and faded, looking quite battle fatigued. I put in a maintenance request with the grounds-keeping crew and will be pleasantly surprised if it yields any positive results.



Augusta Memorial Park is currently owned by Cornerstone Family Services LLC in Pennsylvania. According to online reports, the company has an average yearly income of $75 million. Therefore, one would think that they could afford to keep the memorial park grounds in immaculate condition and hire professional staff capable of effectively maintaining an air empathy with the grieving.

Vultures is the best way I can describe them. I've asked to be removed from their "marketing ploys" and any other communications, only to still receive them. Latest is for absurdly priced fake flowers.



I sincerely hope that they themselves and their families will be treated the same way they have treated others. There is no conscience with them. When it comes to the funeral "industry" of which I hold in low regard, these people are at the bottom.

I was shocked at their marketing practices. They tell a grieving family "at no cost to you, your friends and family will receive memory cards in honor of your loved one. Please provide us with a list of names and addresses."

They impose on a grieving family member to provide lists of names and addresses and USE THEM FOR MARKETING! They send out advertisements for their services! I have much experience in marketing and I'll say this is one of the most unprofessional, and downright tackiest method I have ever seen, and the imposition was most unappreciated!