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Orange County Cemetery District
25751 Trabuco Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 951-9102 – Phone
(949) – 951-0236 – Fax
www.occemeterydistrict.com
Tim Deutsch, General Manager
NOV. – DEC. 2015
TRUSTEES
Leslie Keane, Chair
Vivien Owen, Vice Chair
William E. Nelson
Maureen Rivers
Cynthia Ward
27th
Annual Veterans Day Observance – Nov. 11th
at 11:00 a.m.
In 2016, the Orange County Cemetery District would like
to host an inaugural Day of the Dead event at Anaheim
Cemetery that we hope will become an annual tradition.
However, we need input and support from interested
community members. If you would like to be on the
Committee to plan and organize such an event, please
contact the District Office at (949) 951-9102 to sign up.
This year, in honor of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the
Dead, families are invited to build ofrendas or personal
altars on the gravesites of their loved ones. If you would
like to honor a loved one who is not interred at Anaheim
Cemetery, you may construct an ofrenda on the steps of
the Community Mausoleum. Please do not leave items of
value and candles with real flame are prohibited.
Decorations may be placed beginning on Thursday,
October 22nd
until Tuesday, November 17th. On Sunday,
November 1st and Monday November 2
nd, Anaheim
Cemetery will remain open until 6:00 p.m.
The 27th Annual Veterans Day Observance at El Toro
Memorial Park will be held on Wednesday, November 11th
at 11:00 a.m.
The Keynote speaker will be Mr. David K. Hayward, who
was a First Lieutenant with the U.S. Army Air Corps during
World War II. Mr. Hayward flew 53 combat missions as a
pilot of a B-25 medium bomber in the China-Burma-India
Theater of operations. He is also the author of “A Young
Man in the Wild Blue Yonder” which chronicles his military
experiences.
Holocaust survivor, Charlotte Van Steenbergen will also
speak about her concentration camp experiences and what
Volunteers Wanted to Plan Anaheim
2016 Day of the Dead Event
2nd
Annual Holiday Memorial at
Anaheim Cemetery Coming in Dec. The holidays can be a difficult time when you have lost
a loved one. Anaheim Cemetery will be holding a
special memorial service in December for anyone who
would like to pause the seasonal commotion, and reflect
on and remember those who have passed away.
We will have a special guest speaker who will talk about
coping with grief during the holidays. Each attendee will
also be given a blank card where they can write their
loved one’s name and a favorite memory. During the
program, families will be invited to speak their loved
one’s name and place the card on a special memory
wreath that will be displayed on the doors of the
mausoleum. There will also be foam ornament craft kits
available that you can take home that hold wallet sized
photos of your loved one. You do not have to have a
loved one buried at the cemetery to participate. All are
welcome! Cookies, coffee and water will be served.
Watch our website for postings on the date and time!
Veterans Day means to her in light of those terrible days.
Other plans for the program are currently ongoing and
will include: massed color guards, a wreath laying
ceremony, and an honor guard firing salute. Special
music will be performed by John Huntington and Gene
Smith. “Amazing Grace” will be played on the bagpipes,
and a bugler will perform “Taps.”
This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage and thank
the men and women who have faithfully served in our
Armed Forces. Please come out and show your support.
Admission is free and the event will take place rain or
shine.
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 2
El Toro Memorial Park will be hosting the 14th Annual “Angel
of Hope” Candlelight Service on Sunday, Dec. 6th at 7:00 p.m.
The Angel of Hope monument is a place for grieving parents
to gather who have lost a child of any age, for any reason.
The annual memorial service is an opportunity for parents and
friends to gather and remember these children who have left
our lives too soon.
Candles will be handed out to the adults and glow sticks given
to children. White carnations are also provided. During the
program families are invited to speak their child’s name and
place flowers at the Angel of Hope monument. Please bring
flashlights and lawn chairs as seating is not provided.
Angel of Hope Candlelight Service at El Toro Memorial Park – Dec. 6th
El Toro Memorial Park to establish the Orange County
Garden of Innocence for Abandoned & Unidentified Children
Garden of Innocence National is a non-profit organization that is
dedicated to providing dignified burials for abandoned and unidentified
deceased children. Elissa Davey, the organization’s founder and CEO
worked to establish the first Garden of Innocence in San Diego in
1999 when she saw a story on the news about the body of a baby boy
who had been found in the trash in Chula Vista, CA. Since then, the
organization has provided respectful interments for nearly 300
children. Gardens of Innocence have been established in three other
states and they hope to eventually have at least one Garden in every
state. Garden of Innocence is non-denominational. Children from all
faiths and all nationalities are served and all volunteers are welcome.
Presently, no Garden of Innocence exists in Orange County, so Elissa
Davey contacted the Orange County Cemetery District to see if that
could be changed. After meeting with the Board of Trustees, the
Board enthusiastically supported the establishment of The Orange
County Garden of Innocence at El Toro Memorial Park. The Garden
will be adjacent to the Baby Section in view of the Angel of Hope
statue. The Garden’s current plan can accommodate up to 115
cremation burials with room to expand as needed.
Garden of Innocence National will pay for the interment service which
covers the interment service fee, endowment care fee, and marker
setting fee. Each Garden depends on the help of community
volunteers to arrange these beautiful services. In fact, each Garden
typically has 16 to 21 volunteer positions performing a host of various
roles. The Knights of Columbus always attend and provide a color
guard, handmade wooden urns are donated from volunteers all across
the country, and other volunteers make small blankets and provide
small toys like Beanie Babies that are placed with the children.
Future newsletters will announce when Garden
of Innocence services are taking place. Service
times will also be posted on the District website
at www.occemeterydistrict.com. The public is
encouraged to attend these services to help us
give each child the loving goodbye they
deserve.
If you would like to learn more about Garden of
Innocence, or if you think you may be interested
in volunteering, please visit their website at
www.gardenofinnocence.org. Garden of
Innocence volunteer, Marla Kennedy will serve
as the Orange County Garden of Innocence
Director.
Founder, Elissa Davey, pictured above with donated urns.
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 3
Finally, at the main entrance, the old cobblestone stamped
concrete driveway that had broken apart in areas and the
lower brick planters were removed. A new entrance was
created with brick pavers laid in a herringbone pattern. The
Iower brick planters were reconstructed with new brick and
slightly reconfigured to make pedestrian access to the park
easier and safer.
Construction began on Monday, October 12th and during the
project the front gate to the park had to remain closed to all
traffic. Mortuaries and vendors who commonly make
deliveries to the park were notified, as well as those who are
on the District’s newsletter mailing list. Detour signs were
posted on Trabuco Road and Lake Forest Drive showing how
to access the rear entrance to the park and flyers announcing
the closure were posted at the Cemetery. The project was
completed in just ten days and the front gate was reopened
on the Thursday, October 22nd
. Our thanks to Roadway
Many Improvements at El Toro Memorial Park Since the middle of August work has been ongoing on several significant
improvement projects at El Toro Memorial Park. New concrete curbing has been
installed all around the Centennial Lawn, the Evergreen Lawn, the Northeast Section,
the Baby Section and in front of the Niche Garden to replace the deteriorating asphalt
curbs (pictured right). A new
dirt storage facility is also
being constructed next to the
Northeast Section and the
Centennial Lawn. Old
fencing was removed, a
water line was rerouted, and
the entire area was
excavated and prepared for
the construction of a new
block enclosure. Each block
weighs 4,000 pounds, and
when complete, the area will have a new concrete pad and a
rolling gate. The area is graded so that any rain will roll back
into the dirt storage area rather than emptying out onto the
cemetery roads as was previously occurring.
Engineering & Construction for their superior workmanship and efficiency. The final
project will be the renovation of the rear entrance which will take place in late
October to early November. The rear entrance will also be closed during the
duration of this work. We apologize for any inconvenience these projects have
caused and appreciate your patience during the construction process.
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 4
Members from the University of California Humanities
Research Institute (UCHRI) contacted the Orange County
Cemetery District wanting to learn more about the death
care industry. The group is studying the concept of
mortality and the moral and ethical questions that it raises
and wanted to explore more about funerary practices,
customs, and beliefs of modern day society compared to
those of ancient cultures.
Please join us for the 26th Annual Veterans Day Observance
on Tuesday, November 11th at 11:00 a.m. at El Toro Memorial
Park.
This year’s program is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the
Vietnam War and will feature Keynote speaker, 1st Lieutenant,
Frank Pangborn, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam.
This is a wonderful opportunity to show your support for all the
men and women who have sacrificed so much in service for
our nation. Admission is free and the program will offer a
variety of guest speakers, music, wreath presentations, and
honor guard participation.
For more information, please contact Mary Funk at El Toro
Memorial Park at (949) 951-8244. Additional information is
also posted on the Orange County Cemetery District website
at www.occemeterydistrict.com.
The Orange County Cemetery District Receives Recognition at the California Special District Association Annual Conference
The group was given a tour of the grounds at El Toro
Memorial Park on Wednesday, Oct. 7th and had the
opportunity to meet with District Staff for a question and
answer session. General Manager, Tim Deutsch, El Toro
Memorial Park Cemetery Manager, Bud Bales, and Santa
Ana Cemetery Manager, Julio Amarillas all participated in
the event. O’Connor Mortuary then hosted the group for
dinner and provided a tour and presentation at their facility.
The California Special District Association (CSDA)
held its Annual Conference in Monterey in September
and was attended by Chair Leslie Keane and Trustee
William Nelson. Not only did the conference provide
a host of informative seminars and speakers, but our
own Trustee, William Nelson, was elected to be the
President of CSDA for 2016; and the Orange County
Cemetery District (OCCD) was recognized three
times by the Special District Leadership Foundation
(SDLF) for its commitment to training and Special
District Governance.
In 1999, the non-profit organization, SDLF, was
formed to provide educational opportunities to special
district officials and employees to enhance service to
the public. The Orange County Cemetery District
was awarded the following:
Gold Recognition in Special District Governance
Recognition in Special District Governance honors
special district board members and trustees, and is
comprised of two distinct parts: the completion of the
Special District Leadership Academy and 10 hours of
continuing education. The Academy is comprised of
four courses: Governance Foundations, Setting
Direction/Community Leadership, Board’s Role in
Human Resources and Board’s Role in Finance and
Fiscal Accountability. SDLF has endorsed the
Academy as the core special district governance
training in California. In order to achieve the Gold
Recognition, every Trustee in the District must have
completed these requirements.
District of Transparency Certificate of Excellence
This program was created to promote transparency in
the operations and governance of special districts to
the public. To achieve this award Districts must
demonstrate proper policies and procedures in
UCHRI Tour at El Toro Memorial Park and O’Connor Mortuary
regards to such things as Public Record Act requests, Brown
Act compliance, Conflict of Interest policies, ethics, website
requirements and outreach requirements.
District of Distinction Accreditation
This accreditation is awarded to districts that have
demonstrated they have sound fiscal management policies
and practices in place among other areas of importance in
district operations. Just a few of the requirements include:
undergoing regular financial audits with no major deficiencies
and successfully applying any recommendations to future
years; maintaining operations that conform to all statutes and
regulations under state law as reflected in a policies and
procedures manual.
All Trustees and the General Manager must have received
training in governance as well as compliance with AB 1234
Ethics Training and AB 1825 Harassment Prevention Training.
Chair Leslie Keane (pictured left) and Trustee William Nelson (pictured right) accept the District of Distinction Accreditation from CSDA CEO, Neil McCormick (center).
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 5
Meet Our New Irrigation Specialist – Martin Galvez
Cemetery Managers Receive Training at CAPC Annual Conference
The California Association of Public Cemeteries
presented the Annual Education Seminar on October 9
and 10th in Ventura. The conference is designed to help
Trustees, Managers, and staff increase their knowledge of
public cemetery district governance, operation and
administration.
This year the conference was attended by: Trustee
William Nelson; General Manager, Tim Deutsch; Anaheim
Cemetery Manager, Bill Stelter; Santa Ana Cemetery
Manager, Julio Amarillas; and El Toro Memorial Park
Cemetery Manager, Bud Bales.
The program featured seminars on employee
management, cemetery management, harassment
training, legislative updates, and a presentation on the
ongoing drought and its effect on Public Cemeteries.
There were also two discussion group workshops, one for
Trustees and one for Managers, where attendees had the
opportunity to share information and ask questions about
problems that are common to other districts.
Orange County Cemetery District wishes to thank the
California Association of Public Cemeteries and all of the
guest speakers for their efforts in delivering such an
informative and beneficial program. Providing
opportunities for our employees to network with other
cemetery professionals and to receive continuing
education related to our industry is a high priority for the
District. We believe that investing in our staff’s growth will
translate to improved service for our families.
Leadworkers Tour Temecula Public Cemetery District On September 17
th, Temecula Public Cemetery District
hosted a Local Area Meeting where staff from other public
cemeteries are invited to come, tour the grounds, learn
more about that particular cemetery and their operations,
listen to a special guest speaker, and enjoy lunch.
Attendees from the Orange County Cemetery District
included: Trustee, William Nelson; General Manager, Tim
Deutsch, Anaheim Cemetery Leadworker, Joel Torres,
and Santa Ana Cemetery Leadworker, Tony Gallegos. “I
was really impressed with the grounds,” stated Tony
Gallegos. “It was great to get to know their staff and see
firsthand how they operate. They are a really respectful
crew and so efficient and incredibly organized!”
Steven Quintanilla of The Law Offices of Quintanilla &
Associates, who also provides legal counsel for the
Orange County Cemetery District, served as the special
guest speaker and gave an excellent presentation on the
legalities of making interment decisions. Counsel
Quintanilla discussed how to determine who has the right
to make interment decisions and defined the order of
priority that should be followed when establishing who can
make such decisions.
Martin Galvez has worked for the Orange County Cemetery District for the
last thirteen years and has just recently been selected to serve as the
District’s new Irrigation Specialist. Mr. Galvez will be responsible for the
daily upkeep and maintenance of the irrigation systems at El Toro
Memorial Park, Santa Ana Cemetery and Anaheim Cemetery. He will also
monitor each cemetery’s water efficiency program and inspect the
condition of turf, trees and plants to ensure proper watering. In addition. he
will oversee the maintenance and operation of the groundwater wells,
pump stations and motor operators at Santa Ana Cemetery and Anaheim
Cemetery.
Martin is a life-long resident of Orange County and enjoys spending time
with his family (including four children), camping, riding bikes and
motorcycles, and visiting his parents’ home town of Zacatecas, Mexico.
When asked about his new position as Irrigation Specialist, Mr. Galvez
said, “I like to challenge myself with new projects, both at home and at
work. I’ve been in this role now for about one month and am really
enjoying it. Every day is something new.”
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 6
The Orange County Cemetery District
manages and maintains Orange County’s
public cemeteries in a manner that preserves
their beauty, dignity, historical and cultural
values, and offers affordable interment service
for County residents.
Our Mission Statement and Core Values
HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES
The Cemetery Offices at:
Anaheim Cemetery
El Toro Memorial Park
Santa Ana Cemetery
Will Be Closed On:
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015
In honor of Veterans Day
Thurs./Fri., Nov. 25-26, 2015
In honor of Thanksgiving
Friday, Dec. 25, 2015
In honor of Christmas
Friday, Jan. 1, 2016
In honor of New Year’s Day
The offices are also closed on weekends.
Flower Removal and Holiday Schedule
Every Wednesday, groundskeepers remove flowers
throughout all three cemeteries. Living plants in
approved containers or planter dishes and other non-
perishable items placed on graves will be taken to the
pick-up locations near the maintenance yards at each
cemetery and held for a reasonable amount of time.
Unless claimed, they will be disposed of.
Families are encouraged to remove their flowers or
decorations on Tuesday night; you can then place the
flowers back on the space on Wednesday afternoon.
The District does allow for flowers and decorations to
be left on the spaces during holidays/events or for
special occasions, such as anniversaries, birthdays
and for new interments. Please come to the cemetery
office and let us know that you have a special
occasion and request that the flowers and decorations
be left on the space. We do ask that you empty the
vase and place fresh water in the container every four
to five days to eliminate mosquito breeding sources,
which can cause serious health issues. Your
cooperation in this regard is greatly appreciated.
In honor of Thanksgiving, flowers and decorations
may be placed on gravesites beginning on
Thursday, Nov. 19th
until Tuesday, Dec. 8th. In
honor of Christmas, flowers and decorations may
be placed on gravesites beginning on Thursday,
Dec. 10th
until Tuesday, Jan. 5th
.
A complete listing of the District’s extended holiday
flower schedule for 2015 is available on our website at
www.occemeterydistrict.com. Click on the tab for
Rules, Regulations and Flowers for more information.
ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT
November and December Board Meetings
The Board of Trustees for the Orange County Cemetery District holds regular meetings the first Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m. at the District Office located at 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630. The public is welcome to attend.
Agendas are available at least 72 hours prior to each meeting and are also posted on our website at www.occemeterydistrict.com. In November and December, meetings will be held as follows:
Tuesday, November 3rd
at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 1st
at 11:00 a.m.
If you have any questions or need additional information please contact the District Secretary, Mary Funk at (949) 951-9102 ext. 110.
The Trustees and staff of the Orange County
Cemetery District are committed to the
following values:
Integrity Respect Accountability
Responsiveness Empathy Transparency
Appreciation for Diverse Needs