Frequently Asked Questions

Rules and Regulations

Eligibility

The ability to purchase a right to interment, entombment or inurnment (“Burial Right”) in Cedar Grove Cemetery (“Cemetery Owner”) is generally reserved for either full-time faculty or staff; or retired faculty or staff with limitations. The ability to purhcase a right to entombment or inurnment in the Our Lady of Sorrows at Cedar Grove Cemetery mausoleua is available to Notre Dame alumni and parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish, Notre Dame, IN, with limitations.

Definitions

Burial – the opening and closing of a grave, grave space, burial space, crypt or niche for purposes of interment, entombment or inurnment. (IC §23-14-33-5)

Burial Spaces - any space within the cemetery that is used or intended to be used for interment, entombment, or inurnment, irrespective of where the space is located; includes a crypt, a niche and a grave space. (IC §23-14-33-25)

Interment – any lawful disposition in the earth of the remains of a deceased individual. (IC §23-14-33-22)

Entombment – any lawful disposition of the remains of a deceased individual in a mausoleum or garden crypt. (IC §23-14-33-18)

Inurnment – any lawful disposition of the cremated remains of a deceased individual in a mausoleum, garden crypt or niche. (IC §23-14-33-23)

Columbarium – a structure or room or space in a building or structure used or intended to be used for the inurnment of cremated human remains. (IC §23-14-33-10)

Garden Crypt – a structure or building that is used or intended to be used for the entombment or inurnment of human remains in crypts, vaults, or niches, in which entombment or inurnment is done from the exterior of the structure or building. The term includes columbarium within a garden crypt. (IC §23-14-33-20)

Niche – a space in a columbarium that is used or intended to be used for the inurnment of the cremated remains of one or more deceased individuals. (IC §23-14-33-28)

Crypt – a chamber in a mausoleum or garden crypt that is of sufficient size to entomb the uncremated remains of a deceased individual. (IC §23-14-33-16)

Mausoleum – a structure or building that is used or is intended to be used for the entombment or inurnment of human remains in crypts, vaults or niches, in which entombment or inurnment is done from the interior of the building or structure. The term includes a columbarium within a mausoleum. (IC §23-14-33-27)

Burial Rights

The use of any burial space is for the Burial Rights Holder for the purpose of interment, entombment, or inurnment of the human remains of the Burial Rights Holder and/or family members designated by the Burial Rights Holder only. The Burial Rights Holder is prohibited from reselling a Burial Right.

A Burial Rights Holder may file a written designation with the Cemetery Owner naming persons who may be interred, entombed, or inurned in the burial space registered in his or her name, and unless countermanded in writing, interments, entombments, or inurnments will be permitted in accordance with such designation (see attached Reservation Form). In the absence of any written designation on file, a request for the interment, entombment, or inurnment of any person other than the Burial Rights Holder shall be made in writing by the Burial Rights Holder. Where burial rights have not been used within fifty (50) years of the date of purchase or last recorded designation, and there have been no improvements on the burial space(s), including the placement of a monument, memorial or other permanent appurtenance, Cemetery Owner may terminate the rights and interests of the Burial Rights Holder pursuant to the procedures set forth in Indiana Code §23-14-58.5-1 through §23-14-58.5-4).

Notice of any intended interment, entombment, or inurnment in a burial space must be given to the Cemetery Owner at least eight working hours prior to the time fixed for interment, entombment, or inurnment.

Burial Rights Holder may revoke the Purchase Agreement within thirty (30) days of signing, after which time the contract becomes irrevocable.

No transfer or assignment of any right or interest acquired by the Burial Rights Holder shall be valid.

Each Burial Rights Holder shall notify the Cemetery Owner of any change in his/her post office address. Notice sent to a Burial Rights Holder at the last address according to the Cemetery Owner’s records shall be deemed to have been received when in the ordinary course of post it would have reached them at the address in the Cemetery Owner’s records.

In the event of the death of the Burial Rights Holder, the Cemetery Owner will record the successor in ownership as the new Burial Rights Holder upon the written application of the Personal Representative of the deceased Burial Rights Holder. No new deed will be issued.

Any person becoming the Burial Rights Holder by succession shall take the Burial Rights subject to all existing conditions and in particular, the rights of such successor Burial Rights Holder shall be subject to any written designation which the deceased Burial Rights Holder has made and filed with the Cemetery Owner during the lifetime of such Burial Rights Holder.

In the event the Burial Rights are being recorded in the names of more than one person, they shall be deemed to be joint tenants of the same with full rights of survivorship and the interest of the person dying shall pass to the other joint Owner(s) automatically on the death of the person so dying.

In-ground Burial Spaces (Graves)

Grave spaces at Cedar Grove Cemetery are 39" wide and a minimum of 9' long. Each grave will accommodate a standard adult vault. A maximum of two burials are permitted per grave provided they meet one of the following criteria:

  • Full body interment and one cremated remains
  • Full body interment and one infant
  • Two cremated remains
  • Two infants
  • One cremated remains and one infant

Right of interment in a grave space beyond as described above requires authorization and incurs additional fees.

Above-ground Burial Spaces (Crypts and Niches)

The following are dimensions for niche and crypt burials:

  • Exterior Single and Companion Niches will accommodate an urn no larger than 10.75” high x 10.75” wide x 9.75” deep
  • interior Companion Niches will accommodate an urn no larger than 10.75” high x 8.75” wide x 9.75” deep
  • Interior Crypt sizes: 25.5” high x 31.5” wide x 91” deep

No more than one burial is permitted per niche/crypt, except for companion crypts and niches which allow for no more than two burials each.

Lettering will be done only by an authorized vendor. Lettering for niches and crypts will be of a font and size determined by Cedar Grove with no variation.

Crypt and Niche Shutters will consist of:

  • Surname (14 total spaces)
  • First name and middle name or initial (14 total spaces)
    Maiden name will also be accommodated as space allows.
  • Dates (birth year and death year only)

Military service can be memorialized on veteran memorial for a nominal fee. Memorialization will consist of name and rank at time of honorable discharge. Copy of discharge are required at time of order.

Interments, entombments and inurnments will not be done with family or friends present. Only a licensed funeral director will be allowed to be present.

Please leave nothing of value at the garden complex as all items will be discarded. Nothing will be allowed to be adhered to crypts and shutters; anything adhered to crypts or shutters will be removed. Potted plants, mementos, flags and vigil lights will not be permitted on or around the mausolea. Live bouquets will be permitted on birthday and anniversary dates.

All Souls Chapel

The All Souls Chapel located on the cemetery grounds is available for committal services and memorial services on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please contact the Cemetery Manager or Cemetery Services Coordinator to reserve the Chapel.

Embalming

Indiana law does not require that the deceased be embalmed. We accept both embalmed and non-embalmed for interment. Embalming is required for all entombments in the Our Lady of Sorrows at Cedar Grove Cemetery mausolea.

Caskets

Our minimum requirement is that all decedents must be in a flat-bottomed container that can be closed and support the weight of the deceased as well as be lowered with a lowering device. A fiberglass casket is satisfactory for the burial of infants.

Urns

Cremated remains must be placed in a suitable container for interment. Plastic, ceramic, wood or metal containers are acceptable.

Vaults

A burial vault is required as a measure to prevent the settling of the earth above the interred casket so that proper cemetery maintenance can be performed. We do not require the vault to seal. We require that all caskets and cremated remains be interred inside a cement burial vault with the exceptions of the interment of infants. The cemetery offers a variety of vaults for purchase.

Disinterments

Remains of a deceased person may be removed from the cemetery pursuant to the requirements set forth in Indiana Code §23-14-57-1). Disinterments as reinterments within the cemetery do not require a written order from the Department of Health but do require consent from the spouse of the deceased or parents of the deceased in the case of a deceased minor child. The cemetery must be paid in full before any disinterment work can proceed. Family members are not permitted to be present during disinterments.

Grave Markers

  • All burials must be memorialized by a permanent grave marker.
  • No home-made grave markers are permitted. Only those temporary markers provided by the funeral home or permanent markers provided by a monument company or the government will be permitted. Temporary markers must be replaced with permanent markers within one (1) year of burial.
  • The cemetery staff is available for assistance with the selection and purchase of permanent markers, including personalized markers or monuments. They can provide experienced service in your selection of material, color and design.
  • Markers and monuments must be placed at the head or west end of each grave. If a second marker is placed, it must be flush with the ground and within size regulations of the cemetery.
  • All grave spaces and burial expenses must be paid in full before a permanent marker is permitted on the grave space.
  • Only one upright marker may mark each grave. The marker may be either an individual headstone or a family monument, but not both. For example, if a double monument marks two side-by-side graves, that indicates who is, or who will be, interred on those graves. Additionally, individual headstones will be permitted on those graves but they must be mounted flush with the ground.
  • The size regulations for permanent markers are as follows:
    Length:
    • One single grave: 36"
    • Two graves: 60 "
    • Three or more: Negotiable
    • Width & Height: Negotiable but expected to be within reason.
  • All markers must have a foundation. A foundation keeps the marker level and prevents settling. We request that all monument and marker foundations be installed by the cemetery because of the future risk that the foundation could fail beneath the weight of the marker. When the cemetery installs the foundation, it insures proper placement and includes a perpetual guarantee that if for any reason the foundation needs repair or replacement, it will be done free of charge. Should that need arise, the family and their descendents can rest assured in the knowledge that the cemetery will provide perpetual care for their loved ones' memorials.
  • In the event a large-sized base or monument is desired by the family to mark the grave spaces, there may be an additional charge for the removal of a pre-existing foundation.
  • Veteran markers must be placed on a concrete or granite base with a two (2) inch border.

Grave Decorations

In General:

Decorations are permitted year-round subject to the rules and regulations listed below. We ask that you follow these guidelines to better enable the cemetery to maintain the cemetery grounds and to add to its beauty.

The following items are not allowed on the cemetery grounds:

  • Aggregate, gravel, bricks, chips, etc.
  • Rose bushes
  • Fencing or borders
  • Decorations in the aisle ways
  • Glass

All decorations must be kept as close as possible to the marker and only on the grave side or ends of marker.

The cemetery performs an annual cleaning in the spring (the first week of April, weather permitting), at which time all decorations, for weather wear damage and compliance with regulations, are examined. During this inspection, the cemetery reserves the right to remove and dispose of all decorations that are damaged, aged, faded, dead or otherwise detract from the beauty of the cemetery grounds. To aid in this task, we request you regularly inspect your decorations and remove any that are not in proper condition or appearance. Remember, during the course of a year, decorations have been exposed to elements on a daily basis that can range from 100°F in the summer to -20°F in the winter. Winds can gust up to 60 mph. Decorations are pelted with rain and frozen under a blanket of snow. Under these conditions, it does not take long for a decoration to turn from a picture of beauty to a sight of disarray.

In general, the cemetery is not financially responsible for vandalism or theft, intentional or otherwise. It is recommended you consult your homeowner’s policy inasmuch as some policies provide this coverage.

Fresh Cut Flowers:

Please place cut flowers in plastic or metal containers. We do not permit glass containers in the cemetery due to the increase in risk of injuries to employees and visitors.

Live Plantings:

We require live plantings to be placed in a flowerbed on the grave side only, extending no more than 16" from the marker and not beyond the width of the marker. Watering and weeding of all live plantings are the responsibility of those who plant them. There are to be no borders or fencing around the flowerbeds and markers. We recommend that potted plants not be left above ground on the grave spaces. They are easy targets for theft and vandalism and frequently dry out from the intense summer sun. Thus, it is best to remove the plants from the pots and place them in the ground.

Artificial Decorations:

We require artificial decorations to be placed on the grave side only, extending no more than 16” from the marker and not beyond the width of the marker. Please be sure all artificial decorations can be firmly placed into the ground or securely attached to your marker before purchase. High winds are one of the major problems with this type of decoration. Improperly attached decorations can frequently be blown hundreds of feet from your gravesite, leaving the caretaker no idea to whom they belong.

Vigil Lights:

Please keep vigil lights no further than 16" from the markers. Vigil lights may be cemented in order to deter theft. The cemetery staff will be happy to assist you. Vigil lights may not be made out of glass. Because vigil lights are fragile, we are not responsible for breakage due to vandalism, weather or accidents.

Flags and Flag Holders:

Flags and flag holders to decorate the graves of veterans between Memorial Day and Independence Day (after which time they will be collected) are available for purchase from the cemetery. You may cement flag holders into the ground to deter theft. The cemetery staff will be happy to assist in placement and cementing of the flag holder. Please contact the sexton for any questions regarding flags and flag holders.

Christmas Decorations:

Christmas decorations are permitted during the winter months. If you desire to save the decorations for the following year, we recommend that you collect your decoration before April 1. If you do not, it will be collected and discarded during the spring cleanup, which occurs the first week of April, weather permitting.

Shrubs and Flowering Trees:

Consult the Sexton to verify if there is room for plantings on your lot. He will provide instructions for their placement as well as explain your responsibilities for their care. The cemetery reserves the right to trim any bushes that interfere with its ability to maintain the cemetery properly and to replant any shrubs planted in an improper location on the lot.

Use of Water:

If a water hydrant is used for sprinkling or to draw water, please be sure to turn it completely off.

Administration

Cedar Grove Cemetery is administered by the Cemetery Sexton under the supervision of the Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary and Facility Operations. The University reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to bring or cause to be brought, any action for trespass or otherwise, civil or criminal, against any person or persons who disturb a grave, its contents, or any part of the Cemetery without proper authority, including the unauthorized disposition of cremated remains, or who fail to leave the premises of the Cemetery when requested by the University, its agents, officers or employees.

Correction of Errors

Cemetery Owner may, to correct any inadvertent error that may have been made by it either in making an interment, disinterment or removal, or in the description, transfer of granting of any interment of rights or lot, either cancel such grant and substitute and grant in lieu thereof other burial rights or lot of equal and similar location as far as is reasonably possible and as may be selected by the Cemetery Owner; or refund the money paid on account of the purchase of said burial rights.

Promulgation of Rules and Regulations

The University may add to, delete or amend these Rules and Regulations for the Cemetery, including the fees, at any time. Burial Rights holders are encouraged to maintain current contact information with the Sexton so that revised Rules and Regulations can be provided as necessary.