INFORMATION
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Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery (SVMC) is located in Romulus, NY and is owned and operated by Seneca County as a municipal cemetery. The Seneca County Economic Development Corporation provides the day-to-day management and maintenance of the cemetery.
Although we operate under VA National Cemetery guidelines we are not funded by Federal, State, or County resources at this time.
Our goal is to provide Veterans, and their eligible dependents with a dignified place of military burial.
Our hope is that our efforts will lead us to eventually become a federally funded National Cemetery, or a VA funded New York State Veterans Cemetery.
At the time of need (when a death has occurred), the next of kin should contact a funeral home of their choice. To avoid possible delays it is recommended that Veterans and Families consider pre-arraignments with a Funeral Director prior to the time of need. It will ensure that your wishes are documented and paperwork such as the veterans discharge, marriage certificate etc... is easily accessible when needed.
At the time of need the funeral home will fax or email the necessary information and documents to the cemetery to arrange for interment.
To determine eligibility of the veteran and eligible dependents, the funeral home will need the veteran’s full name; rank; branch of service; character of discharge; date of entry and discharge date. Service number should be included if applicable.
This information can be found on the veterans military discharge records, and a copy will need to be forwarded to the cemetery.
If a Funeral Home is not involved in the scheduling of services for the family, the cemetery will accept correspondence for scheduling with the next-of-kin (NOK).
Burial in Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery is an honor reserved for Armed Forces Veterans discharged from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions.
Also entitled to burial in the cemetery are the veteran’s legal spouse and eligible dependent children.
Any enlisted person that entered active duty after September 7, 1980, or an officer commissioned after October 16, 1981 must have served 24 consecutive months to be considered for burial. This does not apply to veterans Killed in Action.
Also eligible for burial is any person who was discharged or released for disability or hardship, and Reservists who are eligible for retirement.
SVMC provides an opportunity for families to conduct a 30 minute Final Committal service. For the comfort and safety of families, services are held at a Committal Shelter. (Gravesite services are normally not conducted at SVMC).
Upon completion of services at the Committal Shelter, cemetery/ funeral personnel will escort the remains to gravesite and complete the burial.
Clergy, family and friends are welcome to pay final respects at the gravesite once the burial is complete, and burial personnel and equipment have left the site.
Funeral Directors / NOK are responsible for the scheduling of any Clergy, Honor Guards, and Bagpipers etc...that will be part of the Committal Service. Cemetery personnel can assist NOK with contact information for these services if requested.
Upright Marble Headstones will be ordered by the cemetery once the burial is complete. VA provided headstones can take up to 60 or 90 days for arrival at the cemetery. Once the headstone is received, cemetery monument personnel will set the headstone at the appropriate gravesite. We request your understanding that cold weather months can delay some monument maintenance activity.
Memorial Day, cemetery staff in conjunction with veterans service groups will decorate all veterans gravesites with an American Flag. On all other days, the VFW Memorial Flagpole flies the US Flag 24 hours a day in honor of all veterans interred at SVMC.
