If there’s anything we know about El Cerrito and Bay Area families, it’s how patriotic they are! At Sunset View Cemetery, we make honoring our veterans a priority, and we wish to help you plan a respectful funeral. We want our veterans and their family members to know that when it comes to memorializing a soldier’s life, he or she deserves only the best.

Most veterans know they can be buried in one of the 155 national cemeteries, with available space. Presenting your discharge papers is an important part of establishing your eligibility in these cemeteries. However, many people wish to be buried close to their family and friends in their hometown in a private cemetery. For those veterans with loved ones in our area, we have qualified staff ready to plan a respectful military service for our local heroes.

During a military funeral service, military men and women will honor the veteran with a burial flag and Presidential Memorial Certificate. The burial flag is generally given to the next of kin. The U.S. government will provide the headstone or marker, and some veterans are even entitled to burial allowances, meaning partial reimbursement of an eligible veteran’s burial and funeral costs.

An important step in planning a veteran’s funeral is choosing the best way to pay tribute to your loved one’s life. At our funeral home, we offer many special touches to help you personalize the service, such as picture boards, limousine service,  live music, and more. If you choose to hold a reception, we will coordinate every detail so you can enjoy your guests.

We can help you through all these steps and find out exactly what you are entitled to while planning a funeral for a veteran. We work with these wonderful families often and know the process well. For more information, you can go to http://www.va.gov or call our funeral home at any time.