St. Patrick Cemetery takes us back to our pioneer burial tradition. It is a small quaint cemetery whose rustic appearance and rural location are appealing to many. The cemetery provides scenic views of the Kent valley and Mt. Rainier. St. Patrick's burial records and maintenance became the responsibility of St. Anthony Parish (now Holy Spirit Parish), Kent. Over the years many volunteer hours went into mowing and general cemetery care. 

In the mid-1800's the valley was settled by the newly arriving homesteaders. Among them were a large number of Irish Catholic immigrant families. The O'Connell family set aside a 4 acre portion of their homestead for the Catholic cemetery. In 1902 the cemetery was officially transferred to the Diocese of Nesqually (now the Archdiocese of Seattle). Originally St. Anthony church was located near the cemetery. Over the years the parish church relocated and the cemetery fell into disrepair due to lack of volunteers and vandalism. The only water available was from the creek that runs on the west side of the cemetery, and there was no fence. Water is now available from two spigots and a fence runs along the north end. There is no irrigation. Associated Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Seattle assumed responsibility for St. Patrick's in August 1989. Gethsemane Cemetery in Federal Way provides the maintenance and oversees the operation and records. At this time a Care Fund was established to ensure long term future maintenance. 

Much of St. Patrick's beauty comes from its pastoral look. From Spring through early Fall, the grass is mowed and the memorials are trimmed every 10 days or so. An Integrated Pest Management Program is used which includes herbicide applied on a regular schedule by licensed applicators. In Spring the pasture grass grows quickly, and in Summer it turns brown and dandelions flourish. 

Pre-planning for yourself and your family's burial needs is encouraged. For burial pre-arrangements at St. Patrick Cemetery contact Gethsemane Cemetery at  (253) 838-2240. 

While the natural beauty of St. Patrick's appeals to some, many people prefer a Catholic cemetery with a more contemporary appearance and conveniences such as on site maintenance, full time staff, irrigation, and a greater variety of burial opportunities. Gethsemane Catholic Cemetery in Federal Way is 20 minutes south of St. Patrick's. Among the options are mausoleum, a selection of ground burial options, cremation burial gardens, above ground niches for cremated remains.

Making cemetery decisions can be a great additional burden, when left to the surviving family members. In fact, the death of a loved one is a tragic experience that will visit all of our families at some future time.
 

Most families will find themselves ill prepared to deal with the problems, indecision's and costs which are forced upon them by death. Your Catholic Cemetery is here for you, to assist in making these decisions, hopefully long before the time of need. Of course, pre-arrangement makes good economic sense, but the most compelling reason to plan now, is the love you have for your family, and your desire to protect them from any unnecessary hardship at a time of sorrow. 

"There is just one other important family matter that we need to plan, and we wouldn't want to leave that to anyone else" 

If these are your thoughts and feelings, why not inquire of your Catholic Cemetery, how you can take care of all cemetery costs in advance.

If these are your thoughts and feelings, why not inquire of your Catholic Cemetery, how you can take care of all cemetery costs in advance.