Veterans cemetery now offering in-ground burials.

It took decades for the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery to go from talks to financing to planning before finally opening a 5,000-niche columbarium for the interment of veterans' ashes. Now, five years later, cemetery officials took the next step by offering in-ground burials as of May 3.

The columbarium that sits amid oak trees in the hills of Seaside on the former Fort Ord was Phase I of the plan. Construction of Phase II began in March 2020, adding 1,845 pre-placed crypts, 1,079 in-ground cremains grave sites and 80 memorial wall plaques. Roads, landscaping and supportive infrastructure were also built. The 79-acre cemetery is operated by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, known as CalVet.

"This much-needed expansion further's CalVet's mission to serve our state's veterans and their families, as well as provide the benefit of an in-ground burial to those who request it," CalVet Secretary Vito Imbasciani said in a press release.

Keith Boylan, CalVet deputy secretary for Veterans Services, called it "the realization of a dream that started years ago and we're grateful to the local veterans and community that partnered with us to make it happen."

Funding for Phase II came through a federal grant of $6.8 million, $1.5 million in state funds and $839,000 in local donations. 

"It's finally come to fruition," said Richard Garza, president of the Central Coast Cemetery Foundation. "We're really pleased with the state's response to the need when it became apparent a full-service cemetery was a necessity here."

California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery is located at 2900 Parker Flats Road, Seaside. (831) 393-9371, calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Pages/California-Central-Coast-Veterans-Cemetery.