Created on August 29, 1917, the Palm Springs Cemetery District operates two cemeteries: the Welwood Murrary Cemetery in Palm Springs, near the O’Donnell golf course and Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City. These public cemeteries serve residents of Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, North Palm Springs, Palm Springs, Sky Valley, Thousand Palms and most areas of Rancho Mirage.

HOURS

Desert Memorial Park
Gates are open daily for visiting

Office Houses
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Monday – Friday
Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays

 (760) 328-3316

Welwood Murray Cemetery
Open daily for visiting

ABOUT

Palm Springs pioneer Dr. Welwood Murray established a two-acre private cemetery on August 29, 1917 after his son George passed way.  Dr. Murray was one of the desert’s large landowners who established the first hotel in Palm Springs in 1886.

Many prominent civic and community leaders, as well as many famous desert pioneers are buried in the Welwood Murray Cemetery, including Earl C. Coffman, Nellie Coffman, Frank Shannon, Florian Byoyd, Virginia Valli Farrell and Katerine Finchy. 

As time went by it was necessary to find a larger cemetery space to serve the growing valley. On October 31, 1956, Desert Memorial Park was opened at the corner of Ramon and DaVall Road.  Celebrities such as Busby Berkeley, Sonny Bono, Betty Hutton, Magda Gabor, Frederick Lowe, Cameron Mitchell, William Powell and Frank Sinatra have chosen Desert Memorial Park as their final resting place.

COMMONLY USED TERMS

Some terms that you may want to become more familiar with include:

• Alternative container
An unfinished wood box .or other non-metal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation or a fixed interior lining, which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is made of fiberboard, pressed wood, composition materials (with or without an outside covering) or like materials.

• Columbarium
A structure consisting of small vaults or niches for urns containing cremated remains.

• Cremated remains
The remains of the decedent after completion of cremation and processing.

• Cremation
The reduction of human remains to bone fragments through intense heat, flame and evaporation.

• Inurnment
The placing of an urn containing cremated remains into a columbarium, niche, crypt, tomb or ground space.

• Niche
A compartment or cubicle for the memorialization and permanent placement of cremated remains. 

• Urn
A container made from a variety of materials including, but not limited tOt bronze, ceramic, glass, porcelain, wood or other materials, into which cremated remains are placed. Many are designed in traditional vase-like shapes or square and rectangular cubes.

DIRECTIONS/CONTACT

LOCATIONS

Welwood Murray Cemetery
471 West Chino Drive
Palm Springs

Desert Memorial Park