Lee's Summit Historical Cemeteries

Lee's Summit Historical Cemeteries

On behalf of the City of Lee’s Summit, the Parks and Recreation Department oversees and maintains the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemeteries.

The cemetery, in existence since 1867, sits on 20 acres and currently contains approximately 20,000 grave spaces.

For more information about burials, grave spaces and monuments, contact the Cemetery.

Lee's Summit Historical Cemeteries can be found at the following locations: 

Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery
806 SE Third Street
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
Interactive Map  |  Directions

Howard Cemetery
637 NE Woods Chapel Rd
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
Directions

Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery Fees

Cemetery Rules and Regulations

On behalf of the City of Lee’s Summit, the Parks & Recreation Department oversees and maintains the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemeteries. The Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery is located at 3rd Street and 291 Highway, the Howard Family Cemetery is located on Woods Chapel Road. A detailed map and interment directory is located outside of the sexton office building on the Lee’s Summit Cemetery grounds.

The following rules and regulations may be amended, altered, modified or corrected at any time by the City of Lee’s Summit. All owners and holders of property shall be required to comply with the rules and regulations as same may be in effect at all times.

The regulations are adopted by the City of Lee’s Summit for the specific purpose of maintaining beauty and protection for persons who own family plots and who have loved ones resting in the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery.

Because of the vast number of families represented, each regulation has been adopted after much consideration for the best interest of every lot owner without exception.

It is important that all visitors cooperate and comply to insure the beauty, character and distinction which we are exerting every effort to maintain.

1. If a tree, shrub or plant standing upon any lot becomes detrimental to adjacent lots or avenues due to protruding roots or branches, or if any removal is deemed necessary due to any reason, the Sexton shall have the authority through his judgement to remove such trees, shrubs or plants, or any part thereof, in order to correct the condition.
2. Restrictions of each section as to planting privileges, size and type of memorials shall be authorized by the Sexton.
3. The Sexton must be notified prior to placement of memorial stones to assure proper alignment and will mark the locations of headstones and footstones.
4. All memorial work or foundation installation must be done between 8:00am - 3:00pm, Monday - Friday.
5. Footstones shall be placed at the foot of the grave, flush with soil surface.
6. If any memorial or inscription thereon shall be determined by the Sexton to be offensive, the City reserves the right to remove, change or correct the offensive or improper object or objects.
7. No interment of disinterment shall be made unless all purchase, transfer or assignment charges have been satisfied. Interment or disinterment charges are due and payable in advance of burial or removal.
8. Grave owners must sign authorization forms as provided by the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery before any work is performed in the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery.
9. All fees owed to the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery whether owed by the grave owner, dealer, contractor or others, must be paid in advance of any construction or other work.
10. The Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery reserves the right to correct any and all errors that may occur in or in connection with the operation of the Cemetery.
11. After entering the premises, funeral processions shall be subject to the direction of the Sexton or authorized employees of the cemetery.
12. Twenty-four hours notice will be required prior to a funeral. Exceptions to this rule will be made only when so ordered by authorized officers of the cemetery.
13. Double burial is allowed.
14. It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle within the cemetery except upon cemetery roads.
15. Vaults are not required.
16. It shall be unlawful to knowingly enter or remain upon the ground of the cemetery after 9:00pm local time. Any person found on the grounds after 9:00pm will be considered a trespasser and prosecuted in accordance with the Code of Ordinances for the City of Lee’s Summit.
17. All persons entering upon the cemetery grounds shall conduct themselves with proper decorum; and, any breach of this rule, by the discretion of the Sexton, may result in removal from the grounds.
18. Cut and artificial flowers shall be permitted when placed in an approved vase or urn attached to the memorial. Glass or metal containers, pieces of wire, or similar materials used to secure a basket or pot, are not permitted. Artificial flower arrangements may also be tied to the memorial by a cord placed in a location high enough to not interfere with mowing and trimming activities. Flowers that are tied down may remain, unless unsightly. Hanging basket hangers shall be allowed if placed in the ground at the ends of the monuments. Decorations not meeting these regulations will be removed.
19. Artificial flowers, wreaths, boxes, grave blankets and pillows shall be permitted as grave decoration only during the non-growing season from November 1st to March 1st, except on Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Memorial Day. Decorations remaining seven days after the listed holidays will be removed and discarded.
20. All flags may be placed beside the headstones. Flags may be no larger than 18”x12”. Flags must be placed in approved metal or plastic pipe with no more than 12” of the pipes showing above ground level. All flags not beside a headstone will be removed. Flags will be allowed on Veteran’s graves 5 days prior to and 6 days following after the designated holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. All flags that contain offensive language or symbols and are faded or torn will be removed.
21. When deemed necessary by the Sexton, any planting, decoration or other objects placed on or about a grave or lot shall be removed.
22. No enclosure of any kind, such as a fence, coping, hedge or ditch, shall be permitted around any grave lot. Grave mounds shall not be allowed and no lot shall be raised above the established grade.
23. Cemetery officials will not be responsible for theft of damage to items placed on graves or lots.
24. It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle within the cemetery at a speed in excess of fifteen (15) miles per hour; all vehicles shall be restricted to the cemetery roads and shall drive and park on the right side. No undue noise shall be permitted by vehicles traveling through the cemetery and only licensed drivers my operate vehicles within the cemetery grounds.
25. The Sexton reserves the right to exclude any or all vehicles from the grounds on Memorial Day, other holidays or when a special event requires exclusion due to public safety or private protection. The Sexton also reserves the right to exclude any vehicles that might in any way damage the roads within the cemetery grounds.
26. No drinking, picnicking or participation in any sporting event of game activities shall be permitted within the grounds.
27. All persons are reminded that the grounds are sacredly devoted to the burial of the dead and that the provisions and penalties of the law as provided by State Statute and City Code, shall be strictly enforced in all cases of wanton injury, disturbances or disregard of these rules.