To contact Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, go to Cemetery Contact Information
The Carolina Memorial Sanctuary Story
(l-r) Jasper, Caroline Yongue, Founder and Director, Cassie Barrett, Operations Manager, and Anthony Pranger, Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, Mills River, NC
Opened in December 2015, Carolina Memorial Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the Asheville area committed to perpetual conservation of the environment. Each burial becomes part of the living landscape. CMS is North Carolina’s first Conservation Burial Ground, open to all faiths.
At this 11-acre nature preserve, conservation and green burial practices support and reinforce the cycle of life, offering a powerful testament to your life or that of your loved one. Beautiful and economical, conservation and green burial supports those who are environmentally conscious in life with the opportunity to uphold their values in death, ensuring that future generations will have access to the same.
Open to the public, this beautiful Sanctuary with woodlands, creek, meadows, and wetlands is available to host memorial services, weddings, celebrations, and educational programs, and offers an opportunity for those who simply wish to enjoy a contemplative walk in nature (people can also bring along their furry friends). Our sister organization is the Center for End of Life Transitions, which offers death and dying workshops and home funeral assistance
At this 11-acre nature preserve, conservation and green burial practices support and reinforce the cycle of life, offering a powerful testament to your life or that of your loved one. Beautiful and economical, conservation and green burial supports those who are environmentally conscious in life with the opportunity to uphold their values in death, ensuring that future generations will have access to the same.
Open to the public, this beautiful Sanctuary with woodlands, creek, meadows, and wetlands is available to host memorial services, weddings, celebrations, and educational programs, and offers an opportunity for those who simply wish to enjoy a contemplative walk in nature (people can also bring along their furry friends). Our sister organization is the Center for End of Life Transitions, which offers death and dying workshops and home funeral assistance
A Carolina Memorial Sanctuary Family Story: Kathy Jennings
The first burial at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary was in July of 2016. Kathy Jennings was diagnosed with terminal cancer and knew that she wanted to be buried at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary. Kathy had taken the Home Funeral & Death Care Midwife Training offered by Center for End of Life Transitions, and chose a home funeral for herself. In her final weeks, friends and family supported her through her process by caring for her emotionally, physically, and spiritually – and when death came and it was time to transition, the community came to the home to help. Kathy’s body was lovingly shrouded and cared for and laid out in the home, so friends and family members could be with her one last time and could support each other through their grief.
It was Sunday, the day of the burial, when Kathy’s body was driven from her home by her loved ones in a Subaru hatchback to Carolina Memorial Sanctuary. Using an EMS canvas carrier, Kathy’s loved ones carried her shrouded body to the grave site, followed by a stream of loved ones. When they arrived to her spot, they gently placed her beside the open earth and gathered around. A family friend lead the service, and other friends and family members were invited to share their memories or to read something that felt meaningful. Flowers were placed on Kathy’s body and friends and family held each other in smiles and tears.
It was time to lower Kathy’s body into the grave. Friends and family were invited to participate, and with the guidance of Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, helped to gently lowered her into the earth. Now inside the grave, her death was becoming even more real, as people stood in silence, listening to the sounds of nature around them.
And now for the closing. Though it is not required that guests participate, shovels were ready for anyone who wanted to help close the grave. Kathy’s daughter elected to use her bare hands and took a scoop of earth and placed it on her mother’s shrouded body. Kathy’s husband took up a shovel and began the process of gently placing earth into the grave. Slowly, one by one, other loved ones approached and helped to close Kathy’s grave. One young girl in particular was very inspired, and with a small red shovel, helped from start to finish. When the grave was closed, a mound resulted, which was decorated with wildflowers. Those who felt like helping were offered the opportunity and everyone present got to see the grave closing come to its completion. It was final. It was sad. But also beautiful.
—Story excerpted from carolinamemorialsanctuary.org as told by Cassie Barrett
—Intro photo from Our Families' Stories credit: Meghan Rolfe photography
It was Sunday, the day of the burial, when Kathy’s body was driven from her home by her loved ones in a Subaru hatchback to Carolina Memorial Sanctuary. Using an EMS canvas carrier, Kathy’s loved ones carried her shrouded body to the grave site, followed by a stream of loved ones. When they arrived to her spot, they gently placed her beside the open earth and gathered around. A family friend lead the service, and other friends and family members were invited to share their memories or to read something that felt meaningful. Flowers were placed on Kathy’s body and friends and family held each other in smiles and tears.
It was time to lower Kathy’s body into the grave. Friends and family were invited to participate, and with the guidance of Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, helped to gently lowered her into the earth. Now inside the grave, her death was becoming even more real, as people stood in silence, listening to the sounds of nature around them.
And now for the closing. Though it is not required that guests participate, shovels were ready for anyone who wanted to help close the grave. Kathy’s daughter elected to use her bare hands and took a scoop of earth and placed it on her mother’s shrouded body. Kathy’s husband took up a shovel and began the process of gently placing earth into the grave. Slowly, one by one, other loved ones approached and helped to close Kathy’s grave. One young girl in particular was very inspired, and with a small red shovel, helped from start to finish. When the grave was closed, a mound resulted, which was decorated with wildflowers. Those who felt like helping were offered the opportunity and everyone present got to see the grave closing come to its completion. It was final. It was sad. But also beautiful.
—Story excerpted from carolinamemorialsanctuary.org as told by Cassie Barrett
—Intro photo from Our Families' Stories credit: Meghan Rolfe photography
Beautiful. Transformational. Healing. A funeral can actually be all three of those things, when families and friends are invited to participate in the process.
—Cassie Barrett, Carolina Memorial Sanctuary
