Memorial Garden

The Weekapaug Chapel has maintained a Memorial Garden behind the building for many years that has served the community as a place of beauty, peace and reflection. 

Members of the community have honored and recognized their beloved, departed family members with a plaque on the back wall of the Chapel, and in some cases, by sprinkling cremains (ashes) in the Garden on or under the surface of the ground. 

In order to maintain the beauty and integrity of the Garden for many years to come, the following policies are reaffirmed and are in effect for use of the Garden as a memorial and for memorial services: 

1. The Garden is “sprinkle only”. Members of the community may sprinkle cremains on the surface of the Garden, or place a small portion of cremains in the ground. Containers of any kind (e.g., a box, bag or jar) may not be buried anywhere in the Garden at any time for any reason. The Garden is not a cemetery, and the use of containers or markers of any kind (even if small) could lead the Chapel to be regulated as a “cemetery” under applicable RI laws. 
2. CommunityRequests–Requests to  prinkle or place aportion of a community member’s cremains in the Garden must be made not less than three (3) weeks in advance, by contacting either Ted Whittemore, Chapel Board President (ebwhittemore9@gmail.com or 860-573-9179)
   or Jeanne McAndrew, at the WFD office (wfdoffice@mindspring.com or 401-322-1450). 
3. FutureAlterations–The sprinkling of cremains in any area of the Garden shall not limit the Chapel’s use or potential alteration of the plantings and configuration of the Garden in the future. 
4. MemorialServices–Use of the Chapel for a funeral or memorial service is subject to the Chapel’s availability and the acceptance of the Chapel’s funeral/memorial agreement, which involves payment of a rental fee. This Agreement can be obtained from Jeanne McAndrew at the WFD office. 
5. MemorialTrees–Community members may not on their own plant memorial trees or bushes without the express prior permission of the Chapel’s Board of Trustees. 
6. MemorialPlaques–Families wishing to commission a plaque for the Memorial wall must contact Jeanne McAndrew, WFD office administrator, for further details.