A cemetery is more than simply a parcel of land that serves as the final resting place for those who have shuffled off this mortal coil.

It’s sacred ground. It’s a place where the living can visit those who have gone before them, reflect on their lives in a serene setting, pay tribute to their deeds and give thanks for their impact on families, friends and communities.

Cemeteries are places where memories live on after the mourning ends.

Nowhere is that more true than at Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery in Oxford Village. Here, neither the past nor people are ever forgotten. Both are celebrated.

Celebrating it’s 90th anniversary this year, Ridgelawn continues to honor all the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces by enhancing its veterans memorial area.

Six granite benches were recently added to the memorial to honor the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines. Thanks to a donation of nearly $3,000 from the American Legion Walter Fraser Post 108 in Oxford, the Acheson family, which owns and operates the cemetery, was able to purchase these benches.

These benches join a black granite bench that was already there to honor soldiers whose last known status was either prisoner of war or missing in action.

Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery is owned by Oxford resident Shirley Acheson. She is the third of five generations of her family to care for this hallowed ground.

Her grandfather, William Smith, established the cemetery, then known as Ridgelawn Memorial Gardens, in 1927. Her mother, Luella Francis, acquired the cemetery from her grandfather, then passed it down to Acheson’s brothers and sisters. Acheson acquired this private cemetery, which is just under 10 acres in size, from them in 1977.

Today, the cemetery is primarily cared for by Acheson’s sons, Craig and Chris, along with her grandchildren.

Acheson knows how hard losing a loved one can be, so Ridgelawn always strives to be as understanding and empathetic as possible to all the families it serves.

“I have two daughters and a husband that are buried here and it’s just natural for me to be sympathetic to anyone that has a burial at Ridgelawn,” she said. “We like to treat them like family.”

As the cemetery continues to serve the community of Oxford in the future, Chris and Shirley Acheson are hoping to begin offering double burial vaults next year.

“The double burial vaults would be just like those offered at the national cemeteries,” said Chris Acheson.

Double burial vaults are designed to hold two cremation urns intended for ground burial. Any type of urns can be placed in these including those made of metal, wood and ceramic.

If desired, small mementos can typically be included in this container.

Double burial vaults can be a cost-effective option for families with limited financial means.

“They allow two full burials in each one,” Chris Acheson said. “It’s quite a large savings for the people that want to buy them.”

Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery is located at 99 W. Burdick St. For more information, please call (248) 628-6244.