Veteran Burial Services in Leonardtown, Maryland

Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home is a veteran, family-owned funeral home in Leonardtown, Maryland, arranging burial services for veterans throughout St. Mary’s County. We request military funeral honors, coordinate the flag presentation and the playing of Taps, arrange interment in national or state veterans cemeteries, and prepare the paperwork required for veterans burial benefits. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Bring the veteran’s DD-214 discharge papers if you have them. Call (301) 475-8500, answered 24 hours a day.

Serving St. Mary’s County, Maryland

Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home serves families throughout St. Mary’s County, Maryland, from our Leonardtown location on Fenwick Street. We regularly serve families in Leonardtown, California, Lexington Park, Hollywood, Loveville, Callaway, Great Mills, Avenue, Compton, Morganza, Mechanicsville, and Charlotte Hall. Our funeral directors are familiar with the parish churches, cemeteries, and burial grounds across the county, and coordinate directly with them on your behalf.

Why Veteran Families in St. Mary’s County Choose Us

We Are a Veteran-Owned Funeral Home

Mattingley-Gardiner is a veteran, family-owned funeral home. The people arranging your service understand what the flag, the detail, and the honors mean, because they have served.

We Arrange Military Honors Regularly

St. Mary’s County is home to a large military-connected population. Requesting honors, coordinating with the service branch, and scheduling with the cemetery is routine work here, not an unfamiliar task.

We Handle the Paperwork

Our funeral directors prepare and submit the forms required for veterans burial benefits and cemetery interment. Eligibility is determined by the VA and the cemetery, but the paperwork burden does not fall on your family.

Serving Leonardtown Since 1898

This funeral home has served St. Mary’s County through every conflict of the last century, and is owned today by John and Kristy Parker.

What Pre-Planning Covers

Burial in a National Cemetery

Eligible veterans may be interred in a national cemetery administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, ordinarily at no cost to the family for the gravesite, the opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, and perpetual care. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home coordinates the scheduling and submits the required documentation. Eligibility is determined by the VA.

Burial in a Maryland State Veterans Cemetery

Maryland operates state veterans cemeteries that serve eligible veterans and, in many cases, their spouses and dependents. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home coordinates interment with the cemetery, arranges the committal, and requests military honors. Eligibility and any applicable fees are set by the cemetery, not by the funeral home.

Burial in a Private or Parish Cemetery With Honors

A veteran does not have to be buried in a veterans cemetery to receive military funeral honors. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home arranges honors at private and parish cemeteries throughout St. Mary’s County, and can request a government headstone or marker for a privately purchased plot, subject to eligibility.

Burial of a Veteran’s Spouse or Dependent

Spouses and certain dependents of eligible veterans may be interred in national and state veterans cemeteries, in many cases whether or not they predecease the veteran. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home arranges these interments and prepares the documentation. Eligibility is determined by the VA or the cemetery.

Military Funeral Honors

Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home requests military funeral honors on behalf of veteran families in St. Mary’s County. Honors ordinarily include the folding and presentation of the United States flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps, rendered by a detail from the deceased’s branch of service. We coordinate the request and the timing with the cemetery and the service branch.

Documentation Families Should Locate

The single most useful document in arranging a veteran burial is the DD-214, the certificate of release or discharge from active duty. It establishes the service record on which eligibility determinations rest. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home prepares and submits the required forms on the family’s behalf. If the DD-214 cannot be found, our directors will help you request a copy.

Why Veteran Families Choose Mattingley-Gardiner

Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home is veteran, family-owned, and serves a county with deep military ties, including the community around Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Our funeral directors arrange military honors and veterans cemetery interment regularly, not occasionally, and a director answers our phone 24 hours a day at (301) 475-8500.

FAQ

What documents do we need for a veteran burial?

The most important document is the DD-214, the certificate of release or discharge from active duty. Also helpful are the veteran’s Social Security number, date and place of birth, branch of service, and any VA claim number. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home will help you request a copy of the DD-214 if it cannot be found. Call (301) 475-8500.

What are military funeral honors and who provides them?

Military funeral honors ordinarily include the folding and presentation of the United States flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps, rendered by a detail from the veteran’s branch of service. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home submits the request and coordinates the timing with the cemetery and the service branch on your family’s behalf.

Can a veteran be buried in a private cemetery and still receive honors?

Yes. Military funeral honors are not limited to veterans cemeteries. Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home arranges honors at private and parish cemeteries throughout St. Mary’s County. A government headstone or marker may also be requested for a privately purchased plot, subject to eligibility determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Is there a cost for burial in a national cemetery?

For eligible veterans, burial in a VA national cemetery ordinarily includes the gravesite, the opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost to the family. Costs associated with the funeral service, the casket, transportation, and preparation are separate. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Call (301) 475-8500 to discuss your family’s circumstances.

How Do I Arrange Military Funeral Honors for a Veteran in Maryland?

Call Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home at (301) 475-8500. As a veteran, family-owned funeral home in Leonardtown, we submit the request for military funeral honors, coordinate with the veteran’s branch of service and the cemetery, and arrange the flag presentation and the playing of Taps. Bring the DD-214 discharge papers if you have them.

Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. and Crematory is a veteran, family-owned funeral home and a member of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, the National Funeral Directors Association, the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, and the Cremation Association of North America.

This page is maintained by the funeral directors of Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. and Crematory, 41590 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650. For questions about the services described here, call (301) 475-8500 or email office@mgfh.com.