Author: Jessica Smithers

We have sold out of wreaths and lanterns as of 12/05/2023

Family and friends of loved ones can order a holiday wreath to be placed on a grave or displayed at your home. The 22″ fresh Noble Fir wreath will be sold for $25 each. All proceeds will go to the continuous care and restoration of our beautiful cemetery. We have a limited quantity of wreaths, which do sell out each year, so please order soon!

For those looking for an alternative, we can place a solar lantern, suspended from a shepherd’s hook, graveside through the month of December. Lanterns are $25 each and will be removed after January 1st.

Orders can be placed by calling (530) 756-7807 or emailing jess@daviscemetery.org

Wreaths are expected to arrive between 11/27 and 12/4.

2023 Program Details

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Musical Prelude: 10:30 am / Formal Program: 11:00 am

Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Adrienne Fortini, Davis Local Vocals, and The Davis Madrigals.

Keynote Speaker: Jim Walker

Sergeant Jim Walker was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1946.  He completed his BS from the University of Alabama and the PMD program at The Harvard Business School.  Jim served in the US Army from January 1969 through 1970 with a one year deployment to Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division.  He is the recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze and Army Commendation medals with V.   He retired as a senior executive in the transportation industry and has served on numerous boards in the logistics arena.  Jim is a member of Davis Odd Fellows and served as Chaplain in 2022. 

On an annual basis, the Davis Cemetery District hosts a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration on our grounds. This celebration is one of the last Mesoamerican indigenous influenced rituals, honoring mother earth and all ancestors. This celebration is part of an effort to create a community, a sense of belonging, and global awareness of cultural richness in our multicultural society.

Historically, the Dia de los Muertos celebration has included a variety of artists and performers, as well as a collective altar honoring all ancestors. Beginning in 2020, the district moved to a modified event that included a public altar, marigolds to be placed on graves, and informational signage.

2023 Dia de los Muertos Community Outreach Event Announcement

Yolo County Needs Your Input! Take the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Survey Today! 

Have your say in Yolo County’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan! Provide your input to help the County design future programs, policies, and other recommendations to reach our greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals and help our community be more resilient to climate impacts such as higher temperatures, more frequent wildfires and floods, and drought. 

Complete the survey before September 22, 2023! Link to the survey here:

www.YoloCounty.org/CAAPEN (English)

www.YoloCounty.org/CAAPES (Spanish)

www.YoloCounty.org/CAAPRU (Russian)

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.

We always appreciate volunteers to aid in planning, set up, and clean up. Please contact jess@daviscemetery.org if you would like to help.

2023 Event Details: 

Monday, May 29th

9:30 Musical prelude by the Golden State Brass

10:00 Formal program begins

This year’s Memorial Day Program is brought to you by the Davis Cemetery District and the Davis Odd Fellows. The Golden State Brass will perform a musical prelude at 9:30 am with the formal program beginning at 10:00 am. This year’s program will include opening remarks by Supervisor Jim Provenza, performances by the Davis Youth Choir and the Davis H.S. Madrigals, as well as words from keynote speaker, Sgt. Kurth Roggli.

Keynote Speaker: Sgt. Kurt Roggli

Kurt Roggli was born in Georgia in 1947. He grew up as an Air Force brat, living in Alaska, Newfoundland, Massachusetts, Tennessee and California. Kurt was a soldier in the US Army from 1967 to 1970 where he was stationed in Korea. He attended graduate school at UC Davis where he received his degree in Philosophy. Kurt retired as adjunct professor of Philosophy. He is married with one child and three grandchildren. Kurt enjoys playing music and serves as Noble Grand of the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge.

Full Program Below

The Davis Cemetery District has been approved as a Wreaths Across America Location and Sponsorship Group for 2025. 

As an approved Sponsorship Group, our cemetery will receive 1 additional wreath for every 2 wreaths sponsored. This is a great way for our nearly 1,000 Veterans to be honored.

2025 Wreath Campaign Kickoff

Now through January 17, 2025, all wreaths sponsored through our Sponsorship Group will be matched by Headquarters. For 2024, we had just over 700 wreaths sponsored. Now is the time to sponsor a wreath for 2025 and help up reach 100% coverage.

Please consider sponsoring a wreath through the link below.

Sponsor a wreath or volunteer here

Friday, December 2, 2022

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Davis Cemetery District – Memorial Rose Garden

820 Pole Line Road

Davis, CA 95618

Bring new life to your rose garden with winter pruning. Join Rosarian, Woodland Library Rose Garden coordinator, and UCCE Master Gardener Maryellen Mackenzie and Davis Cemetery Memorial Rose Garden volunteer caretaker Mary Yaussy for hands-on training. Discover a variety of methods during this workshop which will cover tool maintenance, items needed for pruning, rose sanitation, buying root vs grated roses, and Q&A.

Guests should bring paper &  pen for note-taking. If a guest would like to bring any insects or diseased foliage for identification, please make sure it is in a sealed baggie.

Registration is not required, however a quick email to jess@daviscemetery.org will help ensure we have proper seating available.

Weather-dependent event. If it is raining, we will cancel and look at rescheduling

The Davis Odd Fellows and Davis Canton will host this year’s Veterans Day ceremony Friday, November 11th, at the Davis Cemetery District, 820 Pole Line Road.

There will be a musical prelude by the Vision Brass Quintet at 10:30 am followed by a formal program beginning at 11:00 am. The ceremony will include a Posting of the Colors by UC Davis Army ROTC, musical selections by the Davis Local Vocals, and the Davis Madrigals. This year’s keynote speaker is Larry Guenther.

Davis Scouts and cemetery staff will place the flags along our internal roadways and on the graves of nearly 1,000 veterans buried at the cemetery.

If you are interested in volunteering for setting up or to aid in the handing out of programs and the removal of flags later in the afternoon, please contact Jessica at jess@daviscemetery.org.

Larry Guenther Biography:

Larry grew up in San Jose, California, and joined the US Navy Reserve in 1985. While in the Navy, he became a sonar operator, helicopter crewman, and rescue swimmer. After his active duty period, Larry was assigned to Helicopter Squadron 85 at the Naval Air Station Alameda. While performing his reserve duty, Larry enrolled in and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned a BSc in Geophysics. Larry finished his reserve duty as a Second Class Petty Officer (AW2) in 1993. Larry came to Davis in 1994 for graduate school where he earned an MS, also in Geophysics.