News

2025 Program Details

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

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

Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Davis Local Vocals, and Ashley Hill.

Opening and Closing prayers by Rev. Alex Haider Winnett

Rev. Alex Haider-Winnett is a Unitarian Universalist minister and serves at University Retirement Community. He lives in Davis with his family. He’s an Odd Fellow, a gardener and enjoys spending time at the library.

Keynote Speaker: Michelle J. Bailey, Owner, Little Reata Stables

Speaker Bio: 

Michelle J. Bailey is a U.S. Army veteran and owner of Little Reata Stables in Davis, California. A Davis native and 1989 graduate of Davis High School, she served nearly eight years as a Chief Warrant Officer 2, logging over 1,000 flight hours in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and UH-1 Huey helicopters. Michelle is the proud mother of three children, all graduates of Davis High and Da Vinci High Schools. She remains deeply involved in the veteran community as a member of the American Legion and co-founder of the Yolo/Solano Veterans Beer Club, established with fellow veteran Sterling Koliba. Through Little Reata Stables, she is developing a Veterans Equine Therapy Program that merges her love of horses with her continued commitment to serving those who served.

Full Program:

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.

—–2025 Event Details—–

Spring has sprung at the Davis Cemetery District, and we are pleased to announce two new interment areas. Q-section, opening May 1, 2025, is nestled in the heart of the cemetery just north of the COVID-19 Memorial. This area is lined with elm and sycamore trees and features casket size plots, which can accommodate both full body and cremation interments. While the Q-section spans the length of the COVID-19 Memorial pathway, this phased opening will be limited to just seventy plots.

The Cremation Garden, open now, features a series of connecting pathways, freshly planted pollinator landscaping, solar lighting, and the opportunity for memorial bench donations. The cremation garden offers both inground and above ground interment options and can accommodate raised headstones.

For more information, stop by to take a tour, email us at jess@daviscemetery.org, or call us at (530) 756-7807.

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.

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. Musical performances by Carley Neill-Vann, The Davis Madrigals, and the Davis Youth Choir.

2025 Event Details: 

Monday, May 26th

9:30 am Musical prelude by the Golden State Brass

10:00 am Formal program begins 

Keynote Speaker

Artemis Riley, Army Veteran and Davis Cemetery District Groundskeeper

Speaker Bio

Full Program 

Now through Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 – all wreaths sponsored through a registered WAA Sponsorship Group will be matched by HQ for placement on next year’s National Wreaths Across America Day – Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025!

Why is it important to sponsor a wreath before January 17th? All wreaths sponsored will be matched by WAA headquarters. As an approved 3:2 sponsorship group, we also receive a complementary wreath for every 2 wreaths sponsored. Why is it important to sponsor during the wreath match event? By sponsoring 2 wreaths today, the District will receive 5 wreaths!

Sponsorship can be made here: Overview – Wreaths Across America

WEATHER UPDATE: Due to the rain the Davis area is expected to receive on Saturday, our locations wreath laying ceremony has been moved to Friday, December 13, 2024, at 12pm. We are working with Wreaths Across America headquarters to update our locations page now. 

On December 14, 2024, at 10:00 am, Wreaths Across America will be at Davis Cemetery District to Remember and Honor our Veterans through the laying of remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes. We will have a short program, followed by wreath placement. This will be the district’s 2nd year participating.

We had over 700 wreaths sponsored this year and would love to see you at this year’s wreath laying event. If you are interested in volunteering to lay wreaths, please email Jess Smithers at jess@daviscemetery.org

2024 Top Sponsors

We want to acknowledge and give a special thank you to our top donors, Chris & Lauren Snow on behalf of Operation Intrepid as well as Greiner Heating, Air, and Electric. Their generous sponsorships made a BIG impact on our numbers are truly appreciated!

2024 Veterans Listing

Veterans interred at the Davis Cemetery District 

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. We have two sizes of lanterns which will be placed based on the size of your loved one’s headstone.

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

Wreaths are expected to arrive between 12/2 and 12/6.

2024 Program Details

Monday, November 11, 2024

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

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

Opening and Closing prayers by Rev. Alex Haider Winnett

Rev. Alex Haider-Winnett is a Unitarian Universalist minister and serves at University Retirement Community. He lives in Davis with his family. He’s an Odd Fellow, a gardener and enjoys spending time at the library.

Keynote Speaker: Sterling Koliba

Sterling was born and raised in Carolton, Texas, leaving at age 18 to join the United States Marine Corps, where he proudly served 10 years as a Marine. Looking to spend more time with his family, Sterling then switched to the United States Air Force Reserve where he served another ten years. In 2024, he began his journey with the California Army National Guard, looking to complete his last ten years of service. In addition to his continued service to his country, Sterling is also very active in serving his local community. He is involved in many veteran organizations: he is the Jr. Vice Commander of the Dixon VFW post, a member of the Dixon American Legion post, and a founding member of the Veterans Beer Club chapter for Yolo and Solano County. Sterling also participates in the Toastmasters and Davis Sunset Rotary. When he’s not volunteering his time, he serves his community as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and is the co-owner of Little Reata Stables horse boarding facility.

Sterling was deployed once in support of OIF and once to Iraq.

Military Rankings:

Sergeant Marines

Technical Sergeant Air Force

Staff Sergeant Army