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The Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery
The Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery is located in the Atlantic County Park in Estell Manor, 3.5 miles south of Mays Landing on Route 50 and was renamed in 2024 in memory of the former county executive who established the veterans cemetery in 1985. The cemetery was officially dedicated in May of 1985 and serves as a final resting place for eligible veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their spouses.
Each year, a Memorial Day service is held at the cemetery. Call Park staff at Atlantic County Park in Estell Manor for more information about these services at (609) 909-5859 or vetcemetery@aclink.org.
The Atlantic County Park System also maintains a Veterans Memorial Park that is located on the corner of Zion Road and Bargaintown Road in Egg Harbor Township.
Burial Application
Conditions and Application for Burial
Before downloading an application you can read the "Conditions for Burial" below.
Conditions for Burial in The Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery
Applications for burial should be made to the Atlantic County Veterans Interment Officer (who serves under the jurisdiction of the Atlantic County Executive).
The Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery is available to the following persons:
- Those who die while on active duty in the Armed Forces. Members of the National Guard and Reserve who are called to active duty for training purposes and die during this period, may also be buried in this cemetery.
- Retired members of the regular armed forces, National Guard, or Reserve who:
- Have performed active federal service
- Are carried on official service retired lists, and
- Receive or are eligible to receive retirement pay stemming from service in the Armed Forces
- All veterans from Atlantic County who have served on active duty in the armed forces, other than for training, and who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable or undesirable. Merchant Marine veterans from Atlantic County who served during World War II are also eligible.
Applicants for burial in the Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery must be residents of Atlantic County for a period of 2 years. If the spouse of the veteran is desirous of being buried in the cemetery, application will be completed accordingly. The veteran is the applicant and must be buried at the cemetery or agree to do so by application. Exceptions to residency requirements may be granted at the discretion of the Veterans Interment Officer with the approval of the County Executive.
All Grave markers in the cemetery must be markers made of bronze having the dimension of 24 inches long, 12 inches wide, and ¾ inches thick, and to be placed flat to the ground. Markers are provided at no cost for veterans by the Veterans Administration. Markers for spouses are required and are available through local monument companies, at the family's expense and must be the same type as the veteran's. Eligibility for the marker is governed by the Veterans Administration.
Perpetual care of the Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery is to be the responsibility of the Atlantic County Division of Parks and Recreation.
American flags are supplied by the Atlantic County Government for placement on veteran’s graves. These flags will be placed in this cemetery by the Atlantic County Division of Parks and Recreation on appropriate Federal Holidays.
The expense of opening and closing of graves is to be paid by the veteran's estate to funeral director handling the funeral services. All expenses incurred will be the responsibility of the family.
Grave site will be 4 feet by 10 feet. (with the exception of cremation sites.)
If the spouse of a veteran is buried in the cemetery, and at sometime thereafter the veteran decides not to be buried in this cemetery, the veteran must bear the expense of removing the remains of the spouse from the cemetery.
If the veteran is deceased and the spouse of the veteran remarries, burial privileges to the spouse are rescinded.
If the marriage of a veteran and spouse is terminated by annulment or divorce after both were approved for burial, burial privileges are immediately rescinded for the one-time spouse if not otherwise eligible.
Concrete or fiberglass vaults or cases must be used.
No planted flowers, shrubs, or other above ground objects are allowed to be placed in the Veterans Cemetery. Recessed vases may be used for cut flowers only.
Veterans are considered for burial at the Richard E. Squires Veterans Cemetery regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Confirmed Registration
Upon verification of your periods of service and eligibility, you will be notified that your registration has been confirmed. This does not constitute reservation of a burial plot.
Upon the veteran's or spouse's death, the veteran or family will contact the Veterans Interment Officer to activate the application. Those veterans who have registered will be quickly confirmed through our records and a burial plot will be assigned. At that time a reservation will be made for a veteran or spouse who wishes to be buried in the adjacent plot.
Financial Responsibility
Veterans should be aware that while Atlantic County Government provides the actual grave sites for this facility, the financial responsibility for burial and procurement of the bronze marker required for the grave site are the sole obligation of the veteran, his or her spouse, or family.
The Veterans Interment Officer must sign off on the application and will forward the application to the Veterans Administration at no cost to the family. However the applicant is solely responsible for the wording and content of the marker. Markers will be placed by the Division of Parks and Recreation. Families will be billed for the placement of the non-veteran spouse’s marker. The veteran’s marker is placed without cost.
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