Creating heartfelt, personalized funerals

Our 1st task in assisting you at Cook-Walden Funeral Home is to listen and find details that help bring grace and closure to a difficult time.

For example, a gentleman was known to have countless pairs of shoes and eyeglasses, both of which he would absentmindedly leave behind wherever he went. After his passing, the family met with us to make his funeral arrangements, and these bittersweet stories of shoes and eyeglasses being found everywhere resonated with us. So with the family’s permission, we placed several pairs of shoes and eyeglasses in unusual places during the funeral.

On the day of memorial, as those who knew and loved this man gathered in our chapel and gradually noticed these items everywhere, you could see the smiles spread across the room. Everyone remembered this special individual and the impact he had on their lives.

These are the genuine moments we want to help you discover along your journey during this emotionally challenging stage of life. 

Respecting cultural traditions

We have on-property cremation, including witnessed cremation, and accommodate a wide range of religious traditions, including those of the Buddhist and Hindu faiths.

We are 1 of the few funeral homes in the area designated as acceptable for the Jewish traditions of Tahara (preparing the body for burial) and shomer (when a family member or multiple members sits with the deceased for 24 hours until the final ceremony).

Meeting your needs

Whether it’s a religious ceremony with reverential solemnity, cremation with quiet memorial or an outright occasion to remember, we strive to meet the very specific needs of our community. Please call Cook-Walden Funeral Home at any hour, day or night, and an experienced member of our team will assist you.

History

Charles Walden's story began more than 90 years ago in Hunt County, Texas. Born into a farming community, he spent many summers working in the fields near Wolfe City, and, on occasion, Charlie would perch himself on his father's fence to watch the funeral processions pass by. He was filled with amazement at the pageantry and professionalism of the cortege.

Upon graduation from mortuary school in 1942, Charlie moved to Austin, Texas, where he quickly became well-known and respected as a diligent funeral director, never losing sight of achieving his dream of owning a funeral establishment. In 1971, those ambitions became a reality when he partnered with Charles B. Cook to establish Cook-Walden Funeral Home on North Lamar Boulevard.

Since then, the business has kept pace to serve this fast-growing Austin area. Today, the chain of Cook-Warden establishments includes 5 funeral homes and 3 cemeteries.

Serene cemeteries

Cook-Warden has 3 cemeteries throughout greater Austin. Each offers serene vistas for peaceful contemplation and quiet moments of reflection.

Cook-Walden Capital Parks in Pflugerville includes 2 cemeteries, located roughly 1 mile apart. These have many types of burial gardens, including gardens that have been blessed by a Catholic bishop, as well as specific gardens designed and maintained for the Jewish community, veterans and a variety of religious faiths. There is an above-ground mausoleum with 2 beautiful reflection ponds, as well as crypts for either caskets or urns. For long-term family arrangements, the cemetery offers gated estate areas that accommodate up to 12 people.

Cook-Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park in Austin is known for its majestic, centuries-old oak trees. Light-colored limestone paths leading to each burial garden are warmed by the sun in the late afternoon, making you feel both completely present and also somehow transported to a simpler time and place. This location also has a separate mausoleum area.