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About

Located in the Oak Hill neighborhood of Austin, Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park work together to serve Travis and Hays counties by offering funeral, cremation and cemetery services to families from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. These sister locations allow you to conveniently handle everything from funeral to burial. Our teams are fully prepared to meet your unique needs as you honor and celebrate life.

All faiths and cultures welcome

Chapel at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial ParkWe are committed to accommodating families of all belief systems and cultures at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. We are dedicated to creating the personalized memorial services you and your family deserve. We have had the pleasure of serving families from a diverse range of backgrounds, and we believe a final service should properly reflect the uniqueness of a life. In addition, we strive to help families create one-of-a-kind memorial services that successfully capture the essence of their loved ones.

Unique offerings and amenities

Our non-denominational funeral home chapel comfortably seats more than 200 guests, and it can be arranged to accommodate traditional or contemporary services. Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home also includes a fellowship room that accommodates catered receptions and more.

WHV 2020 - Level 3We honor veterans

At Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, we understand the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families. As a Level Three Founding Community Partner with We Honor Veterans, our staff is knowledgeable in the benefits available to veterans and their families. With respect, integrity and dignity, we will walk you through the steps of creating a veteran's memorial service that truly honors the life and sacrifice of your loved one.

We also participate in the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program (HVBP). Founded on the belief that every veteran deserves a dignified and honorable burial, the HVBP is a cooperative effort with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, local medical examiners, coroners, veterans advocates and veterans organizations. Through the HVBP, homeless and indigent veterans who have no family to claim them are identified and provided proper military burials.

community service

The funeral directors and team members at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home are engaged members of the Austin community, hosting planning seminars and holiday memorial events that are open to the public.

We also participate in the Dignity Memorial Public Servants Program that offers dignified and honorable tributes, at no cost, for career and volunteer law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency services personnel who die in the line of duty.

Quality service you can count on

We are proud to provide professional, courteous service as you and your family navigate difficult times. Our experienced team members are dedicated to exceeding your expectations and ensuring each funeral, cremation and memorial service is both personal and memorable. We are always here when you need us. Call us anytime.

History

The Cook-Walden legacy of service began in the late 1800s when Samuel E. Rosengren opened a downtown funeral home in the 400 block of Congress Street in Austin, serving the needs of a growing city from that location until 1920.

A staple of Austin

Charles B. Cook purchased Rosengren's business and opened an opulent 3-story building located between the capitol and the governor's mansion, which quickly became the largest and most prestigious provider of funeral and ambulance services in the community. Charles continued the tradition of providing the finest in care and service in Austin for more than 50 years.

The cemetery on our property in Oak Hill was established as a standalone memorial park in 1953, while our funeral home was built on site in approximately 1984. In 1992, Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery became part of the Cook-Walden family.

Service today and tomorrow

Signage at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial ParkWorking together, the funeral home and cemetery currently serve about 265 families from Travis and Hays counties and the surrounding area each year. We take pride in helping each family create a one-of-a-kind memorial service that honors a unique life.

Since our establishment, the funeral home’s interior has been refreshed to include modern decor and amenities that continue to appeal to the families we serve. In addition, the facility’s exterior was recently enhanced with fresh paint, giving it an updated look to match the interior.

In 1992, Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park joined the Dignity Memorial network, the largest network of funeral, cremation and burial service providers in North America.

As we grow and evolve, we remain committed to providing the same personal and professional service that the people of Austin have come to expect.

Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park

Mausoleum at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial ParkThe cemetery at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park covers approximately 35 acres, providing a park-like setting that serves as a quiet, peaceful place to remember and honor your loved one.

Burial and interment options

Our well-kept cemetery offers standard in-ground burial options, memorial and cremation benches, 2 community mausoleums, private family estates and other permanent memorialization options. The mausoleums have bright, beautiful areas for small- to medium-size gatherings. In the future, our cemetery will include 10 built-to-suit lots, along with a 3rd community mausoleum and a section for upright monuments.

Special gardens

Special landscaping feature at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial ParkThe Nature Garden at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park, which includes mature trees, water fountains and pristine landscaping, is reserved for cremated remains and provides a beautiful place for reflection. We also have a veterans garden devoted to the men and women who have served in the United States armed forces, as well as 2 gardens for babies and infants.

Notable burials

Ronny Louis Woodmansee, the 1st person from Austin to die in the Vietnam War, is interred at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park, as well as T.O. Lang, the longest-serving sheriff in Travis County, who held the position from January 1, 1953, to December 31, 1972. Also interred in our cemetery is Jimmy Clay, a top amateur golfer in Austin who is memorialized at Jimmy Clay Golf Course. Photos convey a lot, but we welcome you to see the cemetery for yourself. Visit anytime or call to set up a guided tour. We are happy to show you around.

Amenities

Location

Cremation

Service

Religious & Cultural

Other Languages Spoken

Other

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Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

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Remember the one you love

Honor the memory of your loved one with cemetery flower placement. You choose the flowers. You choose the months. We do the rest..

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Unable to find an obituary?

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Ratings & Reviews

Verified Customer Reviews

Since 2005, many of our customers have taken the time to tell us how we did each year via our Voice of the Customer program. Our star ratings and comments from families come directly from these surveys.

"I was very sad and distracted and Kaylee and Kaitlyn were both understanding and very helpful and explained in full details every step of the way. Fortunately my mom had done prearrangements so my brother and I only had to pick out paper stock and flowers and tiny details compared to what was already paid for which was such a relief for my family.

My father was buried here 25 years ago and my brother and I were so overwhelmed so this time the experience for my family due to my mom being prepared, was so much smoother. I felt your team were taking such good care of us and then on the day of the funeral your team made my mom look so beautiful. This ,as heart wrenching as it was , experience was very nice and professional and put my mind at ease!"

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June 2022

"Everyone that was involved with helping us plan my Grandmas funeral were fantastic. Everyone we came into contact with at each location no matter if it was by phone or in person they were outstanding and everyone provided exceptional customer service."

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June 2022

"This was the most difficult time in my life. They all helped so much. I can't express enough adequately in words. It was a feeling. My heartfelt thanks to all of them."

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April 2022

"The entire staff was very professional, comforting and supportive. Both of my parent's arrangements and services were unique and personalized to fit their wishes and the family's requests. Their lives were truly celebrated in a meaningful and memorable way."

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April 2022

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