Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery

Our state-of-the-art funeral home

After a fire leveled the funeral home in January 2017, we endeavored to build the finest funeral facility in the East Valley. With nearly 10,500 square feet of space, the new funeral home opened in late 2018. It includes an oversize reception room for catered events and a chapel that seats up to 140 guests. Smart equipment, a modern flow and comfortable furnishings make it perfectly suited for traditional funerals, cremation memorials and contemporary celebrations of life.

Whatever your personal desire, family preference, cultural tradition or religious custom, it’s our honor to help you arrange a celebration that reflects a unique personality. The dedicated funeral directors at Valley of the Sun Mortuary can find inspiration almost anywhere—in a favorite song, hobby or even an iconic style—and turn that into a funeral service filled with thoughtful and meaningful details. Start with a story, and we’ll take it from there.

A private crematory

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you are interested in cremation, the funeral home team can explain the process. From a direct cremation without a service to a full funeral service before or after the cremation and more, we help you understand this increasingly common choice. For families who choose the time-honored tradition of cremation, our full-service funeral home has a private crematory. This gives Valley of the Sun Mortuary control of a cremation from start to finish and means your loved one never leaves our care. If desired, cremated remains may be memorialized in our cemetery.

Valley of the Sun Cemetery

Approximately 22 acres in size, Valley of the Sun Cemetery is the only cemetery in Chandler. We have a variety of gardens for traditional burial as well as a cremation garden. The well-landscaped cemetery seems far away from the hustle and bustle of Phoenix. It has lovely annual blooming flowers, nature gardens and water features—all of which make the cemetery a place of peaceful reflection. Numerous mature trees provide shade on hot summer days.

Burial options

A walk down one of the cemetery's winding paths reveals the range of interment options: in-ground burial, mausoleum complexes, columbaria, crypts, cremation niches and benches, and private and semiprivate estates.

Dedicated gardens appeal to certain populations. These include a Jewish garden, which serves Orthodox, Reform and Conservative Jews. It was recently expanded and has room for future growth. The Garden of Honor is our veterans section. Here we host annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day events.

Set atop a petite hill, the cremation garden has a nature-inspired stream and fountain. Water trickles through the garden, and the garden's gazebo hosts outdoor committal services.

Cemetery sundial

In addition to being a beautiful final resting place, Valley of the Sun Cemetery is home to a large sundial. The 3-story-tall structure sits at the cemetery entrance and is a point of reference for locating the cemetery. When it was first erected, it was the largest sundial in Arizona and a beacon for the airport. It has since been eclipsed in size, but it remains a Chandler landmark.

We Honor Veterans

At Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery, we understand the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families. As a Level Four Founding Community Partner with We Honor Veterans, we are honored to serve our nation’s heroes and take this responsibility seriously. We have taken steps to ensure our staff is knowledgeable of all the benefits available to military veterans and their families.

In addition, we host community events annually in honor of our veterans and work closely with local veterans organizations. 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.

Each December, Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Valley of the Sun Cemetery join with Arlington National Cemetery as well as 1,200 other locations throughout the United States to remember and honor those who have served our country. We were the first East Valley cemetery to celebrate National Wreaths Across America Day. During our first year’s celebration more than 600 wreaths were placed on the graves of local veterans.

Valley of the Sun Mortuary also participates in the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program. The program was founded in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, local medical examiners, coroners, veterans advocates, and veterans organizations on the belief that every veteran deserves a dignified and honorable burial. Through the program, homeless and indigent veterans who have no family to claim them are identified and provided with proper military burials.

Caring for the people of Chandler

Since our founding in 1963, we have served Chandler and surrounding communities with the highest standards of care and compassion. Our team has a long history of community involvement. We also host annual celebrations that bring hundreds of people together to remember their loved ones.

A longstanding tradition, our annual Memorial Day program honors those who have given their lives in service to our country. Around 400 people attend the event, which includes speakers from local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion chapters, as well as community leaders. World War II era planes fly over the cemetery—a truly impressive sight. We also treat those who attend to a cookout with hot dogs, chips and drinks.

No matter your religion, culture or background, we know that the December holidays can be a particularly emotional time for families who have lost loved ones. We invite you to join us for a nondenominational Night of Remembrance to celebrate lives lost and gain a sense of peace from the healing power of community. Guests hang ornaments on our Tree of Remembrance or light candles in honor of their loved ones. Around 150 people attend this event, which is held in the chapel.

Pets are family members too! Our annual pet photo day draws pet lovers and their furry friends from all over the area and benefits the American Diabetes Association.

We are here for you

Someone from our compassionate team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call. Please reach out to us anytime, whether you need immediate assistance or are planning a funeral ahead of time. Photos convey a lot, but there is nothing like seeing something for yourself. We invite you to visit Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery on your own, or call us to set up a guided tour. We are happy to show you around.

History

Since 1963, Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Valley of the Sun Cemetery have served Chandler, Sun City, East Valley and the Greater Phoenix area. When Valley of the Sun first opened, the neighboring area was largely agricultural. However, in the early 1970s, developers broke ground on the Sun Lakes community, and the area became bustling and vibrant.

Today, we're members of the Dignity Memorial® network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, and we continue to serve this community with dignity and compassion.