Front exterior at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary photos icon

About

Located in West Des Moines, Iowa, McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary and Resthaven Cemetery provide people from many backgrounds with compassionate care. The funeral home and cemetery are located near Interstate 235 in West Des Moines, only minutes from interstates 35 and 80. Working together, they provide vital convenience and simplicity when planning final arrangements.

A welcoming funeral home

Reception room at McLarens Resthaven Chapel & MortuaryWe are committed to accommodating families of all belief systems and cultures at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary and are dedicated to creating the personalized services you and your family deserve. We believe a final service should reflect the uniqueness of a life and we design one-of-a-kind services that capture the essence of a person.

We offer everything from a traditional church funeral to a modern celebration of life with live music, catering and a send-off that reflects the personality and passions of yourself or your loved one. Whatever your vision or your loved one's wishes, we go the extra mile to try to make it happen.

The funeral home’s spacious chapel accommodates approximately 150 guests. The reception room comfortably seats 50 for a small service or a catered event before or after a funeral or memorial service. From a continental breakfast to a pie buffet to a full-service dinner, we will help you plan most any type of affair.

Cremation services

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you are interested in cremation, the funeral home team can explain the process and different options. From a direct cremation without a memorial service or a witness cremation to a full funeral service before or after the cremation and more, we help you understand this increasingly common choice—and handle all of the cremation arrangements.

Count on us

Lobby at McLarens Resthaven Chapel & MortuaryMcLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary and Resthaven Cemetery are members of the Dignity Memorial® network, the largest group of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers in North America, and we are always here for you when you need us. Whether you are planning a funeral or cremation ahead of time or need immediate assistance, please call our funeral home team.

Resthaven Cemetery

Resthaven Cemetery sits on 40 acres in West Des Moines, Iowa. With rolling hills, a serene lake that’s the home of a swan couple named Jack and Jill, and numerous water features, it is a beautiful final resting place and a picturesque setting in which to remember a loved one.

Burial options

Resthaven Cemetery offers traditional ground burial as well as above-ground entombment. The cemetery property includes a cremation garden, cremation benches and cremation niches. There are 2 mausoleum choices: Garden Mausoleum overlooking the lake and the older Chapel Mausoleum. We also offer private family estates.

Cemetery flowers

Cemetery grounds at Resthaven Cemetery.Resthaven makes it easy for you and your family to continue to honor those who are memorialized here through a floral placement program. Sign up and we place a lovely silk floral arrangement on your loved one's gravesite, crypt or cremation memorial twice each year: fall and spring.

We honor veterans

WHV 2020 - Level 4 At McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary and Resthaven 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.

We recognize the selfless contributions of the men and women who serve in our armed forces in a number of ways. Most notable is the cemetery's black granite veterans wall, which includes the names of local veterans who have died and the dates in which they served our country.

Row of American flags leading to a water fountain at Resthaven CemeteryThe cemetery also hosts a popular Memorial Day event that includes lunch, a speaker from the community, live music and several veterans organizations and groups. We hold a Veterans Day event as well and participate in the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program. 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.

History

Earl D. McLaren opened his 1st funeral parlor in 1921 at 409 Maple St. in Valley Junction and operated it there until 1927. He opened a 2nd location at the McLaren family home at 300 6th St., just west of the city hall. It operated there from 1927 to 1935. McLaren's moved to 312 5th St. in 1935, as Valley Junction grew and spread west.

In 1978, McLaren’s funeral home moved from Valley Junction to Resthaven Cemetery, at 19th Street and Ashworth Road, building a state-of-the-art funeral chapel on the cemetery grounds. Earl McLaren's son, John B. McLaren, was instrumental in the development of the facility and served as president of the combined Resthaven Cemetery Association and McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel and Mortuary until his retirement in 1983.

Designed to offer privacy to families while meeting the changing needs of the community, McLaren's Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary has lived up to our founder's promise to “serve as we would be served.” We believe that a high level of care is the mark of true professionalism.

Cemetery where the swans live

Cemetery grounds at Resthaven Cemetery.Resthaven Cemetery was established in 1931 by W.H. Colvin on the site of the former Mountain Dairy Farm. It was among the 1st cemeteries in the United States to allow only flush-to-ground grave markers.

R. Harley Riggs and Carl Ripper bought the cemetery from the Colvin estate in 1953.

Mrs. Fred Chander gave the cemetery its 1st pair of swans, Jack and Jill, in 1955 in memory of her late husband. Jack and Jill lived at the cemetery lake and raised a family. The lake is still home to ducks and swans, including a couple also named Jack and Jill.

Resthaven Cemetery operated a Christmas tree farm on the property for many years until 1998.

Amenities

Location

Cremation

Service

Religious & Cultural

Other Languages Spoken

Other

Every Detail Remembered

Scroll flourish

An experience like no other, carefully crafted by our caring planning team.

Memorialization icon for the premium pricing carousel

Cemetery & Cremation Property

A final resting place that reflects a unique life and legacy for generations to come.

Pricing Starts At 1,995
Learn More
catering icon

Personalized Catered Receptions

From desserts and appetizers to a sit-down meal, we can arrange it all.

Pricing Starts At 95
Learn More
Main merchandise icon that appears at the top of the Our Collections section

Our Collections

A lasting remembrance as unique and special as the individual it represents.

Pricing Starts At 195
Learn More
Swirl flourish

View all products & services

Create an unforgettable memorial that perfectly reflects the life lived.

View all offerings
Floral component background

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

1-800-Flowers

View arrangements

Bouquet of flowers on a cemetery 

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.

Learn More
Floral component background

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

1-800-Flowers

View arrangements

Bouquet of flowers on a cemetery

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.

Learn More

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

View arrangements
Floral component background

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

1-800-Flowers

View arrangements

Vintage photos scattered

Unable to find an obituary?

Not finding what you are looking for? Search for your loved one's obituary across any of our other locations.

VIEW OBITUARIES
Floral component background

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

1-800-Flowers

View arrangements

Vintage photos scattered

Unable to find an obituary?

Not finding what you are looking for? Search for your loved one's obituary across any of our Washelli locations.

VIEW OBITUARIES
A beautiful bouquet of flowers

Express your sympathy with flowers & gifts

 1-800-Flowers

View Arrangements
Bouquet of flowers on a cemetery

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.

Learn More
Vintage photos scattered

Unable to find an obituary?

Not finding what you are looking for? Search for your loved one's obituary across any of our other locations.

VIEW OBITUARIES

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.

"The guidance and comfort shown to our family at such a difficult time was outstanding. We didn't have to worry about anything. The staff handled every personalized detail including the catered lunch after the service. We would highly recommend McLaren's Resthaven Chapel and Mortuary."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

July 2021

"Due to covid services for my dad were put on hold for over a year. I contacted Kari Lilly last fall to talk about service for when able to have one in the summer. Kari has been wonderful to work with during the whole time. She explained things well and is very patient with you as you decide things. I was also able to have other family members older markers redone as Kari told me about that process. Look new again. Was a pleasure meeting and working with Kari. The staff at Resthaven are friendly and wonderful to work with!"

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Customer

July 2021

"Excellent facility, friendly and caring staff. Everything was handled very professionally and courteously"

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Customer

June 2021

"Casey helped me tremendously, I didn't have to know what or how to do anything. Jan was very helpful also. It was so nice, I think I was in shock. Everything was perfect."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Customer

June 2021

View More Reviews