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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 & Mortuary We 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 & Mortuary McLaren’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 Cemetery The 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.

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Amenities

Location

Flexible event space
Facility is available to host your personal events
Celebration of Life center
Facility is designed for personalized funeral celebrations
Veterans cemetery section
Flexible chapel space
Our chapel can be used for hosting your religious events
Waterside views
Large-capacity chapel (up to 250)
Cemetery spaces available
Custom headstones and markers
Piano or organ on-site
Family estate lots
Family estates are a distinguished tribute to a family legacy. They can be customized with stained glass, benches and landscaping
Flat markers
Grave markers that sit flush to the ground in the material of preference
Mausoleums
Private or Community spaces for urns as well as caskets, that can be Indoor or outdoor
Coffee lounge
Pet friendly
On-site cemetery

Cremation

Scattering garden
Cremation remembrance jewelry
Cremation options
Cremation niches
Option for home delivery of ashes
Option for mail delivery of ashes
Sent through postal mail service, signature required.
Scattering assistance
Cremation gardens

Service

Arrangements by phone or email
Complete funeral planning, including electronic signature, without needing a funeral home visit
Catered events
White-glove service
Locations offering the highest level of service and care
Event planning
Services available to support planning events
Funeral service video production
Services available to create a tribute video for the service or obituary from photos and videos.
Audio and video equipment
Live music available
Popular funeral music selections
Intimate gatherings
In-home visitations
Services available to coordinate visitation or viewing at a private residence
White limousines
Police escort available
Cemetery flower arrangement delivery

Religious & Cultural

Multicultural funerals
Latin music selections
Catholic cemetery section
Incense burning
Shomer available
Ritual washing

Other Languages Spoken

Spanish/Español

Other

100% Service guarantee
Livestreaming of services

How may we help you?

Plan Ahead

A Death Is Near

A Death Has Occurred

GET CUSTOM QUOTE

INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED:

Filing for death certificates
Securing burial permits
Helping with insurance claims
Giving guidance on Social Security survivors benefits

Every detail remembered

100% SERVICE GUARANTEE
If for some reason you’re dissatisfied with any aspect of your service, we’ll refund that portion of the service.
LIFETIME FLEXIBILITY
If you want to make changes to a prepaid plan, we are always available to discuss your options.
RELOCATION PROTECTION
Our prepaid plans are transferable to any of the qualifying Dignity Memorial providers in North America.