Statement: Memorial Benches at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery

April 23, 2025

Statement by Secretary Anthony Woods on Memorial Benches at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery

At the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, we are honored to provide a final resting place for our veterans and their eligible family members. We maintain our cemeteries in accordance and collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration Operational Standards and Measures.

Recently, we began updating our cemetery grounds to remove donated memorial benches that have deteriorated with time or have become a public safety hazard. In doing so, however, we were unable to notify all family members of their removal and for that we apologize. We are pausing all removals for 30 days to provide family members with the option to take possession of memorial benches. 

We wish to clarify an earlier statement that the removal of these donated benches was due to a Compliance Review conducted by the National Cemetery Administration. The VA’s compliance review at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery in 2024 had no findings concerning donated benches and the removal of the donated benches was not ordered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

If your family has donated site furnishings at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery, please contact Cemetery Superintendent Dimitra Johnson at dimitra.johnson@maryland.gov to discuss next steps and available options.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to preserve the honor, dignity, and respect of our veterans’ final resting places.