The Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Dallas County is set to expand following the approval of a more than $1.3 million federal grant.
The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs has received a $1,358,525 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. The funding will pay for 2,160 new above-ground columbarium niches, along with other improvements to the cemetery grounds.
Officials say the expansion is needed as more veterans and families choose cremation over traditional casket burials.
Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Commandant Todd Jacobus says the cemetery has conducted about 8,700 interments since opening, with more than 3,300 involving cremated remains. Those remains are currently housed across 10 original columbarium walls.
Jacobus says the federal funding will allow the state to plan ahead and make sure Iowa veterans continue to have access to a peaceful and dignified final resting place.
Source: Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
The Iowa Veterans Cemetery opened in 2008 and covers 103 acres. It now conducts more than 700 interments each year.
The project is fully funded through the VA’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, meaning there will be no cost to Iowa taxpayers or the families receiving the services.
Planning for the expansion is now underway, with officials working to make sure construction does not interfere with daily cemetery operations or visitors.
Veterans and their families can also submit a Pre-Application for Burial through the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs to establish eligibility ahead of time.
