Everstory Partners acquires Pennsylvania-based Life Remembered

Everstory Partners has acquired Pennsylvania-based Life Remembered, adding 27 cemeteries across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina to its Memorial Planning network. The acquisition includes Clinton County Memory Gardens in Wilmington and Resthaven Memory Gardens in Hillsboro.

The cemeteries reflect the history of their regions, from a hillside mausoleum outside Pittsburgh to veterans’ memorials across nearly all the parks. Each tells the story of the community around it and the people who have called it home.

Everstory completed the acquisition on November 10, 2026. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is Everstory’s third in the past six months, following Baltimore Pike Cemetery in Ohio and Franklin Memorial Park in New Jersey.

“We take a disciplined approach to acquisitions, looking for businesses with strong local teams and properties we have the resources to support for the long term,” said Lilly Donohue, CEO of Everstory Partners. “Life Remembered serves many communities where we already operate, so we can bring experienced regional leadership and support while preserving what makes each cemetery unique.”

Founded in Pennsylvania in 1956 by George Stoecklein Sr., Life Remembered provides nearly 4,000 services for families each year, from traditional ground burial to cremation placement.

Life Remembered’s first property, Penn Lincoln Memorial Park, sits on more than 60 acres of rolling hills outside Pittsburgh, with a mausoleum featuring curved roofs and multistory stained glass. In Lower Burrell, Greenwood Memorial Park spans 128 acres, with 21 gardens set among mature trees and the Temple of Love Mausoleum. In Zanesville, Ohio, a memorial at the entrance to Zanesville Memorial Park honors local military service and sacrifice.

The acquisition also includes Lancaster Pet Cemetery, where more than 5,000 pets have been memorialized since the first pet, Buttons, was buried in 1952.

“Cemeteries give people a way to discover their community’s history through the stories of the families who shaped it,” Donohue added. “We want people to celebrate these places of remembrance, find meaning in the lives of those who came before them, or bring a younger family member to share a story. These parks are a part of a community’s living history.”

For families who have chosen Life Remembered properties, existing contracts, including arrangements made in advance, remain in place.  Local team members remain available to answer questions, help with arrangements and care for the cemeteries. 

“Our regional leaders and support teams already serve many of these communities,” said Matt Sobon, senior vice president of operations, Memorial Planning, Everstory Partners. “Everstory’s dedicated integration team will work alongside the local teams through the transition, introducing Everstory’s training, development programs, and technology while supporting them as they continue to provide consistent, caring service to the families they serve.”

“We wanted to know that the people and places that built Life Remembered would be in good hands,” said Jude Abraham, president and CEO of Life Remembered. “Everstory understands what makes these cemeteries special. Their support gives our local teams more resources to care for families and preserve these properties for the next generation.”

Community members are welcome to visit these cemeteries. To find a location and its contact information, visit MemorialPlanning.com.