When Michigan Memorial Park was founded on October 18, 1926, Henry Ford’s Model T had just rolled off its final assembly line, and the Model A was being introduced. Americans still called movies “talkies,” and the Roaring Twenties were in full swing. From those early days of invention and optimism, one tradition has endured: the Park’s philosophy of excellence, service, and forward thinking.Rooted in History, Built for Legacy
On that historic October day, Judge William M. Heston gathered 30 stockholders to form the corporation Michigan Memorial Park – a bold vision shaped by uncommon ideas for its time: an all-faiths cemetery in a rural, park-like setting, community gardens, and scholarships for local students. From the start, the Park was embraced by Downriver families as something unique – a sentiment that continues to this day.
The Man Behind the Mission
Who was William M. Heston? Born in the fall of 1879, Heston’s early life was marked by hardship. He endured extreme poverty, two near-fatal experiences, and the loss of two beloved sisters – trials that likely seeded the compassion that would come to define Michigan Memorial Park.
Heston rose to prominence as a two-time All-American football star at the University of Michigan and served as team captain in 1904. While there, he studied law and later became a respected judge in Detroit.
His imagination helped shape the Park’s unique identity. He installed a state-of-the-art underground sprinkler system, initiated regular WJR Sunday radio broadcasts from the grounds, and pioneered the use of flat headstones and flowering lakeside trees that give the Park its open, garden-like character.
He firmly believed a cemetery should serve the living, not just the departed.
A Legacy Passed Down Through Generations
After Judge Heston’s death on his 85th birthday in 1963, his son John Heston assumed leadership and continued building on the Park’s enduring legacy. John introduced the concept of pre-need cemetery sales – offering families the ability to lock in prices and ease the burden of funeral planning. He even offered helicopter rides to view available plots from the air.
In 1957, John designed what would become the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum and Chapel – a project completed in 1993 by his daughter, Barbara Heston, Michigan Memorial’s third-generation president.
Under Barbara’s leadership – and later that of her daughters, Kelly Dwyer and Heidi Umin, now the fourth generation – the Park has grown in both size and soul. Landmark additions such as the Lighthouse on the River, the Garden of Angels Mausoleum, the Oaks Complex, and the Eternal Flame Memorial for Veterans have transformed the grounds into sacred spaces layered with symbolism and grace.
Community at the Heart
What truly sets Michigan Memorial apart is not only its stunning grounds, but also its unwavering commitment to the Downriver community. From charitable scholarships, community gardens, and annual blood drives to fishing derbies, a walking club, veterans’ salutes, and Boy Scout outings, the Park continues to be more than a final resting place – it has become a community hub.
Vision for the Future
As Michigan Memorial Park celebrates its centennial, the vision for its next hundred years is bold and deeply rooted in the ideals that shaped its past. Continued investment in new ideas will lead the way – from the Be-A-Tree cremation burial option to a newly planned lavender peace garden.
Still family-owned. Still community-centered. Still evolving. Michigan Memorial Park enters its second century not simply as a place of eternal rest, but as a living legacy.
To schedule a pre-planning consultation please call or visit them today:
32163 W Huron River Dr, Huron Twp