Cemetery Rules and Regulations

Serene Memorial Gardens - Perpetual Cemetery12800 Highway 613 Moss Point, MS 39562

The grounds at Serene Memorial Gardens are sacredly devoted to the interment of human remains and will be respected as such. The provisions and penalties of law will be strictly enforced in ALL cases of intentional injury, disturbance, and disregard of these rules and regulations.

(Revised & Effective January 1, 2025)

1. Serene Memorial Gardens (hereinafter referred to as SMG or cemetery) is a Perpetual Care Cemetery. As a perpetual care cemetery, SMG provides continuing care of that grounds including, but not limited to: general operation, improvements, road maintenance, mowing, pruning, landscaping, removal of plant material & trash, pest control, leveling of monuments, and other tasks / duties as necessary to maintain the appearance of the cemetery.

2. The business office is open from 8:00 am. — 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday and after hours by appointment only. To avoid unnecessary waiting, we encourage you to schedule an appointment prior to your visit by calling 228-475-7705; whether you are needing to make funeral arrangements, pre-need arrangements, or selecting a memorial.

3. The cemetery is open from sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. Any person entering the cemetery at any other time without authorization from cemetery personnel will be considered a trespasser and treated accordingly as such.

4. Interment Rights within SMG shall be used for no purpose other than the interment and / or memorialization of human remains. SMG does not sell fee simple title to interment spaces. SMG sells a right of use called “interment rights” that permits the interment of one person in the interment space purchased. A deed holder does not, by virtue such ownership, acquire any ownership interest in the cemetery or in any surrounding land, mineral rights, building, or any improvements.

5. Transfer or assignment of any property within SMG is not valid without the written consent of SMG. A fee of $100 is required to issue a new deed of ownership. All purchase agreements, transfers, and deeds of interment rights must be on forms approved and signed by an authorized representative of SMG.

6. No person shall be permitted to use profane or boisterous language or in any way disturb the quiet and order of the cemetery.

7. The possession or consumption alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, firearms, or weapons within the cemetery is strictly forbidden.

8. Grills, open flames, smoking, e-cigarettes, and vapes are not permitted.

9. Parking is allowed only on paved roadways. Please do not park or drive on the grass.

10. No pets are allowed in the cemetery. Services animals must be on a leash and you must clean up after them.

11. A written interment order is required to schedule a burial and open a grave. A form must be submitted to the business office forty-eight (48) business hours prior to burial date and time. The fee for opening and closing the grave must be paid in full twenty-four (24) business hours prior to burial.

12. Only SMG personnel or approved contractors per case may open and close gravesites. SMG may postpone or reschedule any interment service at our discretion due to inclement weather conditions, or other circumstances and / or conditions beyond our control.

13. Garden of Valor for veterans requires a DD Form 214

14. Cremation scattering is only permitted in designated areas. Proper paperwork must be completed prior to the scattering service and is subject to a fee.

15. An outer burial container (vault) is required for all ground interments in SMG. Only vaults constructed of cement, metal, or fiberglass may be used and must be approved by SMG. All outer burial containers must be installed by SMG personnel, or contractors of SMG. Any outer burial container not purchased through SMG is subject to an installation fee and may be paid directly to SMG or through the directing funeral home.

16. Only bronze on flat granite markers are allowed in SMG. Memorials must be pre-approved and meet cemetery requirements. Memorials not purchased through SMG are subject to an installation fee. SMG will honor all prior written approvals for memorials installed on the property prior to September 16, 2016. We will consider these items “grandfathered” and will not request removal of these items. All memorial installations on or after September 16, 2016 are STRICTLY prohibited without PRIOR written approval of SMG management. Any installation not approved by SMG will be removed at the discretion of SMG management.

17. Only SMG personnel or approved contractors per case may install memorials, whether purchased through SMG or an outside vendor. Installation fees are required for all memorials and must be paid in full prior to install.

18. Corner markers must be bronze on granite and may not exceed 6” x 6”.

19. Any inscription or object placed on or near any gravesite that is determined by SMG to be offensive, improper, or injurious to surrounding lots or grounds, said object will be removed at the discretion of SMG.

20. Temporary markers placed at the interment site are not considered permanent. They will be removed six (6) months after interment, unless a permanent memorial has been ordered, or when they no longer present a neat appearance. SMG is not responsible for missing or damaged temporary memorials.

21. Hedges, fences, edging, enclosures, or borders of any kind are not permitted. Mulching, wood chips, rocks, stones, pebbles, landscape fabric, or any other items is strictly prohibited and will be removed immediately without notice.

22. Planting of flowers, decorative plants, shrubs, or trees of any kind is not allowed and will be removed immediately without notice. SMG will honor all prior written approvals for existing plants, shrubs, or trees on the property prior to September 16, 2016. We will consider these items “grandfathered” and will not request removal of these items; however, if they become detrimental or unsightly, they will be removed at our discretion. SMG shall have no obligation to replace said plant removed, nor will they be permitted to be replaced by any other person.

23. Wooden boxes, lawn ornaments, wind chimes, bird feeders, signs, sculptures, shepherd hooks, cans, toys, ballons, bottles (decorative or otherwise), any item made of glass, ceramic, or wire is not allowed. Any adornment that can break, cause safety concerns, or impede the cemetery's ability to care for the grounds will not be permitted and will be removed immediately without notice. 

24. Solar lights are permitted but are limited to one light per single marker and 2 lights per double marker. Solar lights must be under 24 inches height and placed against (touching) the monument.

25. Floral tributes are encouraged at any time throughout the year, in a manner permitted by SMG. Fresh or artificial flowers are permitted and may be placed in cemetery approved vases only. These will be removed when they become dried, faded, or otherwise unsightly. Baskets and stands are only permitted at time of interment. Potted plants are allowed only on appropriate holidays and will be removed ten (10) days after the holiday. Poinsettias and Christmas decorations will be removed by January 15th each year. artificial Easter basket grass nor hay is allowed at any time.

26. Except for Patriotic Holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day), flags and flag poles are not permitted at individual interment spaces. Flags may be placed the day prior to the holiday and must be removed within ten (10) days after the holiday. SMG is not responsible for missing or damaged flags or flag poles.

27. Good Shepherd Mausoleum decorations are limited to those placed in pre-approved permanent vases and holders that attach to each crypt or niche. Decorations placed on the ground in free standing easels or stands, or attached directly by wire, tape, glue, or other similar method is strictly prohibited. Any lettering on crypt plates must be bronze material. All lettering, fittings, adornments, inscriptions, and name plates are subject to approval by SMG prior to installation.

28. Private mausoleums may be installed in limited areas of the cemetery and must be pre-approved by SMG. Private mausoleums are subject to the same floral and decoration requirements as Good Shepherd Mausoleum.

29. The installment and placement of granite sitting benches will be allowed in spaces designated by SMG and only with prior written approval. If approved, bench must be made of granite and placed only on unused burial spaces where interment rights are deeded to the person requesting approval. SMG will honor all prior written approvals for benches already installed on the property prior to September 16, 2016. We will consider these items “grandfathered” and will not request removal of these items. All bench installations on or after September 16, 2016 are STRICTLY prohibited without PRIOR written approval of SMG management. Any installation not approved by SMG will be removed at the discretion of SMG management.

30. SMG does not assume and is not liable for damage, actual or mental, caused by elements or acts of God, and other acts beyond our control, be it direct or indirect. SMG is not liable for theft or damage to any personal property, or personal effects placed on or near interment spaces or elsewhere in the cemetery.

31. Disinterment is not allowed except by mutual consent of SMG, the immediate next of kin, and the deed holder of record. Disinterment are made only by SMG personnel and supervised by a Funeral Director licensed in the state of Mississippi.

32. SMG reserves and shall have the right to correct any errors made in an interment, disinterment, sale, transfer, or conveyance of interment rights including the right to substitute and convey in lieu thereof other interment rights of comparable value and similar location (to the extent possible) selected by the cemetery. Alternatively, the cemetery, in its sole discretion may refund the greater of the amount of money paid on account of the purchase of interment rights or the current sale price of interment rights, merchandise, or services to which the error relates. If the error involves the interment of human remains in an incorrect location, the cemetery reserves the right to remove and transfer such remains to the correct location or to a similar location of comparable value selected by the cemetery. The cemetery shall have no liability as a result of any errors of the type described in this paragraph other than its obligation to take remedial actions as described in this section.

33. Deed holders agree to comply with said rules and regulations at all times. SMG reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to adopt new rules and regulations or to amend or repeal any existing rule or regulation. Circumstances may arise in which the literal enforcement of these rules and regulations may impose an unnecessary hardship. SMG reserves the right to make exceptions, suspensions, or modifications to any rule or regulation without notice when, in its judgement, a waiver is advisable. such waiver shall not be construed as affecting the general application of these rules and regulations.

34. Whenever SMG determines that a violation of any of the rules and regulations has occurred, SMG shall immediately record and document the violation(s) and remedy the violation(s) without recourse.