Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery — Consumer Profile
Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery is a corporate-owned, full-service funeral home and cemetery operated by Service Corporation International (SCI) in Chandler, AZ, offering both burial and cremation services on a combined mortuary-and-cemetery campus. The facility holds a 4.6/5 rating across 298 Google reviews, reflecting generally strong family satisfaction with its staff. Direct cremation starts at $2,795 and traditional burial packages average $4,573 before cemetery property costs, placing it in the mid-to-upper pricing range for the Chandler market.
Locations
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 10940 E Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248 |
| Phone | (480) 895-9232 |
| Hours | Open 24 hours, 7 days a week |
| Facility Type | Combined funeral home and cemetery |
This is the provider's single location, functioning as both mortuary and cemetery on one campus. The facility's website notes on-site venues available for visitations, funeral services, and celebrations of life, as well as catering capabilities.
Services
Valley of the Sun offers a broad range of services documented on its Dignity Memorial profile:
- Cremation — direct cremation, cremation with viewing or service, and cremation-oriented casket options
- Burial — immediate burial and traditional full-service burial; on-site cemetery property available
- Memorial & Celebration of Life — dedicated venue spaces, catering services, and Dignity's Celebration of Life programming with music and personalization options
- Veterans Services — veterans burial and funeral planning resources listed on the site; aerial salute (Missing Man Formation flight) available as an add-on ($1,600)
- Pre-Planning — online appointment scheduling and pre-need purchase available; the site offers a free planning guide and pre-planning checklist
- International & Forwarding Services — forwarding and receiving of remains, international ship-out coordination
- Memorial Keepsakes — an extensive menu including cremation jewelry, memory glass, memorial diamonds, personalized prints, remembrance blankets, and spaceflight options
The combined mortuary-and-cemetery campus means families can arrange ground burial without coordinating with a separate cemetery, which can simplify logistics.
Pricing
Pricing is drawn from the General Price List (GPL) effective June 20, 2024. All figures are pre-tax and exclude cash advance items such as death certificates, obituaries, and clergy fees unless otherwise noted.
Professional & Preparation Fees
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff (required) | $3,535 |
| Embalming | $845 |
| Bathing and handling of unembalmed deceased | $295 |
| Refrigeration | $495 |
| Dressing, casketing, and cosmetizing | $295 |
| Hairdresser | $65 |
| Restoration (per hour, where necessary) | $95 |
| Special Care for Autopsied Cases | $95 |
Note: The $3,535 basic services fee is non-declinable and will appear on every arrangement.
Facilities & Staff
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Visitation — Venue & Staff (up to 4 hours) | $495 |
| Graveside Service — Equipment & Staff | $695 |
| Funeral/Memorial — Standard Venue & Staff (medium) | $895 |
| Moment of Reflection | $895 |
| Off-Site Venue & Staff for Funeral | $995 |
| Signature Exclusive — Entire Facility | $3,995 |
| Private Family Moment (minimal preparation) | $295 |
| Supervision of Disinterment | $2,995 |
Transportation
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Transfer of remains from place of death to funeral home | $695 |
| Funeral vehicle (hearse) | $250 |
| Limousine (up to 5 hours, within 30-mile radius) | $695 |
| Transfer to/from airport | $195 |
| Transfer to/from autopsy | $195 |
Cremation Packages
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| Direct Cremation — container provided by purchaser | $2,795 |
| Direct Cremation — cardboard container (heavy) | $2,990 |
| Direct Cremation — Trayview cardboard container | $3,190 |
| Direct Cremation — Stratus (medium density fiberboard) | $3,245 |
| Direct Cremation — Pacific Pine casket | $3,990 |
| Direct Cremation — casket selected from facility (casket cost additional) | $2,795 + casket |
| Range | $2,795–$18,090 |
| Crematory Fee (when itemized separately) | $325 |
| Cremation Witnessing Fee | $395 |
Average direct cremation per GPL data: $3,168.
Burial Packages
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| Immediate Burial — container provided by purchaser | $4,075 |
| Immediate Burial — minimum casket from facility | $5,570 |
| Immediate Burial — casket from facility (casket cost additional) | $4,075 + casket |
| Range | $4,075–$25,070 |
Average traditional burial per GPL data: $4,573 (before casket and cemetery property).
Forwarding & Receiving Remains
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Forwarding Remains (includes preparation room & basic services) | $2,590 |
| Receiving Remains (includes basic services & local transport) | $1,700 |
Caskets & Containers
| Category | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Caskets | $1,195–$20,995 |
| Outer Burial Containers | $1,095–$2,995 |
| Rental Casket | $1,000 |
| Urns | $65–$1,295 |
Selected Add-Ons & Keepsakes
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Dignity Memorial Packages | $295–$395 |
| Celebrate Life Bundle | $295 |
| Cremation Jewelry Bundle (pendant + keepsake) | $295 |
| Memorial Diamond | $3,499–$16,000 |
| Earth Rise Spaceflight | $2,995 |
| Luna / Voyager Spaceflight | $12,995 each |
| Earth Orbit Spaceflight | $4,995 |
| Aerial Salute — Missing Man Formation Flight | $1,600 |
| Scattering at Sea with Cenotaph | $3,495 |
| Catered Receptions | $625 |
| Everlasting Memorial® (internet archive) | $395 |
| Estate Fraud Protection | $295 |
| Dignity Celebrant | $695 |
| Flag Case | $295 |
Pricing context: The $3,535 non-declinable basic services fee is notably higher than the national average for this line item and will substantially affect the final cost of any arrangement. Families comparing this provider to independent funeral homes in the Chandler area should account for this base fee when making cost comparisons. Cemetery property (plots, niches, interment fees) is priced separately and is not reflected in the GPL figures above.
Reviews
Valley of the Sun holds a 4.6/5 rating from 298 Google reviewers, which is a solid score for the funeral industry.
Positive Themes
1. Compassionate, attentive staff: Multiple reviewers highlight individual staff members by name. Reviewer olopez73 gave specific recognition to Alex Guerrero, writing that he "went above and beyond in every possible way" and was "kind, attentive, and incredibly respectful." This pattern of naming specific staff members who made a difficult experience more manageable appears consistently in higher-rated reviews.
2. Effective event execution: Reviewer Susan Dewberry praised Jennifer and her team for executing a celebration of life, noting that the design work and table arrangements were "absolutely PERFECT." This suggests the facility's event and décor capabilities are a genuine strength for families who want a more personalized service.
3. Transparent, low-pressure arrangements process: Reviewer Brian K noted that staff were "sympathetic, aware of her customer's needs, and very accommodating without pushing the company's own agenda," and specifically appreciated that choices were presented on a large screen for clarity — a detail that may reduce anxiety during an already stressful planning meeting.
Negative Reviews & Concerns
Cemetery maintenance complaints: Reviewer Sherry Brown (1 star) reported that more than three years after her mother's burial in 2022, promised grass installation around the gravestone had still not been completed, describing the grounds as "disgraceful and disrespectful." She noted observing three groundskeepers on-site who appeared largely inactive. This is a concrete, verifiable complaint about ongoing cemetery upkeep rather than a service interaction, and families purchasing burial property should ask specifically about grounds maintenance standards and any commitments in writing.
Staff conduct during active arrangements: Reviewer Courtney Spurlock (1 star) reported that "several staff members were passive aggressive and outright rude" during her family's arrangements, and that decorations placed for their loved one were discarded without notice. She described the experience as "extremely disappointing" given the sensitivity of the circumstances. While one account does not establish a pattern, the specificity of the complaint — staff conduct plus handling of personal items — is worth noting.
Ownership
Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery is owned and operated by Service Corporation International (SCI), the largest funeral services company in North America, traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SCI. SCI operates its locations under the Dignity Memorial network brand. The founding year of this specific location and any prior independent ownership history are not documented in available data. Families should be aware that as a corporate-owned provider, pricing, staffing, and service standards are set at the network level, and individual location managers have limited authority to negotiate pricing outside established packages.
Accreditations
- BBB Status: Not BBB Accredited. A BBB profile exists for this business, but the provider does not hold BBB accreditation.
- Dignity Memorial Network: As an SCI-owned location, the provider operates under the Dignity Memorial brand, which carries SCI's network-level service guarantee.
- No additional professional memberships, awards, or state licensing details were available in the source data.
Conclusion
Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery is a mid-to-upper-range provider in the Chandler market, offering the convenience of a combined funeral home and cemetery campus with a broad services menu and generally well-regarded staff. Families who prioritize personalized event execution and a single-location experience for both funeral and burial arrangements are likely to find the facility capable. However, two concerns are worth weighing carefully: the $3,535 non-declinable basic services fee meaningfully raises the floor cost of any arrangement compared to many independent competitors, and at least one documented complaint about long-term cemetery maintenance suggests families purchasing burial property should request specific, written commitments about grounds upkeep before signing.
This report was generated using publicly available information including licensing records, pricing data, and consumer reviews. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation.
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