Venice Memorial Gardens — Consumer Profile
Venice Memorial Gardens is a corporate-owned combination cemetery and funeral home in Venice, FL, operated by Foundation Partners Group, and is one of the few providers in the southern Sarasota County area offering dedicated themed garden sections, including a veterans' section and a Catholic garden. The facility holds a 4.6/5 rating on Google based on 30 reviews, with additional 3 reviews on Yelp. Established in 1967, the property is noted for its mature oak trees, hanging Spanish moss, and multiple named garden sections. Pricing data was not available at time of publication.
Locations
Venice Memorial Gardens (Primary/Only Location)
- Address: 1950 Center Road, Venice, FL 34292
- Phone: (941) 210-6822
- Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Facility type: Combined cemetery and funeral home
The grounds feature multiple distinct garden sections, including the Garden of Mercy (Catholic), the Garden of Honor (Veterans), and additional themed areas, according to cemetery.com. The property is characterized by large oak trees and hanging moss, which multiple reviewers have noted as a distinguishing aesthetic feature compared to other area cemeteries that use only flat plaques.
Services
Based on information from the provider's website and third-party listings, Venice Memorial Gardens offers:
- Burial services — traditional in-ground burial across multiple themed garden sections
- Cremation services — cremation is offered; Ever Loved notes the availability of placement for ashes on the grounds
- Memorial and funeral services — full funeral and graveside service coordination
- Veterans services — a dedicated Garden of Honor section is maintained for veterans
- Catholic/religious accommodations — a dedicated Garden of Mercy section is available
- Pet burial services — at least one verified review documents the burial of a pet on the grounds, suggesting this is an available option
- Pre-planning — as part of the Foundation Partners Group / Altogether Funeral network, pre-planning options are likely available through the provider website, though specific details were not confirmed in the data reviewed
- Upright headstones — notably, the cemetery offers traditional upright headstones rather than exclusively flat grave markers, which is a meaningful distinction in a region where some competitors limit families to ground-level plaques
A Find a Grave listing documents over 7,300 memorial records at the cemetery, reflecting its long operating history in the community.
Pricing
No General Price List (GPL) data was available for Venice Memorial Gardens at the time of publication. No third-party pricing estimates were found in the reviewed data. Families should contact the facility directly at (941) 210-6822 or visit the provider website to request itemized pricing. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes are required to provide a General Price List upon request, in person or by phone.
Reviews
Aggregate Ratings:
| Platform | Rating | Review Count |
|---|---|---|
| 4.6 / 5 | 30 | |
| Yelp | Not specified | 3 |
| BestProsInTown | Not specified | 23 |
Positive Themes:
Staff attentiveness and compassion — Two staff members are mentioned by name across multiple reviews. Reviewer L.H. specifically praised Cathy for helping customize a memorial stone, describing her as "patient, kind, and in tune with me every step of the way." Reviewer Reem Ali and Alison Otero both cited Coral for compassionate guidance, with Ali describing her as "God sent" when coordinating a pet burial remotely from out of state.
Grounds quality and aesthetics — Reviewer Paul Herpich noted that after searching cemeteries from Sarasota to Port Charlotte, Venice Memorial Gardens stood out for offering upright headstones alongside quiet, appealing grounds with large oak trees and hanging moss. The Yelp listing echoes this with one reviewer describing it as "absolutely beautiful." The provider's own listing includes third-party characterizations such as "peaceful resting place, beautiful gardens" and "serene surroundings and well-maintained grounds."
Flexibility for non-traditional arrangements — Multiple reviews reflect the facility's willingness to accommodate pet burials and out-of-town families managing logistics remotely, suggesting meaningful operational flexibility.
Notable Negative Review:
Reviewer Troy Haynes (1/5, Google) described significant administrative difficulties following a family dispute involving two deceased relatives buried at the cemetery. Specific concerns included:
- Difficulty locating burial records
- Staff unable to answer legal questions related to burial policies
- Accounting functions handled off-site, with no ability to reach anyone by phone to process a refund
- Described the experience as getting "the run around"
This review is consistent with a known operational characteristic of large corporate-owned cemetery networks, where administrative and financial functions are often centralized away from individual locations. While this is a single review, families navigating complex legal or administrative situations — such as estate matters, disputes, or refund requests — should be aware that resolution may require engaging the parent company (Foundation Partners Group) rather than the local facility.
Ownership
Venice Memorial Gardens is corporate-owned, operated under Foundation Partners Group, a private equity-backed funeral and cemetery consolidator whose consumer-facing brand is Altogether Funeral & Cremation. Foundation Partners Group is privately held.
The cemetery was established in 1967, originally serving Sarasota County and surrounding communities. Its prior ownership history and the timing of its acquisition by Foundation Partners Group were not confirmed in the data reviewed. The BestProsInTown listing references a parenthetical association with "Farley," which may reflect a prior or interim ownership arrangement, though this could not be independently verified from the available data.
Accreditations
No BBB rating specific to Venice Memorial Gardens was confirmed in the reviewed data. The BBB's Venice, FL regional page was accessible but did not return a specific listing for this provider in the data provided. No professional membership affiliations, state licensing details, or awards were included in the available data.
Conclusion
Venice Memorial Gardens offers a well-regarded, aesthetically distinctive cemetery and funeral option in the Venice/southern Sarasota County area, with a particular advantage for families seeking upright headstones, themed garden sections (including veterans and Catholic areas), and flexible arrangements such as pet burial. Staff members Cathy and Coral are cited by name in positive reviews, suggesting a degree of personalized service at the location level. The facility sits in the mid-range segment of the local market based on its full-service capabilities and grounds quality, though the absence of published pricing makes direct cost comparison difficult. Families with complex administrative needs — including estate matters, refund requests, or legal questions about burial rights — should be aware that corporate ownership means key functions may be handled off-site, and should document all communications carefully.
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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