Our History
A Heritage of Commitment and Service
Shortly after the turn of the century, Judge William M. Heston located a 178-acre parcel of land running along the banks of the tranquil Huron River in Huron Township. The land, a former Wyandott Indian Territory in the midst of a growing agricultural community, was teaming with small wildlife and shaded by an abundance of full grown trees.
 Judge Heston was a well-known metro Detroit leader and the University of Michigan's first two-time All American football hero. He recognized the need for a private cemetery to accommodate the people of southeastern Michigan and those in Detroit. Inspired by the land's peace and serenity, Judge Heston founded Michigan Memorial Park in 1926.
Since 1926, Michigan Memorial Park has contributed to Huron township both as a welcome employer for area residents and as a conveniently located and beautifully maintained cemetery to remember family members and friends who have passed on.
From its inception, Michigan Memorial Park has strived to lead its industry both in customer service and innovation. In 1928, residents of the area often referred to the cemetery as the "Land of a Thousand Rainbows" because the underground sprinkling system -- unheard of in that era -- created colorful rainbows while the water nourished the sprawling green lawn.
In the 1940s, when John P. Heston, William's son, inherited the cemetery, he began building a spectacular Shrine of Remembrance Chapel and Mausoleum. This structure challenged architects with its circular shape and courtyard. John Heston died before the structure could be completed. Barbara Heston, John's daughter and current president of Michigan Memorial Park, renewed the ambitious construction project in 1987, pledging to make her father's vision a reality. After John's death, Barbara honored his memory by entombing him at the Shrine of Remembrance. The Shrine of Remembrance, with its spectacular stained-glass and faceted-glass windows, was completed in early 1993.
 Michigan Memorial Park also leads the industry in community relations. In the 1940s, Michigan Memorial Park hosted a Sunday morning choir that could be heard weekly on WJR-AM. Additionally, the cemetery has always allowed public service groups to use the Heston Recreation Area. 40 of its undeveloped acres alongside the scenic Huron River.
With an eye turned toward the future, Michigan Memorial Park honored the original residents of the land during the rededication program of the Wyandott Indian monument. The downriver community erected a monument honoring the Wyandott Indians in 1926 along the Huron River. Over the years, however, the monument was allowed to deteriorate and was vandalized. In 1982, Michigan Memorial Park took it upon itself to proudly restore the monument at a community rededication program.
Today, Michigan Memorial Park continues its decades-long commitment to community service by hosting events such as the Annual Fishing Derby for visually-impaired youth and fund-raising events for the Boy Scouts. The cemetery's beauty has prompted a number of famous people, from beauty queens to industrialists, to choose Michigan Memorial Park as their final resting place. In addition to Judge Heston, the charismatic and ingenious automotive inventor, Preston Tucker, is laid to rest at Michigan Memorial Park as is Ann Marston, Miss Michigan of 1960.
Barbara Heston treasures the history behind Michigan Memorial Park, while looking to the future of this third-generation family business. Today, Barbara with her daughters, Kelly and Heidi, continue the family legacy of service, making them the fourth generation to manage this Downriver institution.
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