Cypress Lawn Funeral Home

I don’t know what to say, other than it looks like people do keep up with the yard work and ensures everything looks presentable. I haven’t had to deal with the front office in 15 years, so I don’t know much about customer service, but the gardens do look kept, and the grass is also kept closely cut.

The information on their webpage is false. No one answered the phone and there was no voicemail to leave a message. We needed their services to pick up a deceased relative and no one answered the 24 hour number.

Coco and Michael Wong were extremely professional and helpful throughout the entire process. Michael was humorous and kept the situation lighthearted, even though it was a sad time for our family. They explained everything and the service and display of all the flowers and DVD slideshow was beautiful. They were also sensitive to needs of different cultures (Chinese), which was a plus. Thank you.

I had no idea that plots at a cemetery could cost so much money. But, when your grandparents start to get fairly up there in age, you learn these things. All of my grandparents have passed on for some time now, but we recently buried my boyfriend’s grandpa. His mom, aunts, and uncles had purchased grandpa’s plot a while ago. Last year right before Christmas, we laid him to rest here. The day of his funeral, it was pouring and windy. The weather is cold and rainy here in the winter, so be sure to wear shoes that you don’t care for or just wear rain boots. The grass gets extremely muddy and isn’t fun to walk in. It’s not too bad other than that because the property is fairly clean and there’s plenty of parking if you drive up the hill a bit more. So why the terrible review…
We went back for Bai San («mountain worship») this morning. It was super packed as a lot of families came to pray to, eat with, and burn money for their loved ones who have passed on. This isn’t the first time that we’ve been back since grandpa was buried here. But we had a lot of trouble finding his headstone. How does it take half of the family to find someone who’s buried in the ground? It shouldn’t. One of the kids ended up finding him because there was a nameplate in the ground where he was buried. But there was another man’s headstone cemented right next to it. I don’t work in the funeral industry so I have no idea if this is a commonplace occurrence. Now, if that were my grandpa or dad, I would’ve raised hell, pun not intended because this was so offensive. What the hell kind of business is this place running making these kinda of mistakes? Before we packed up and left, we saw the same employee who spoke to us speaking to another family. She got a groundskeeper to dig with a shovel. Now, I don’t know what he was doing but I know he wasn’t exhuming anyone. So I’m going to assume they messed up someone else’s grandpa/grandma/relative’s headstone. Maybe they should double or even triple check the plot before they cement the stones in. I wonder if they’ve been sued for this bulls*#t yet. Because it’s only a matter of time. Get your damn act together. I don’t care how much it costs to be buried here, how nice the view is, how fancy the fountain is. Learn to respect the deceased and their living families. Don’t bother apologizing– just stop being such f{+k ups. Pardon my French, but it’s really appalling. I’m definitely not going to be buried here. The only way it would happen is over my dead body. Zingggggg. But seriously, consider this before you choose to buy a plot or two here. Shady…

Unprofessional and insensitive! The day of my grandmother’s funeral, Cypress Lawn was not ready and had not even dug the hole in the ground. Regardless of the miscommunication, it may have been better to let the cars proceed to the plot and discreetly inform us a form had to be signed versus having the entire funeral procession wait on el camino blvd and the parking lot. Needless to say our guests waited in the parking lot and it made what is already an emotional day a disaster. I would not recommend burying your loved ones here!

These guys are crooks. Dealing with the loss of loved ones is difficult enough without having to deal with these folks. They pulled all sorts of tricks to get more money out of our family. My parents had purchased a pre-​paid plan for all services, including the casket. Yet, they tried to make us pay for the casket again; and they claimed that they did not have the paperwork. They tried this twice, for my mom and dad. What skum bags. Fortunately, I had a copy of the contract with me. I can only image families that don’t have readily access to their family records. These are just horrible money hungry people.

Stay clear of Kim Wong. I’ve never seen a more money-​motivated shyster.
Very unprofessional. He will giggle and laugh at the most minor of comments; and this is because he is much like a used car salesman.
If you are there to bury a family member and Kim is your «consultant,» run, don’t walk!

Today we buried my uncle. The crew who buried him did a good job. Mario seemed like he cared about the landscape and setting the soil right. Kuddos to him. Now, the front office, quite disappointed. Madeline forgot to order the temporary name holder. I always expect good services, especially in certain situations. My expectations were high. The crew met my expectations more than the front office.

6÷6÷15
Cypress Lawn did a very very good job and Mr. Michael Wong did a terrific job of explaining everything you need to do or question you have. I just want to say Thanks You Cypress Lawn for your 1^st Class service and also your wonderful staff.
Thanks You,
Gaw Family

My wife and I had the pleasure to meet with Mary Lee, a Cypress Lawn Family Service Director and sales. We were quite certain to select the Columburium at Cypress Lawn, but after Mary showed us all the possiblities and prices, we decided to go with Cypress Lawn Hillside. Driving up to the main portal entry was stunning and landscape were well kept to great expectations. Mary devoted her time and effort to please our desire for a final resting place. Don’t just read the message and go out for yourself for a drive and see this place. Both my wife and I are now feeling at ease that this unpleasant business is over with and taken care of and not for our children to worry about. We highly recommend Mary Lee to be your contact. You will not regret the experience. Thanks Mary Lee and God bless you.
The Gans 5÷31÷2015

My best friend was laid to rest here a few weeks ago. I believe if he was alive today, he would say, «I love the rolling hills!» He was a kind and gentle soul. He helped so many people. I could still hear his «cackling» laugh, calling me a block away! If he was alive today, he would also tell me, «Yelp this out!» When I would come to the city and whenever we went out to eat, he would always remind me, «Not yet, okay… now you can take a picture and don’t forget to check-​in!»
Cypress Lawn is quite impressive. From the ginormous concrete arch that greets you, to the beautiful fountain, to the lush green grass that rolls around its surroundings, it’s quite spectacular. Their service here was fantastic, and they made sure everything was seamless. The property is also very well maintained, and they allow friends and families to have a little creativity, especially during the holidays when bringing flowers and ornaments.
In remembering my best friend, I leave you here with his favorite poem by Dickinson:
I’m Nobody! Who are you? Emily Dickinson, 1830 — 1886
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you — Nobody — too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d advertise — you know!
How dreary — to be — Somebody!
How public — like a Frog —
To tell one’s name — the livelong June —
To an admiring Bog!
Until then my Unilocal buddies, be kind and take good care of each other. ~ Cheers!

This is an update to the initial review written sometime back when attending a funeral service. I recently attended sadly another funeral service at this establishment and although the lead funeral director was nice, I was disappoined to attend a service where none of the pews had kleenex for people to wipe away the tears. It would have been great if Clifford Yee presided over the service as his delivery of the eulogy based on past attendance of services is clear, concise and his translation from English to Chinese is very spot on. As for some of the prices they charge, the cost for each so-​called blanket placed in the casket is quite pricey charging $ 39 per blanket with a requirement of 3 blankets.

Dear Mr. Armando Santana,
First of all, I wanted to show my gratitude to you for picking up my father, Shao N. Huang, immediately after his passing. It was my understanding that you do not usually do this type of service personally. Also, thank you for the nice flowers that was presented to my mom during the pickup. Although, this was our very first encounter with each other, the way that you carried yourself, such as your kind smile, made my family and me feel more comfortable with the process.
When my father was still alive, he advised me to watch and learn from other people’s funeral services, so that when he passes away, I would be able to help him with his funeral. I teased him that I would be extremely emotional and I would make someone else help me because I would not be able to handle it, considering that I am his only child. When the time actually came, I remembered exactly what he told me. The moment his eyes shut, I promised myself that I would take charge and make sure that I got everything done for him the way he wanted me to.
Everything was done the way he would had wanted to thanks to Cypress Lawn. I want to take this time to thank your amazing staff for everyone’s support and professionalism in the passing of my father. Michael Wong, Herb Lum, Helen Lum, and Coco Qiu did an outstanding job and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Michael was extremely helpful from the beginning to end. The very first meeting I had with him, he was not only supportive, but he made me feel more at ease. I appreciate him for lightening up the mood, cracking jokes here and there during the saddest moment of my life. It’s wonderful that he speaks, reads and writes fluent Cantonese because he took time out of his own busy schedule to help translate my father’s eulogy. I’m glad that he was able to walk me through each step, considering how little knowledge and experience I had.
The moment we arrived on the day of the funeral, Helen greeted everyone and noticed that my mother was in a daze and not quite herself. Helen immediately went out of her way to comfort her, until she was better. That was something that Helen did not have to do, but she did it anyways. Helen was also great during the candle lighting and blanketing part of the service. In addition, my family and I want to thank Coco for taking care of my father’s headstone and making sure everything was finalized.
Last, but not least, Herb help me plan and design the program folder plus spent many hours making sure my father’s video slide show presentation was perfect. He spent all of his extra time outside of work to make sure that we were prepared mentally and physically is something I can never forget.
Again, thank you and your entire team for making this experience easier for my family and myself. Because of the staff at Cypress Lawn, we know that my father, Shao, is resting peacefully. There are not enough words to convey my gratitude for everything you all have done for my father and us.
Sincerely,
Selena Tang and Family

I was set up with this place due to my father’s passing. The staff were proffesional, caring & very understanding of our needs. Our managing director, Armando Santana was respectful & was very patient with us. He took such good care of us & was ready to answer any questions we had. My dad’s funeral service was wonderful & I’m very pleased. Thank you so much Armando for all of your help!
~Galang Family

My uncle had his going home service at a mortuary in Oakland yesterday afternoon. My family and relatives traveled to this cemetery to pay our last respect to him. He was buried in an area surrounded by the things he loved — the casino across the street and in the garden of education and learning. Each of us was allowed to drop a flower in the vault in remembrance of him and as a gesture of a final farewell.
Cypress Lawn Hillside Garden is located at Hillside & Serramonte, across the street from Lucky Chance Casinos. There is a huge structure at the gateway entrance. The cemetery is a beautiful and serene one with the breathtaking lush green hills in the background and the fountain of water in the foreground. Each area has a name on a headstone. I only saw two — Cherry Garden and Lotus Garden. According to the headstone, the cherry blossom «symbolizes education, learning, spiritual beauty, transience of life.»

Empathetic. Patient. Knowledgeable. Swift.
My grandpa was laid to rest today and our family couldn’t have asked for a better funeral home. We have a very large family (sometimes all trying to be cooks in the kitchen) but as eldest granddaughter, I took the lead with another aunt. We working feverishly in under 6 days to put together a lovely and organized funeral. TERESA was absolutely incredible. I wish I can adopt her into our family.
Not only was it so helpful that she was bi-​lingual but her fast emails/​phone calls provided immediate relief when there were urgent questions. Teresa eased much of the stress, wrote out emails clearly and the 3xs I met with her, she was nothing short of pleasant with a smile – it was much needed during this chaotic grieving process.
On the day-​of, KELLY was there to take care of the entire process. Teresa and Kelly teamed up well to ensure all our wishes and visions were delivered. Not only were they very kind and considerate, but their tone of voices and sweet demeanor really meant a lot to our family during today’s emotional difficulty.
Ask for Teresa or Kelly if your family is Chinese.
Or just ask for them in general. You won’t be disappointed and you won’t be given the run-​around. THANK YOU THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. The Chu family is extremely appreciative of your staff and heartfelt services.

Dealing with death is difficult.
My uncle passed away recently. My cousin got a chance to view this funeral home and liked it. The day of my uncle’s passing, there were 8 of us that met with Benny Chin, who showed sympathy and empathy as we were making decisions. He didn’t pressure us and made sure all of our opinions were heard.
Benny made sure that the viewing went smoothly, from the make up to the way the body was placed to where the tables for the monks were placed. The person that helped Benny with the viewing was also pleasant to work with. Both were respectful to the deceased as well as to the family members/​friends that were mourning.
The only disappointment and the reason for not getting 5 stars? We wanted to have the viewing on Friday and cremation on Saturday. However, the crematorium located at Cypress Lawn caught on fire a few days prior to my uncle’s passing and we had to use Olivet’s. And apparently, the guy that works at the crematorium wasn’t available to cremate on the weekends nor on Monday because it was Martin Luther King’s birthday. And on the day of the cremation (Wednesday of the following week), we were only able to follow from the funeral home to the Olivet’s entrance, instead of being able to see what else was happening.
Benny kept us informed with each process and was prompt at answering questions/​concerns. He contacted us to let us know when the death certificates were available and when the cremains were back under Cypress Lawn’s care. We wanted my uncle’s cremains to be put in a biodegradable urn for ash scattering and he was willing to help as well.
Overall, Benny was a gem and a pleasure to work with as we delt with this unexpected death. I am forever thankful for him for being so helpful the whole time!

Dealing with Cypress Lawn via my poor mother’s experience has been horrendous. Firstly the saleswoman, aged 80+, was terrible. This woman would make appointments to meet up and then either be more than unfashionably late and never call to apologize or just not show up. Once my husband and I caught her off guard speaking to her friend not realizing that she could be heard disrespecting my mother. She would tell my trusting mother that she could call at any time day or night. Whenever anyone says that they are just lying. And it was the case with this woman as when my mother contacted her when my father died she said she’d try and be there at the funeral home appointment. Never showed up nor did she apologize about not being there to this day-​not a shock really judging from her behavior two years ago before the contracts were signed. See the pattern? Signed contract was all she was after. Not to help the grieving one bit. Next is that when it became our turn for our father’s funeral arrangements per the contract that this saleswoman wrote up it turned out that two major items (i.e. casket type and urn) were totally wrong and misrepresented. Would anyone want to be unpleasantly surprised like this just before burying a loved one?!
Next the incompetence of their accounting department has been a laugh. One payment they missed and insist that my mother still owes saying that the computer is right and so was the accounting clerk. I have worked in accounting, and the computer is as right as the clerk assigned to enter information (or misinformation).
From what I can tell this funeral home (non-​profit, of course) is totally money hungry. Their price list reads like an a la carte menu. And they charge for every single item. To unlock a niche they charge an ungodly $ 500, for instance.
Lesson learnt is that service establishments rip you off left and right when you are alive (e.g. care homes) and when you are dead (e.g. funeral homes).
In short, I do not recommend doing business with Cypress Lawn.

Can’t say it enough that the staff here was more than cordial in honoring our requests with my wife’s aunt. Our contact person, Armando, just so happened to be the same guy who had dealt with us a couple of years earlier at another funeral home, Duggan’s, which all of us would rather like to forget. Anyway, he was great and was more than willing to give us whatever assistance we needed through this very difficult time. From the viewing to the burial, everything was just right.

This review is for Armando Santana and his staff. I recently lost my husband and requested services through Armando. His attention to detail, suggestions and knowledge of the business gave me and my family peace of mind that all will be taken care of. We were given the most memorable service that we will remember with a smile despite the sadness.
I do not normally submit reviews but felt I must in this situation.

Losing a loved one is never easy, losing both mom in Sep 2012 and now dad in Feb 2014 — spanning eighteen months has been tough. Fortunately, we were in great hands with Mr Clifford Yee a seasoned funeral director with well over 20 years of experience in dealing with these matters and well versed in Western & Chinese customs.
His team includes Marie Lee & Helen Lum — awesome, attentive, and exceptionally detail oriented. They took care all the arrangements, instructed us on traditions and walked us thought the process. They even had coloring books & toys for the grand kids to keep them involved. They cared enough to encouged us to remain hydrated and often followed up on any additional details they could assist with (rearranging floral wreaths, sign-​in table, video coordination, greating guest, etc…).
Both ceremonies were conducted without issue, on-​time, and exceeded our expectations. Clifford is a dynamic speaker, with a soothing and eloquent voice set an amazing tone during the service. Having gone through two services with Clifford he was able to share family stories and blend his knowledge of the Won family in his eulogy.
If you ever have to go through this process, be sure to inquire about the services of Clifford Yee — he and his team will make this journey pleasant.

I wanted to take the time to write this to show appreciation to the Cypress Lawn Funeral Home staff for their unbelievable care and support in the passing of my brother.
One of Cypress Lawn’s funeral directors, Clifford Yee, from the very first meeting, has made the saddest moment in my life and my parents’ lives a little more bearable. His ability to speak Cantonese to comfort my parents soothed, guided, and helped them through this difficult time. Clifford’s knowledge of traditions and patience in taking the time to listen to our needs was greatly appreciated. His empathy was genuine and comforting.
Clifford and his Cypress Lawn associates, Herb Lum, Helen Lum, and Marie Lee were always ten steps ahead of us to anticipate our needs. They kept our grief stricken and emotional minds focused on what we needed to do and remember. Clifford’s soothing and eloquent voice set an amazing tone during the service.
Clifford’s team’s attention to details: the candle lighting ceremony, the blanketing ceremony, the video memorial, made our tragedy into a eulogy of loved ones able to mourn and pay tribute to my brother’s life. I loved the fact that Helen took care of my boys. She saw that I was overwhelmed with greeting arriving family members and she made sure that they were occupied with coloring books. Helen’s thoughtfulness and consideration for my boys showed kindness and was much appreciated. Herb, patient and understanding, did an incredible job with the video memorial, music and programs. In the program, Herb was able to suggest personal touches like my brother’s art work and photos that reflected my brother’s life.
These details made such an emotional impact. Clifford’s incredible timing of words and patience with my three children who are 10, 8, and 4 years old, during the blanketing ceremony, was so wonderful. He explained to them how special this tradition was in the most gentle voice. The care Clifford took with them was so endearing.
The cremation, two days after the service, was such an emotional experience. The last goodbye was more difficult than I thought. Clifford’s experience was evident on this day. His prayers and adherence of respect and tradition for my brother in the last viewing touched my heart and I was able to say goodbye.
Clifford and his team showed respect and professionalism from the beginning to the end giving us peace of mind and closure for me and my parents for which we will always be truly grateful. We felt taken care of in our worst hour with the sudden passing of my brother. We know he is laid to rest in a peaceful and loving way because of Clifford and his amazing staff. There are not enough words to convey the gratitude we feel for everything they have done for us.
Annie G.

My grandma is buried here, and we visit this cemetery at least once every two months.
The view here is breathtaking. When the sky is clear you can see the beautiful hills and it is very peaceful.
The grounds are kept tidy and neat. Water spouts are easily available for refilling vases with water.
The only negative we’ve experienced here was a stint of memorial pieces getting either stolen or thrown away. My cousins and I have hand made different little trinkets to stick around our grandmother’s grave, and there had been times where they have been stolen by others, taken away, or thrown away by groundskeepers. It’s kind of odd, and a little disheartening. Also, there was a time where desperate thieves had stolen the copper from some of the grave sites. But in the end, everything is usually taken care of by cemetery personnel.
The place is set to close at sunset, but it is usually open a little past sunset.
Also, we love that it’s right across the street from Lucky Chances, so when we’re hungry we can just grab a bite to eat right across the street.

One of my family members pass away recently and the person who helped us was Clifford Yee he act concern for us at the time being and after we paid for the ceremony he said he was gonna help out my family but instead when I send text message he will never respond and it’s showed READ and when I call no pick up or a call back I do not suggest this place.

I typically write reviews on restaurants, coffee houses and other services, so a review about a funeral home is very out of character for me. But with the recent passing of my mother, the staff at Cypress Lawn did an excellent job of helping our family in our greatest hour of need. Many thanks to Clifford Yee for shepherding us through this process and helping us every step of the way.
First off, Clifford was very helpful and knowledgeable about Chinese burial rites and customs. He was also very good at finding the balance and middle ground between traditional Chinese rituals and Western practices.
We initially wanted a closed casket service (as mom was very thin), but he encouraged us to consider otherwise, as his staff is very skilled. He also arranged for a private preview so that we could see a few days prior to the service. And he was right. Mom looked beautiful and was very much at peace. This gave us much comfort. We also received similar comments during the service.
Clifford was also very helpful in helping us with the service. We had a DVD slide show made as well as a looping DVD of some photos of her. He also encouraged us to write a personal note to Mom, which also helped us so much. He took the time to explain the customs and answer any and all questions, even texting one of my sisters when she sent him a message at 5 AM.
The Tiffany Chapel is beautiful, bright and really reflected the celebration of life that we wanted the service to be. This is contrast to a lot of places that were more somber and dark. While we do mourn, there was a sense of hope and importance of family instilled throughout the service, many thanks to Clifford’s closing statements and exhortations.
The rest of the staff was very helpful and professional the day of the service, and we are very grateful for this level of service. Many thanks to the team as we go through this time of grief.

Back in 2005 my helped my father to purchase casket and vault, wrote two checks to Cypress Lawn. My father just passed away two weeks ago, and I took my receipts to meet with Clifford Yee. He informed me that Cypress didn’t cash my checks and asked me to check with my Bank. However, Cypress will honor the 2005 price. I was totally in shock plus so confused with my husband, I believe at that moment I didn’t even know what to do. Cypress took my receipts during the meeting.
I called my Bank and they started a case for me, later on Bank informed me that they only keep 7 years record, my case is 7 years and 2 months so they don’t have to record. What am I going to do at this point? Now, I’m asking Cypress to return the receipts so I can show that to my family and hoping my siblings believe me and give me some of the money. Question is — who will keep over 7 years bank statements? Why Cypress didn’t inform me early? Doesn’t the accounting department need to close the year end annually? This is more a TRUST issue here!

Total incompetence!
Misspelled my late father-in-law’s name 4 times, including on the apology letter about their screw-ups…Got the date of death wrong 2 times… AND put him in the WRONG crypt the day of his internment!!!
We stuck around for 2 extra hours to make sure when they took him out, they put him where he was supposed to be.
Unbelievable!

Not the typical review, but hey… you never know when you are going to need a funeral home. My grandmother passed away recently and in our search for a funeral home, Cypress Lawn came highly recommended. All the good things we heard were true. First off the funeral home itself is an absolutely gorgeous building. From circular foyer with the expansive spiral staircase leading to the second floor is the first thing you see when you enter and it is impressive. Additionally, the Tiffany Chapel is equally well done. The room is less ostentatious, but still very tastefully done. The room is spotless and beautiful. Stained glass windows line both walls with a nice alter at the front. There are two large flat screen tvs at the front for slide shows or video.
The staff is really second to none. Everyone we dealt with was pleasant and went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed and bend over backwards to make us comfortable. Every table has bottled water and every pew has a box of kleenex. I hope I never have to do this again… but if I did I would go back here.

I give this place 4.5 stars based on my dealings with them and the environment.
First of all, this review is based on my visiting the park and speaking to a sales rep and a funeral director regarding their services. The park is one of the oldest in Colma, over 100 yrs old. It’s prob the biggest cemetery within Colma. For a park this old, they have kept the administrative office pretty beautiful, obviously having done remodeling as needed. Conference rooms are spacious and very modern and new.
After a family mbr passed I had checked online for funeral svs prices and contacted them right after closing recently. Someone fwd’ed my number to the Director for after hours and i had gotten a call back within 30 – 60 min! We had to make a decision fairly quickly (within 1 day) as we didn’t shop around to see if the price we were quoted w/​at the deceased’s cemetery was ‘reasonable’. When i discovered that the prices at the other place was $ 3k more just for funeral svs, I was appalled. But regardless, the family decided to have the svs done at one place (the other place) to simplify things, and finally we gave the other place the quote we got at Cypress (which is published and everything itemized). Although the other place 1^st promised they’d match if we could get it in writing but struggled thru 10 – 15 emails for 2 –3 hours finally agreed what she had originally promised.
Personally, based on my phone conversation with the Director, I feel very confident working with them. If it were my choice, I’d give them my business, for the funeral service. Some places are just too insensitive and are so money –driven that they lose their sensibility and sensitivity and it’s such a turn-​off, in situations especially like this.
Cypress is also very large. So perhaps that is why they can afford to have costs reasonable and competitive. They have 3 sections – West, East, and a new area that have developed 5 years ago. Since Cypress is over 100 yrs, land is scarce. I was looking for plots and they had only 1 section for double depth and 1 section for single plots but the prices for the double depth was probably the only one i can consider, price wise. They have alot of workers since the park has a vast coverage. The workers are helpful and courteous.
I got a tour of the park after i spoke to a sale rep. The old sections are in Colma near Serramonte and the new section is on Hillside, across from the casino Lucky Chances and next to Olivet.