Diamond Head Mortuary

I come here all the time to visit my mom, grand parents, as well as friends…
For those of you who have experienced profound loss of a loved one, it’s nice to know that your loved one is resting peacefully at Diamond Head Memorial Park/​Mortuary.
This beautiful park is located near the base of Diamond Head, sandwiched between 18^th & 22^nd Avenue. You can enter & exit the park from either street, and there is lots of space to park your car.
I love the way that Diamond Head Memorial park upkeep’s the park, as the grass is always pretty green, & the lawn is well trimmed.
They also have water faucets all over the park (so you don’t have to walk far) should you need water to fill up your vase, and they also have trash bins all over the place… one bin to recycle the greens, and the other bin for trash.
Sometimes I buy red roses for my mom, and the stems are a bit too long for the vase. One great tip folks… if you go by the mausoleum area (by the sink area), there are flower cutters where you can use to cut your flower stems. Love that they have a few basic amenities out for the public to use.
Life is pretty mysterious… I got into a deep discussion over lunch yesterday with my Unilocal buddy — Daniel C., as I mentioned to him not too long ago I was going to about 7 to 10 weddings a year, every year for a span of 5 to 7 years…
Then the next thing you know, I find myself going to a lot of kids 1 year old birthday parties…
Now, I find myself going to my friend’s kid high school graduation parties, or my friend’s parents funeral… sigh… Such as the circle of life…
I mentioned to my friend… when you come into this world, you come alone.
When you leave this world, most times you will go alone too.
It really doesn’t matter how much toys or money you accumulate over your lifetime, as you cannot take it with you. Be grateful & happy for what you have.
While we are here, hopefully we live our life with purpose, and that we impact someone (loved one & friends) in a positive way… because one day when you’re gone… all they will have of you is the wonderful memories.
Live life to the fullest, no regrets…
I am lucky to have a lot of happy memories of my mom… and I would like to share this post which I read today called — («The Art of Remembrance» — by Joanne).
Upon reading it, I felt it inspired me today… so I would like to share it with you folks — Happy Mother’s Day.
The Art of Remembrance is a Zenspirations I created on Mother’s Day, dedicated to everyone who can’t celebrate with their Mom this year.
When you lose someone you love, holidays can be painful; but being able to remember special times is a way to keep the legacy of love and treasured memories alive.
Please take a moment today to share a special memory you have in your heart… and please share this piece with someone you know who has recently lost a loved one. Stay Zenspired, Joanne.

I’m not a fan of going to mortuary’s. This was my first time going to a funeral service at this location (I usually go to the ones in Kaneohe). The service was an all day event. The viewing was in the morning, followed by speeches by the family, then lunch, and then the burial. It’s wasn’t a bad place. There was lot of space for people to sit and mingle, but it would get really really hot. Even if I was under the shade and under an umbrella, it was still hot. I suggest bringing an umbrella and lots and lots of iced water to keep your cool.

This is my first, and hopefully last (for a while) review of a mortuary. Face it, no one likes to deal with death and its aftermath.
Bill Amigone was our primary point of contact. He was everything we could ask for given the circumstances: he was sympathetic without being cloying; helpful in eliciting our ideas for the service and suggesting ways to make the ideas happen; provided information about possible vendors; and honest in offering us various options for burial and/​or cremation.
The location is good if you are having a visitation with your ceremony, as you can use an outside covered patio (which is open to the breezes) to serve food and drink to your guests.
Lokelani was our funeral director for the day of the ceremony, and she was great. She constantly checked in with our musicians, the beverage and food service, and the family. She helped set up the video and audio, and made sure everything was on track and on schedule.
We highly recommend Diamond Head.

This is a fine place to rest, both in life and the after-​life. The modernist architecture is a step above. Don’t miss seeing the stained glass windows if you visit. Everything looks well-​maintained. Staff are helpful and nice.

My current rating is 0 stars.
So far a terrible experience with Diamond Head Mortuary for a family member. Despite friendly personnel in our face-​to-​face meeting, everything else has been completely below expectations. Incorrect spelling of names, missing information in obituary, and VERY late obituary (which they said will go out 1 week prior, but ended up being 2 working days prior STILL WITH ERRORS).
No offer of any rectification except for offer of thank you cards, urn, flowers, or photo which are all completely too late because of the late obituary and those were already taken care of.
Cannot reiterate enough that this was not just one error, but numerous errors and repeat of errors. We made the mistake of paying up front despite not receiving all services yet.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL. YOU ARE BETTER OFF FOLLOWING UP YOURSELF ON ALL ITEMS AND DON’T PAY UNTIL SERVICES ARE RENDERED… SERVICE IS DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE PRICE.
I do have a number of relatives laid to rest at Diamond Head Memorial. Will update if anything changes. You may also message me for further detail.

Attended a funeral here yesterday. Overall it was a nice place for a small (about 200 people) funeral. But no air conditioning during this hot spell we’ve been having and a 10:30 starting time made it a little uncomfortable for us. But the ones on the funeral party were really hot having been there longer. The PA system was very good. You could here the speakers well. The only other complaint was the small seating area for the lunch after. I don’t know who catered but the food was really good.

Kalei, thank you for jumping in to help Teri with Mom’s recent funeral. With comforting of our family to ensuring the timing of the services, taking care of the beverages, assisting the caterer with the food and cleaning of the patio and kitchen. All done with care and professionalism and without missing a beat. You are awesome!!!

Where else can one go to visit with departed ones AND study for an exam? Very peaceful, likely to observe a service going on, flowers — even old ones– are kept fresh looking

Fan of a Mortuary… Well, from the perspective that it is pleasant and they do a nice job in providing a nice place to memorialize people.
Facility is nice and clean, but you have to come early for parking.
Unfortunately, I’ve had to go there twice this month already… Both times people working there were pleasant and helpful…

I grew up in the area and have all of my close relatives buried there. It is a very convenient location for relatives who live in Honolulu. The cemetary is open daily and hours are good. Wish they planted more trees for shade as it gets very hot and sunny on this side of the island. The grass is not as green as other cemetaries, however, with Diamond Head Crater as a back drop and a clear view of the Koolau mountains, it is still a beautiful park. The staff there are very helpful and the maintenance workers have helped me on multiple occasions in prying and loosening the dried dirt around the older ceramic style vases after a heavy rain. We purchased more plots for other family members. It is really convenient to pay your respects and take flowers to your loved ones at a single location.

Whenever I visit this memorial park, I can easily find the majority of my family members and relatives buried here. It’s probably because my parents were the ones who purchased the plots for my paternal grandparents and themselves. Even my husband’s parents and his other relatives are buried here, too. Only my maternal grandparents rest at the Manoa Chinese Cemetary. Every year during Qingming (Tomb Cleaning) Festival in early April and whenever I’m in the area I come here to pay my respects.
Diamond Head Memorial Park is peaceful and beautiful. The lawn is well maintained even though occasional brown, dry spots pop up because of sun damage. It’s located at the base of Diamond Head between 18^th and 22^nd Avenues and bordered by Diamond Head Road and Kaimuki Middle School. There’s a well paved looping road that will take you from the 18^th Avenue entrance and chapel around to the mausoleums and a alternate entrance bordering 22^nd Avenue then back.
I feel comfortable coming to this site and know that this place was my family’s choice as their final resting place. Sure, we all grew up with those spooky graveyard stories but my comfort in coming to this place started when my parents brought us here for driving lessons. hmm, were they trying to tell us «something»?
Perhaps another morbid yet humorous story that I’ll part with is… my husband’s uncle worked as a mortuary salesman for Diamond Head Memorial and gave us side-​by-​side burial plots as a wedding gift. Geeez! Now, how can I NOT find or want peacefulness in this place?!

It’s kind of odd to review a mortuary home, but so many relatives are having to deal with them. I had to help my cousin and my uncle with my Aunt’s arrangement. Spoke to Kay, the secretary, on several occasions. She was very, very helpful. Funeral Director was ok, but long winded. My family was very pleased with the chapel and the grounds, but the parking lot is ugly and needs to be repaved. Service and burial was very nice. My Aunt can rest in peace.

Diamond Head Memorial Park is surrounded by well-​known establishments of Kaimuki Intermediate School, Diamond Head State Monument, KCC and the Diamond Head Bark Park.
It’s hard to be fair in judging Diamond Head Memorial Park when I’ve pretty much have been to Hawaiian Memorial Park or Valley of the Temples, both in Kaneohe. When you’ve pretty much have been to well-​kept and nice funeral parlors and cemeteries. I mean, the view here is great and grounds are okay but the chapel itself was… disappointing. Also, the parking here is not marked (with the exception of handicap parking) so you pretty much park as you please. I went to use the restroom only to feel like I walked into a time warp back into the 70’s. Basically, this place could sure use a makeover.
I came here for a funeral today. The staff here were very friendly and courteous but because of our recent muggy weather, the chapel was HOT HOT HOT. The side doors and the front doors were kept open to have fresh air go through and felt some breeze but it was very uncomfortable. Today’s services were TAOIST so it started from 9am and ended at 1230pm, immediately followed by the burial which took place on the grounds. Without proper ventilation and/​or air conditioning, it was very uncomfortable during this 3 ½ hours.
Diamond Head Memorial Park is affiliated with Nuuanu Memorial Park. Earlier this year I went to Nuuanu Memorial Park as a former colleague passed away and it was nice there and definitely much cooler. Granted Nuuanu is near the mountains so you have a cooler climate but I still cannot understand why Diamond Head Memorial Park hasn’t come up with a solution during HOT weather.
Regardless of the spectacular view and friendly staff, it’s hard to give this place anything better than 3-​stars.

I’m not really sure how cemeteries are supposed to work – Kyle C.‘s review seems to suggest that caretakers are supposed to fill vases etc. – and with most of my family buried here, I haven’t really had much experience visiting other cemeteries.
Most of my memorable experiences at Diamond Head Memorial Park involve the Chinese tradition of bai-​san or tomb-​sweeping day. Diamond Head Memorial Park provides little alters, sand boxes (for incense) and metal trash cans for «burning money». Every year in April, I would go with my grandparents to the cemetery bearing flowers, incense, plastic bags full of folded paper «money», several chinese prepared food dishes in their best porcelain china, covered in plastic wrap and jars of tea and alcohol. My grandpa and I would roll the closest trashcan towards our family’s plot and select a decent looking alter and sand box. It was always my job to pour the tea. I’d lay out five place settings on the little alter and set to work trying to pour tea out of a jar and into the tiny tea cups. No matter how hard I tried or how slowly I tried to pour, my 5yo hands weren’t graceful enough and tea would be all over the alter and grass by the time I was finished. When everything was ready, my grandpa would set the «money» on fire and I would watch the heat waves rise from the metal bin. Ahhhhh, good times. Happy bai-​san-​ing!

I have a few family members, a family friend, and a friend’s father interred here. Diamond Head Memorial Park is situated pretty much next door to Kapiolani Community College, Diamond Head Crater, and the adjacent Diamond Head Bark Park. Along with the local affiliate chapter of the American Red Cross around the corner, this final resting place is very peaceful and picturesque to visit. Several times a year, I would come here with family just to remember and reflect on family and friends whom have passed on. It also reminds me that life can be so short and we should just live life to the fullest and not have no regrets. Maybe that’s why I run marathons and travel to race them across the USA.
Most of Diamond Head Memorial Park is basically a park, but with plenty of granite headstones. There is also a mausoleum for those who wished to be cremated. There are the basic amenities here, which include water to fill your funerary vase for your flowers and keepsakes to place next the gravesite. I pass by this cemetary most times when I am running, but only a few times a year to formally come here to remember loved ones whom left the world too soon. There is also a mortuary on site, where they perform services before the internment ceremony on the cemetary grounds. The atmosphere here is surreal and serene. Just being here gives me goosebumps, chills, among other emotions. It just feels sad when you are in a cemetary, but it’s nice to be among loved ones and others whom have lived life to the best of their abilities.
Diamond Head Memorial Park was established in 1936. Administrative offices and a chapel were added in the mid 1950’s to facilitate the needs of an expanding cemetary and demand for cemetary space. The park itself stretches for 25 acres, but it seems smaller than that. It’s pretty cool how they can keep the cemetary grounds fairly green, especially when draught conditions can be damaging to the local landscape. Kudos to park staff on that. With that said, this cemetary is a good final resting place, if you decide on it. I’m too young to really think about this type of thing, but you never know until stuff happens and you’re just planning for the end day.
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B+

Hats off to a respectful and sensitive worker at DHM. The attendant who waited while we performed our service was excellent. He dutifully stood by for our service. When it was time to lower the urn into the ground he held the small wooden box as if it contained his own relative. He was sensitive to the grieving mother and graciously allowed the children in our family to indulge their curiosity about what was going on. He carefully arranged the Lei and flowers around the urn. He even surrounded the gravesite with the floral arrangements that we brought. After covering the box with dirt he carefully arranged the remaining lei over the grave. I was truly touched by the care and sensitivity he exhibited.

My grandma lies here and I love visiting this place.
Unilocal 365 Challenge #85/​365

I think I just had a bad experience here. My uncle passed away recently, and his funeral was held at Diamond Head Mortuary. However, during the service, there were a bunch of kids/​young adults walking on the sidewalk outside making a lot of noise. I felt like that was really disrespectful.
It’s an outdoor facility under a pavillion, and it’s nice because you get the breeze that blows through. I“m not sure how it is when it rains, though.
They did do a beautiful burial for my uncle, and they were really accommodating to my aunty and the rest of my family.