Petition of Support

Release of Endowment Care Funds for Woodlawn Celestial Gardens

We, the undersigned families and supporters of Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in Compton, California, respectfully petition the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (CFB) and the State of California Courts to release the preexisting Endowment Care Trust Funds belonging rightfully to the deceased interred at Woodlawn.

Purpose of This Petition:

Woodlawn Celestial Gardens is one of Los Angeles County’s oldest cemeteries, a sacred historical site where over 26,000 beloved family members, veterans, and community leaders rest. These funds were established through endowment contributions made at the time of burial, with the sole intent of ensuring:

• Ongoing upkeep and beautification of cemetery grounds
• Maintenance and repair of infrastructure, pathways, and memorials
• Security for the protection of gravesites, monuments, and visitors
• Restoration following property damage and vandalism
• Historical preservation of this 156-year-old cemetery, which serves as a cultural landmark and final resting place for individuals whose legacies shaped California and the nation

For too long, these trust funds have been withheld from the families and the nonprofit religious authority that now oversees Woodlawn Celestial Gardens. Without access, the community bears the burden of upkeep that was already prepaid by loved ones who trusted their contributions would preserve dignity, respect, and perpetual care.

We believe it is unjust and unlawful for the CFB to withhold these funds. They belong to the families of the deceased, whose contractual, moral, and historical rights must be honored.

Our Request:

We call upon the courts to immediately recognize Woodlawn Celestial Gardens as the rightful steward of its own endowment care trust and to release the funds for the benefit of the buried, their families, and the preservation of history.

By signing below, we, the undersigned, affirm our support of Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in pursuing legal action to reclaim these funds on behalf of our loved ones, our community, and our shared history.