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Great Lakes National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Holly, Michigan · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Great Lakes National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·6 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Great Lakes National Cemetery on VA's daily burial schedule, which lists the committal services families have agreed to publish. Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged can be buried here, and so can their spouses and some dependent children. To schedule a burial, you or the funeral director call VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.

History of Great Lakes National Cemetery

Great Lakes National Cemetery is the second national cemetery built in Michigan and the 122nd in the national cemetery system.

Great Lakes National Cemetery is located approximately 50 miles northwest of downtown Detroit, in Holly Township, Oakland County. The cemetery borders Fagan Lake, and is located on a portion of a land grant from the Federal Government to Terrance Fagan in 1836. Historically, the property served as farmland until it was acquired by the National Cemetery Administration in 2002.

In the 20th century, the property was purchased by Bryson Dexter Horton, a Spanish-American War veteran-turned-industrialist who invented the "Square D" switch. Horton's invention dramatically improved electrical safety, by encasing the switch in steel and protecting users from the live electrical current. Mr. Horton constructed a small house on the property in 1927, and reportedly entertained such preeminent locals as Henry and Edsel Ford, who both hunted and fished there.

Great Lakes National Cemetery was established in 2005, and the first burial took place on October 17 of that year.

Notable veterans buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Great Lakes National Cemetery, with section and site where it has them.

  • Medal of Honor
  • The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
  • Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
  • Corporal Thomas Powers (Indian Wars). Powers (1848–1884) was born in New York City and enlisted in the U.S. Army from Detroit on April 17, 1867. He served during the Indian Wars in Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry. In October 1869, during the Campaign of the Rocky Mesa, Powers and his fellow troopers were patrolling what would become the state of Arizona in search of the legendary Chiricahua Apache leader Cochise. On October 20th, Powers was involved in a sharp fight with some of Cochise's men who had ambushed a stagecoach. While few details have survived, Powers was credited with killing one warrior and recommended for the Medal of Honor due to his "gallantry in action." His medal was issued February 14, 1870 and he was discharged at Camp Bidwell, California in March 1872. He passed away in December 1884 in Juddville, MI. He was originally interred at Cummin Cemetery but now rests in Section 16, Site 272.
  • Private First Class Robert Ernest Simanek (Korean War). Simanek was born in Detroit, Michigan and worked in the automobile industry before joining the Marine Corps in August 1951. He sailed for Korea less than a year later and joined Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, First Marine Division. On August 17, 1952, during the Battle of Bunker Hill (a prolonged series of battles for frontline outposts), PFC Simanek's unit was ambushed while moving to occupy Outpost Irene and forced to seek cover in a trench line. During the fighting, Simanek threw himself on an enemy grenade to save his comrades and was severely wounded. He was awarded for the Medal of honor for this action. He had previously earned two bronze stars for action in Korea. Simanek returned to the United States and was medically discharged. President Dwight Eisenhower presented him the Medal of Honor on October 27, 1953. He earned a degree in business management after his service. The Department of Navy named an expeditionary sea base in his honor, USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB-7) in 2021. He died on August 1, 2022 and is interred with his wife in Section 35, Site 341.
  • Other Burials Private First Class Allan C. Barnes (Vietnam). Barnes (1949–2016) was a jazz saxophonist and Army veteran from Detroit. As a child, he developed a love of music from his uncles, who taught him to play a number of musical instruments, including the saxophone and flute. In 1967, after graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and received further musical training from the Naval School of Music. Upon completion of the school, he was deployed to Vietnam as part of the 4th Division Army Band. After receiving an honorable discharge in February 1970, Barnes returned to Detroit where he put together a band named The Blackbyrds. Barnes wrote two of their award-winning songs, "Summer Love" and "Walking in Rhythm," before forming Allan Barnes and Primetime. Throughout his life, he worked with many well-known artists and penned music for a number of television shows and commercials. He also created the show "Jazzland" on PBS. He rests in Section 13, Site 1473.
  • Sergeant Donald Robert Burgett (World War II.) Burgett (1925–2017) hailed from the west side of Detroit, MI. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of eighteen following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division as a rifleman and machine gunner. Burgett jumped into Normandy on June 5, 1944, and participated in Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and Operation Nordwind, earning three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star Medal. After the war, Burgett wrote Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy (1967) which became a best seller. He went on to write three more popular books about his World War II experiences. The Post Office in Howell, MI was named in his honor. Burgett passed away in 2017 and now rests in Section 12B, Site 614.
  • Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class Lynn Everett Chandnois (World War II.) Lynn Chandnois (1923–2011) was born in Fayette, MI. He moved to Flint to attend high school and upon graduation joined the U.S. Navy in 1944. He served two years in the Naval Air Corps during World War II and was discharged in 1946. After his military service, Chandnois attended Michigan State University, where he played football. Chandnois was voted MVP in 1948 and an All-American in 1949. After college he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played eight seasons until injuries caused him to retire in 1958. Chandnois still holds the Steelers record for returning two kick-offs for touchdowns in 1952. That same year he was voted to the NFL All-Pro team and was the NFL Player of the year. Following his football career, he returned to Michigan to live out the rest of his days. He is now rests in Section CC20, Row A, Site 70.

Visiting hours at Great Lakes National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

Who can be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

  • A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
  • Opening and closing of the grave
  • A government-provided burial liner
  • A government-provided headstone or marker
  • Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery?

  1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
  2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
  3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Great Lakes National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Great Lakes National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Great Lakes National Cemetery to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Great Lakes National Cemetery directly at 248-328-0386.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

  • Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
  • Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
  • Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Michigan law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Michigan and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Funeral homes near Great Lakes National Cemetery

A funeral director usually arranges the burial with the cemetery. These are the closest funeral homes by straight-line distance. Each one links to its full listing on FuneralUS, our funeral home directory.

  1. 3.7 mi from the cemetery
  2. 4.0 mi from the cemetery
  3. Hill Funeral Home
    Grand Blanc, MI
    4.6 mi from the cemetery
  4. 4.6 mi from the cemetery
  5. 4.7 mi from the cemetery
  6. 5.8 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery free?

    Yes, for eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children. VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost. The funeral home's services, such as transport and any service before the burial, are arranged and paid for separately.

  • Can I reserve a gravesite at Great Lakes National Cemetery in advance?

    No. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision before a death, but VA says the decision letter doesn't name a cemetery or gravesite, because neither can be reserved in advance.

  • How do I schedule a burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery?

    Fax the veteran's discharge papers to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected]. Then you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET). National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

  • Where can I see the burial schedule for Great Lakes National Cemetery?

    On VA's daily burial schedule at https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/dailyburialschedule/. It covers every national cemetery, but it only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them.

  • Are military funeral honors provided at Great Lakes National Cemetery?

    Yes, if you ask for them. Your funeral director, a Veterans Service Organization or the cemetery staff can arrange them. At minimum, two uniformed service members fold and present the burial flag at the committal shelter, and Taps is played.

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