Burial at Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot: A family guide

History of Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Oakdale Cemetery was incorporated on May 14, 1856, in Davenport, Iowa, by a group of local businessmen. The original 40-acre plot has grown over time, and today the cemetery is composed of 78.3 acres. Jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke, who grew up in Davenport, is among the prominent local citizens interred in the cemetery.

The soldiers' lot is located in Lot 14 of Oakdale Memorial Gardens, as the cemetery is known today. Originally, soldiers were interred in multiple areas of the cemetery, before the burials were consolidated into the soldiers' lot. As of December 1865, 174 Civil War soldiers were buried in the soldiers' lot.

Around 1888, roughly 160 remains in Oakdale Cemetery were removed to Rock Island and Keokuk National Cemeteries. In 1900, the remaining interments were consolidated into the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) plot within the cemetery, the location of all subsequent government burials. In 1940, the GAR conveyed all interests in the plot to the Oakdale Cemetery Association, and the United States acquired the lot in 1941. Today, interments within the soldiers' lot include 71 Civil War dead, seven of whom were killed during the Battle of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, and were the first Iowan casualties of the Civil War.

Notable veterans buried at Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Under Development.

Eligibility for burial at Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

How to schedule a burial at Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot sits in the Iowa cemetery system

Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Iowa. The cemetery is currently closed to new in-ground burials but may accept cremated remains in some cases. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.