Burial at Roseburg National Cemetery Annex: A family guide

History of Roseburg National Cemetery Annex

Roseburg National Cemetery is located in Douglas County, OR, approximately one-half mile from the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Roseburg.

Roseburg National Cemetery was established in 1897 to serve veterans residing at the Oregon State Soldiers' home. The Oregon Soldiers' Home itself opened in 1893 to "provide a home for honorably discharged soldiers, sailors and marines who had served in any wars in which the United States was engaged, or who served in the Indian Wars of Oregon, Washington or Idaho, provided they were or might become citizens of Oregon."

In 1933, the home was turned over to the National Soldiers' Home Bureau and its administration transferred to the new Veterans Administration; the cemetery attached to the grounds was included in the move. In September 1973, the cemetery was transferred to the National Cemetery System within VA.

Monuments and Memorials POW Memorial donated by Veterans of 20th Century.

Notable veterans buried at Roseburg National Cemetery Annex

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

• Major Joseph Raymond Giesel, who was white, was among the first officers to train African-American marines. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012 for his role at Montford Point, the segregated North Carolina facility where an estimated 20,000 black men trained from 1942–1949. The Marine Corps was white-only until 1942, when President Roosevelt directed that black soldiers be trained at Montford Point. Giesel served 21 years in the marines, in the Pacific Theater during World War II and in Korea in 1953. He died June 20, 2014, and is buried at Roseburg National Cemetery (Section 6, Site 131).

Eligibility for burial at Roseburg National Cemetery Annex

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 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.

How to schedule a burial at Roseburg National Cemetery Annex

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 Roseburg National Cemetery Annex at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Roseburg National Cemetery Annex sits in the Oregon cemetery system

Roseburg National Cemetery Annex is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Oregon. The cemetery is currently accepting new in-ground and columbarium interments. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Roseburg National Cemetery Annex is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.