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West Virginia National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Grafton, West Virginia · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: West Virginia National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·3 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at West Virginia 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 West Virginia National Cemetery

West Virginia National Cemetery is located approximately five miles west of Grafton, WV, in Taylor County. Beginning in the 1960s, it became increasingly apparent that the Grafton National Cemetery was running out of burial space. As a result, West Virginia veterans' organizations began lobbying for a second national cemetery. In 1975, after extensive studies to determine whether or not Grafton could be expanded, authorities determined that the grounds were too steep and the cost too prohibitive. The West Virginia United Veterans National Cemetery Committee was formed and began to pressure the governor and members of the congressional delegation for a new national cemetery.

After extensive negotiations between the Veterans Administration and the state, a 58-acre tract that had been part of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys was selected for use as a new cemetery. The land was transferred, but construction was delayed by inclement weather and negotiations with local contractors. Although construction was incomplete, the cemetery was dedicated September 27, 1987, and opened for interments the following day.

Monuments and Memorials The Industrial School for Boys monument is a granite memorial that was dedicated in 1992. It was erected in memory of residents of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys who were buried at the cemetery between 1890 and 1939.

Notable veterans buried at West Virginia National Cemetery

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

  • Captain Philip Pindall (Revolutionary War). Pindall (1731–1804) was born in Prince George's County, Maryland, to Thomas and Jane Pindall. During the Revolutionary War, he enlisted as a private in Colonel Lemuel Barrett's Regiment of Maryland Militia before gaining a commission as a Captain on May 16, 1778. Pindall died at the age of 73, and was buried in the Wiseman Graveyard near Lowesville, WV before being reinterred at West Virginia National Cemetery on July 23, 1998. He now rests in Section 1, Site 556.

Visiting hours at West Virginia National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the West Virginia National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for West Virginia 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 West Virginia National Cemetery directly at 304-265-2044.

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 West Virginia law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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. 0.1 mi from the cemetery
  2. 5.0 mi from the cemetery
  3. Ford Funeral Home
    Center Line, WV
    6.4 mi from the cemetery
  4. Burnside Funeral Home
    Bridgeport, WV
    6.7 mi from the cemetery
  5. 6.9 mi from the cemetery
  6. 7.5 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at West Virginia National Cemetery

  • Is burial at West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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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