 Beyond the Sunset Past, Present and Future  Chester T. French founded Sunset Memorial Park in 1929. His goal was to provide endowed-care cemetery services to Albuquerque as a perfect tribute to those we love. Over 60 years after the first burial, Sunset is one of the most highly endowed cemeteries in the southwest, with over six million dollars in an endowment trust. The years of Mr. French's dedication and service set the foundation for Sunset to serve the greater Albuquerque community for years to come.On May 30, 1988, Sunset Memorial Park dedicated the newest area of the cemetery. The "Eagle of Freedom" monument was designed to reflect the ideals of religious and personal freedom. It is surrounded by an area of over two acres of spacious, memorial lawn with a breathtaking view of the Sandia mountains. The monument area is surrounded by flower gardens and trees, while maintaining an open park-like setting. It is truly a place of beauty, inspiration, and comfort. The first burial area of Sunset was located at the corner of Edith Blvd. and Menaul Blvd. The large stately trees in this area are a result of the care they have been given in 70 years of life. As Sunset has expanded over the years, new areas of development continue to draw from the rich beauty of our environment. Monuments of hope and inspiration surrounded by beautiful landscapes help to comfort those who visit. Sunset is also preparing for its future. The existing location has at least 20 more years of service left to the Albuquerque community, but that is a very short time frame in comparison to the 74 years of service we have already gone through. We are continuing our tradition of being prepared by getting ready for the eventual completion of the current location. Sunset has purchased 47 acres of land south of our current location. We have also worked to get the proper zoning done, so that the development can move forward whenever we need to. In addition, we have secured water rights which we will use to properly irrigate this piece of land. Regardless of how long it may be before a new location is necessary, Sunset continues our tradition of preparation and planning for the future.
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