BETHANY CEMETERY

Bethany Cemetery was established in 1931. It is located in Southwest Jefferson Co. at the intersection of Hwy 841 (Snyder Freeway) and Dixie Highway. Bethany Cemetery is owned and operated by the Keith Family of Elizabethtown and the McBroom Family of Louisville. Bethany Cemetery is a good example of a family owned and operated cemetery. There are nine family members who are involved with the everyday operations of Bethany from management to sales to maintenance. Over the years Bethany has experienced steady growth as it continues to concentrate on pre-need sales to families through out Louisville and Jefferson Co. Since 1974 Bethany has developed a mausoleum and opened ten new gardens. One of these sections is our "Estate Section" which encourages families to purchase large blocks of spaces that can be used by their family for years to come. The aggressive pursuit of pre-need sales has resulted in eight of these sections being 3/4 sold. Bethany Cemetery is always looking for new ways to assist the families it serves. This past year Bethany has been providing a licensed counselor to its property owners to assist them with making pre-arrangements. While the program is relatively new, the response by our property owners has been very good.

The owners of Bethany Cemetery are very excited about the future. With the development of the Riverport Area, Southwest Jefferson County has experienced a considerable amount of growth. We have always felt that the community cemetery serves the families that make up the history of the community. The Moreman House is a local attraction, which is visited by many families each year. Many of the Moreman Family descendants are buried here. A look into the records of Bethany Cemetery will show the names of many families whose farmland at one time made Southwest Jefferson County.

The opening of the Gene Snyder Freeway a few years ago broadened Bethany Cemetery's out reach from a community cemetery to one that is easily accessible from virtually all portions of Jefferson County. It is only a short 15minute drive from Preston Highway to Bethany Cemetery via the Gene Snyder Freeway.

We have a tremendous amount of property left to develop here at Bethany Cemetery. We are presently looking into a number of projects that we feel will continue to assist families here in the community. Projects we are considering are a direct result from conversations we have had with our property owners. Presently we are looking into the development of a new section and the construction of a chapel mausoleum. We are also considering the impact of a funeral home on the grounds.

Few businesses today have the obligation or commitment that a cemetery has to the families it serves. That is why we feel it is so important for us to continue to look at new areas for growth.

Cullen McBroom