The Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (NWVMC) located near Spooner, WI provides a final resting place for eligible veterans, spouses and dependents and creates a lasting memorial to their achievement and sacrifices.
The cemetery is situated on land donated by Washburn County and other parcels privately purchased by the State. The cemetery is surrounded by forest and provides a welcoming north woods atmosphere. Ground breaking occurred October 16, 1998 with construction beginning April of 2000. The cemetery began interments on November 10, 2000, and was officially dedicated on June 10, 2001. The initial phase of construction included burial for casket and cremation urns. Phase 2 of construction was completed January 2008. Phase 2 included additions to the columbarium, a new cremation garden, a cremation scattering area and an outside dealer vault garden. Phase 3 will take place in 2023 and will add additional columbarium space, cremation urn space and associated facility improvements.
The cemetery administrative building includes an indoor committal chapel for interment services. An outdoor committal shelter is used for services as weather permits. The cemetery also hosts veterans’ events and commemorations in its ceremonial area and flag plaza.
The cemetery inters caskets and cremation urns year-round. Cremated remains may be interred either in ground, in an above ground columbarium or in a scattering area that allows families to place cremated remains in-ground without a burial container. All internments are memorialized with a government marker that will include the veteran’s name, rank, branch of service, war period, birth date, death date and spousal information. Families also have the option of adding an additional inscription/term of endearment to their loved ones’ marker if space is available on the marker.
The cemetery is conveniently located along Highway 53 between Eau Claire and Superior.