Woodlawn Cemetery is a

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

located at 19975 Woodward Avenue, opposite the

Michigan State Fairgrounds The Michigan State Fair is an annual event originally held from 1849 to 2009 in Detroit, the state's largest city. In 2009 the governor declined to fund it because of other priorities. Because agriculture still has a major place in the Michigan ec ...

, between 7 Mile Road and

8 Mile Road 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...

, in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

History

The cemetery was established in 1895 and immediately attracted some of the most notable names in the city. The grounds encompass and were planned by civil engineer Mason L. Brown and horticulturalist Frank Eurich. At the time of the first burial in 1896, Woodlawn was outside the city limits. Eurich also developed Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo.

Notable burials

* Rev. James Lofton Sr. (1911-1973)- Founder and Pastor of "Church of Our Prayer" in Detroit Michigan * Waldo Avery (1858–1914) – founder of United States Gypsum * Bella Marshall Barden (1950–2012) – wife of

Don H. Barden Don Hamilton Barden (December 20, 1943 – May 19, 2011) was an American casino executive. Barden was the manager, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Majestic Star Casino, LLC, from its formation, with responsibility for key ...

and Wayne County Chief Operating Officer * Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959) – American Poet known as the ''People's poet'' *

(1943–2011) – Casino Gaming and Cable Television Entrepreneur *

Renaldo "Obie" Benson Renaldo "Obie" Benson (June 14, 1936 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was best known as a founding member and the bass singer of Motown group the Four Tops, which he joined in 1953 and continued to perfo ...

(1937–2005) – Member of Motown's Four Tops * Roy D. Chapin (1880–1936) – Industrialist, automaker and

U.S. Secretary of Commerce The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...

* Albert Cobo (1893–1957) – Mayor of Detroit * Howard A. Coffin (1877–1956) – Congressman *

John Blaisdell Corliss John Blaisdell Corliss (June 7, 1851 – December 24, 1929) was an American attorney, historian, and Republican politician from the city of Detroit, Michigan. He served as Detroit City Attorney for four years and represented the city in the U.S ...

(1851–1929) Attorney, Congressman and father-in-law of George M. Holley * James J. Couzens (1872–1936 ) – U.S. Senator and Mayor of Detroit *

Edgar Culbertson Edgar A. Culbertson (October 13, 1935 – April 30, 1967) was a United States Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate First Class (BM1) who died while trying to rescue three teenage brothers during a fierce storm in Duluth, Minnesota. Rescue Meteorologists ...

(1935–1967) – U.S. Coast Guardsman and recipient of the

Coast Guard Medal The Coast Guard Medal is a decoration of the United States military that is awarded to any service member who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Coast Guard, distinguishes themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with ...

Anna Thompson Dodge Anna Thompson Dodge (7 August 1866 – 2 June 1970) was a Scottish-American socialite and philanthropist, one of the richest women in the world at the time of her death. Life and family She was born on 7 August 1866 in Dundee, Scotland, as Ann ...

(1866–1970) – Widow of Horace Dodge and philanthropist *

Horace Elgin Dodge Horace Elgin Dodge Sr. (May 17, 1868 – December 10, 1920) was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company. Early years and business He was born in Niles, Michigan, on May 17, 1868.Burton, Clarence M., ...

(1868–1920) – Businessman and co-founder of Dodge Motors *

John Francis Dodge John Francis Dodge (October 25, 1864 – January 14, 1920) was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company. Biography Dodge was born in Niles, Michigan, where his father ran a foundry and machine s ...

(1864–1920) – Businessman and co-founder of Dodge Motors *

George Duffield, Jr. George Duffield Jr. D.D. (September 12, 1818 – July 6, 1888) was an American Presbyterian minister and hymnodist. He was born on September 12, 1818, the fifth such George Duffield. His father, George Duffield IV (1794–1868), was also a Presbyt ...

(1818–1888) – Presbyterian minister and composer of ''Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus'' * Dee Edwards (1945–2006) – Soul singer * Daisy Elliott (1917–2015) – Author and Co-sponsor of Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Delegate to 1961–62

Constitution of Michigan The Constitution of the State of Michigan is the governing document of the U.S. state of Michigan. It describes the structure and function of the state's government. There have been four constitutions approved by the people of Michigan. The fi ...

convention and Michigan State Representative * Homer S. Ferguson (1889–1982) – U.S. Senator, judge and diplomat *

Edsel Ford Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943) was an American business executive and philanthropist who was the son of pioneering industrialist Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant Ford. He was the president of Ford Motor Company f ...

(1893–1943) –

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president and son of

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that ...

Eleanor Clay Ford Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943) was an American business executive and philanthropist who was the son of pioneering industrialist Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant Ford. He was the president of Ford Motor Company f ...

(1896–1976) – Wife of Edsel Ford and niece of retailer J. L. Hudson * William Clay Ford, Sr. (1925–2014) – grandchild of Henry Ford * Aretha Franklin (1942–2018),

Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

and Rhythm & Blues (R&B) singer known as ''The Queen of Soul'' * Clarence L. (C.L.) Franklin (1915–1984) – Baptist minister and father of singers Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin and Erma Franklin *

Carolyn Franklin Carolyn Ann Franklin (May 13, 1944 – April 25, 1988) was an American singer-songwriter. Besides her own musical success, Franklin was best known as the daughter of prominent Detroit preacher and civil rights activist C. L. Franklin and the youn ...

(1944–1988) – Gospel and R&B singer and younger sister of Aretha Franklin *

Erma Franklin Erma Vernice Franklin (March 13, 1938 – September 7, 2002) was an American gospel and soul singer. Franklin was the elder sister of American singer/musician Aretha Franklin. Franklin's best known recording was the original version of " Piece of ...

(1938–2002) – Gospel and R&B singer and older sister of Aretha Franklin * Harvey Fruehauf (1893–1968) – son of August Fruehauf and president of Fruehauf Trailer Corporation *

Susie Garrett Susie Garrett (December 29, 1929 – May 24, 2002) was an American actress of theatre and television, jazz vocalist and acting teacher. She is best known for playing Cherie's grandmother Betty Johnson on the NBC series ''Punky Brewster''. Person ...

(1929–2002) – Actress, star of

Punky Brewster ''Punky Brewster'' is an American Situation comedy, sitcom television series about a young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) being raised by a foster parent (George Gaynes). The show ran on NBC from September 16, 1984, to March 9, 1986, and again in Broad ...

and sister of actress

Marla Gibbs Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer, whose career spans six decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in th ...

* Alex Groesbeck (1873–1953) – Michigan Governor and Attorney General * Major Edward Hartwick (1871-1918) – Military officer and lumberman *

Frank J. Hecker Frank J. Hecker (July 6, 1846 - 1927) was an American businessman in the railroad-car manufacturing business. Hecker was from Detroit, Michigan. Early life Frank J. Hecker was born in Freedom, Michigan (in Washtenaw County) on July 6, 1846.

(1846–1927) – Railroad car manufacturer and business partner of art collector

Charles Lang Freer Charles Lang Freer (February 25, 1854 – September 25, 1919) was an American industrialist, art collector, and patron. He is known for his large collection of East Asian, American, and Middle Eastern Art. In 1906, Freer donated his extensive col ...

* Billy Henderson (1939–2007) – Lead singer of The Spinners * George M. Holley Sr. (1878–1963) – Automotive engineer, designer and founder of Holley Carburetor * DeShaun Dupree "Proof" Holton (1973–2006) – Rap musician * Joseph L. Hudson (1846–1912) – Department store magnate *

James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases ...

(1938–1983) – Motown bass guitarist * James (Prophet) Jones (1907–1971) – prominent national and local religious leader during the 1940s and 1950s who was the first African American televangelist of Detroit and founder of the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God, Inc. *

Marv Johnson Marvin Earl Johnson (October 15, 1938 – May 16, 1993) was an American R&B singer, songwriter and pianist. He was influential in the development of the Motown style of music, primarily for the song " Come to Me," which was the first record iss ...

(1938–1993) – Motown/R&B singer *

Julanne Johnston Julanne Johnston (May 1, 1900 – December 26, 1988) was an American silent film actress. Biography Johnston was born and educated in Indianapolis, Indiana, then her family moved to Hollywood. There she took dancing lessons at the Denishawn S ...

(1900–1988) – Silent Film actress *

Ed Killian Edwin Henry Killian (November 12, 1876 – July 18, 1928), nicknamed "Twilight Ed" and the "Twilight Twirler", was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Killian played professional baseball from 1902 to 1912, including seven ...

(1876–1928) – Major League Baseball pitcher *

Alfred Lucking Alfred Lucking (December 18, 1856 – December 1, 1929) was an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, and was general counsel for the Ford Motor C ...

(1856–1929) – Congressman *

Frederick C. Martindale Frederick C. Martindale (December 18, 1865September 21, 1928) was a Michigan politician. Early life Martindale was born in Canada West on December 18, 1865. Martindale was born to parents Wales C. and Clara Martindale. Career Martindale was a l ...

(1865-1928) –

Michigan Secretary of State The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections. The Secretary of State is the third-highest official in the State of Michigan. A ...

* Wade H. McCree (1920–1987) – Lawyer, judge, and

U.S. Solicitor General The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021. The United States solicitor general represent ...

* Blair Moody (1902–1954) – US Senator and newspaper reporter * Elijah E. Myers (1832–1909) – Architect of the

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

State Capitols *

James K. Okubo James K. Okubo (May 30, 1920 – January 29, 1967) was a United States Army soldier.Kakesako, Gregg K"AJA medic’s medal may be upgraded,"''Honolulu Star-Bulletin,'' September 15, 2009; 2012-12-29. He was a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Ho ...

(1920–1967) –

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

US Army recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

Hazen Pingree Hazen Stuart Pingree (August 30, 1840 – June 18, 1901) was a four-term Republican mayor of Detroit (1889–1897) and the 24th Governor of the U.S. State of Michigan (1897–1901). A Yankee who migrated from New England, he was a successful Rep ...

(1840–1901) – Detroit Mayor and Michigan Governor *

Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "th ...

(1913–2005) – Civil Rights activist * Edward Patten (1939–2005) – Member of

Gladys Knight & The Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simply ...

* Lawrence Payton (1938–1997) – Member of Motown's Four Tops *

Barbara Randolph Barbara Randolph (May 5, 1942July 15, 2002), also known as Barbara Ann Sanders, was an American soul singer and actress who recorded for Motown Records in the 1960s. Biography She was born in Detroit and was adopted by the actress Lillian Randol ...

(1942–2002) – Motown/R&B singer *

David Ruffin David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...

(1941–1991) – Lead singer of

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

Ed Siever Edward Tilden Siever (April 2, 1875 – February 4, 1920) was an American baseball pitcher. He played professional baseball for 12 seasons from 1899 to 1910, including seven years in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers (1901–1902, 1906 ...

(1875-1920) - Major League baseball pitcher *

Levi Stubbs Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, June 6, 1936 – October 17, 2008) was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the R&B group the Four Tops, who released a variety of Motown hit records during the 1960s and 1970s. He h ...

(1936–2008) – Lead singer of Motown's Four Tops * George W. Trendle (1884–1972) – Creator of

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and

The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of med ...

Carl M. Weideman Carl May Weideman (March 5, 1898 – March 5, 1972) was a naval officer, politician and jurist from the U.S. state of Michigan. Biography Weideman was born of German ancestry in Detroit, Michigan and attended the public schools. He also attende ...

(1898–1972) – Congressman *

Ronald White Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'', Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English '' Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised form of ...

(1938–1995) – Member of Motown's

The Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

Richard Storrs Willis Richard Storrs Willis (February 10, 1819 – May 10, 1900) was an American composer, mainly of hymn music. His best known melody is probably the one called, simply, '' Carol''. This is the standard tune, in the United States, though not in Great B ...

(1819–1900) – Composer of ''

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", sometimes rendered as "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", is an 1849 poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. In 1850, Sears' lyrics were set ...

'' and other hymns * Earl Wilson (1934–2005) – Major League baseball pitcher *

Matilda Dodge Wilson Matilda Dodge Wilson (née Rausch; October 19, 1883 – September 19, 1967), was born Matilda Rausch in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. Ranked as one of the wealthiest women in the world, Dodge-Wilson was the widow of John Francis Dodge, who co-foun ...

– (1883–1967) Widow of John Dodge and Alfred Wilson, benefactor of Michigan State University – now Oakland University and Detroit's Music Hall and Lieutenant Governor of Michigan *

Pop Winans David Glenn Winans Sr. (April 20, 1934 – April 8, 2009), better known to the general public as "Pop" Winans, was an American gospel music singer and band manager. Winans was best known as the manager of the gospel group The Winans during its ear ...

(1934–2009) –

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

singer and patriarch of the gospel group the

Winans family The Winans family is a U.S. family of gospel music artists from Detroit, Michigan. Family members * David "Pop" Winans Sr. (father; b. April 20, 1934 – d. April 8, 2009) * Delores "Mom" Winans (mother; b. September 22, 1936) * David Winans ...

Ronald Winans Ronald "Ron" Winans (June 30, 1956 – June 17, 2005) was an American Gospel singer who gained fame as a member of The Winans. Biography Early years Ronald Winans was born the second of 10 children to David and Delores Winans. Musical and bus ...

(1956–2005) –

singer and member of the gospel group the

* There is one British Commonwealth war grave of a Canadian Private who served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and died in 1919. Bishop John Seth Bailey (1896-1984) First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ.

References

Sources

* Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, ''Cemetery Sculpture in America'', unpublished manuscript * Nawrocki, Dennis Alan and Thomas J. Holleman, ''Art in Detroit Public Places'',

Wayne State University Press Wayne State University Press (or WSU Press) is a university press that is part of Wayne State University. It publishes under its own name and also the imprints Imprint or imprinting may refer to: Entertainment * ''Imprint'' (TV series), ...

, Detroit, Michigan, 1980 * Northup, A. Dale, ''Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery'',

Arcadia Publishing Arcadia Publishing is an American publisher of neighborhood, local, and regional history of the United States in pictorial form.(analysis of the successful ''Images of America'' series). Arcadia Publishing also runs the History Press, which publ ...

, 2003

External links

The Political Graveyard – Politicians buried in Woodlawn Cemetery

Woodlawn Cemetery
at Find A Grave
Woodlawn Cemetery website
{{Coord, 42.4419, -83.1261, type:landmark_region:US-MI, display=title Cemeteries in Michigan Geography of Detroit Protected areas of Wayne County, Michigan Tourist attractions in Detroit 1895 establishments in Michigan