The Northern California Veterans Cemetery
How Did It All Begin?
In the late 1980s, a grass-roots movement started by veterans took shape in Redding to establish
a state-owned veterans cemetery in the northern region of the state. A shortage of veterans'
cemeteries in California had been the impetus for the building of new interment sites to serve the
aging veteran population. Shasta County was a natural choice for a new veterans cemetery due to its
northern position in the state; of the six national veterans cemeteries in California, only two are
open to new interments, and neither is located in the northern part of the state. Additionally, the
County of Shasta was willing to convey land to the State to facilitate the building of a new veterans
cemetery. As the movement gained momentum over the years, many individuals began to voice support for
the project. Shasta county officials, local veterans organizations, Congressman Wally Herger, the
California Veterans Cemetery Association, and numerous other government officials rallied behind the
proposal and, after several years, an advisory committee was formed. Soon after, the state legislature
was approached with the idea and Assembly Bill 2229 was crafted to determine the feasibility of a state
veterans cemetery in Shasta County.
Site in Shasta County
AB 2229 (Statutes of 1996, Chapter 1128) by then-Assembly Member Tom Woods, required the California
Department of Veterans Affairs, in cooperation with the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, to conduct
a feasibility study for a state-owned and operated veterans cemetery in Shasta County. Following the
successful completion of that study, Senator Maurice Johannessen, a cemetery proponent from Redding
(appointed Secretary of CDVA by Governor Davis in December 2002), authored SB 4 (Statutes of 1999,
Chapter 604), which directed CDVA to design, develop and construct a state veterans' cemetery in Shasta
County.
CDVA secured federal funding for construction of the cemetery via the National Cemetery Administration,
a division of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA), which provides 100% of the
development cost for approved state cemetery projects. In collaboration with the Shasta County Board of
Supervisors and the Department of General Services (DGS) Project Management Branch, a Master Development
Plan was created and submitted to the USDVA State Cemetery Grant Program in Washington, D.C. CDVA
received word from USDVA on December 15, 2000 that the project was eligible for participation in the
program and the Northern California Veterans Cemetery was born.
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
An official groundbreaking ceremony for the cemetery was held on the site in Shasta County on June 1,
2002. More than 400 people, including dignitaries and 30 north state veterans organizations, attended
the event, hosted by Shasta County Board of Supervisors. (See photos)
The Jefferson Pipes Band
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Senator K. Maurice Johannessen
speaks at NCVC groundbreaking
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The Jefferson Pipes Band of Bag-Pipers opened the ceremony followed by the Central Valley High Marching
Band. Stephanie Bouchard, a 13-year-old from Millville and Kyle Duke, an Anderson High School senior,
performed vocal solos. Shasta County Supervisor Irwin Fust led the formal ceremony with introductions.
Speakers included Shasta County Supervisors Irwin Fust and Shasta County Supervisor Molly Wilson, VA
National Cemetery Director Steve Muro, Congressman Wally Herger, former CDVA Secretary Bruce Thiesen,
Senator K. Maurice Johannessen, Assemblyman Richard Dickerson, and Leo Burke, Chair of the Governor's
Commission on Veteran's Homes. Special recognition went to Mrs. Mary Kilbane, mother of the late Michael
Kilbane, Director of CDVA Cemetery and Memorial Affairs and Mrs. Bill "Jo" Harley, widow of Bill Harley,
a Shasta County veteran's advocate.
Clearing Brush for Northern California State Veterans Cemetery