anaheim-bulletin 1959-04-27

The Story of Rose Hills (Continued from page 3) stark San Jose Hills with a roseate glow. From time to time as adjoining pieces of property became available John Gregg gained approval from the Board of Trustees to buy them. Now, Destiny doesn't always make it easy for those it has marked. It doesn't say, "Get out of the way, everybody! Here comes my boy!" The next time John Gregg suggested buying more land the President of the Board held up a halting hand. "One of my very good friends came to me some time ago and told me this would happen at Rose Hills," he said. "He told me, 'This fellow John Gregg doesn't make sense. He'll buy so much land that it will break the company.' He just wanted to warn me." "I'll go along with the purchase of this developed for war use would help them do it." They had no thought then of the method they were eventually to inaugurate for Moving Mountains by Magic. They knew these hills and canyons could be reclaimed and that was enough. They kept thinking and talking about it. It would be their first project when the war was ended. So, Rose Hills Memorial Park bought the hills and the canyons—1,800 acres. Another piece of land, 250 acres, was needed to tie the old property to the 1,800 acres, and once again a halting hand was raised when John Gregg went before the Board of Trustees. "Now, Mr. Gregg," said one of the trustees, "why should we buy this land? What can you do with it? We own more than 2,000 acres now!" ing more land the President of the Board held up a halting hand. "One of my very good friends came to me some time ago and told me this would happen at Rose Hills," he said. "He told me, 'This fellow John Gregg doesn't make sense. He'll buy so much land that it will break the company!' He just wanted to warn me. "I'll go along with the purchase of this final piece providing you'll agree not to ask for more. This is the last piece we're going to buy." John Gregg chuckles today when he recalls that scene. "I didn't give him an argument," he says. "It was more an understanding than a binding agreement. Besides, there wasn't any more land available at the time." That's the way things were when Pearl Harbor was bombed and we were in the war. John Gregg went to Panama for the government to build rock plants needed for enlargement of the Canal Locks. After a year he returned and stepped again into the footprints Destiny had set for him. He and Joe Seppi went back one day to that hilltop where he and his father had stood 35 years before. The hills and the canyons were still barren and desolate and useless. But this time it was different. This time John Gregg could see into time and the future as well as distance and space. So could Joe Seppi. The big picture came to them; the picture of contouring the hills to fill in the canyons. Powerful machinery and heavy equipment Another piece of land, 250 acres, was needed to tie the old property to the 1,800 acres, and once again a halting hand was raised when John Gregg went before the Board of Trustees. "Now, Mr. Gregg," said one of the trustees, "why should we buy this land? What can you do with it? We own more than 2,000 acres now!" John Gregg's answer was brief and simple: "I think it's a good thing to do. I just know we will need all this land eventually." The trustees remembered when the President of the Board said he had been told "this fellow John Gregg doesn't make sense." They smiled to each other and voted to buy. But, all this about John Gregg's destiny and his seeing "a long way" and the buying of land and moving of mountains is far from being all of the Rose Hills story. Every newspaperman should not only see his story but feel it and know it. It's what one not only sees but feels and knows at Rose Hills that makes the whole story. You see its beauty, its dignity, its peacefulness, its sincerity. Its beauty is the beauty of nature in the restful green of the gently sloping lawns; the trees that seem to lift "leafy arms in prayer", the lakes and fountains; the growing flowers; its "Pageant of Roses" where more than 4,000 rose bushes (240 varieties) form the most gorgeous garden of its kind in the world. Its dignity is everywhere; in its natural beauty and in the structural lines of its three Powerful machinery and heavy equipment beauty and in the structural lines of its three ending. Artist's conception of future addition to the Mortuary Building 16 churches, its two mausoleums and its administration and mortuary buildings. The churches, Hillside, Rainbow Chapel and Sky Church, are designed so that light dispels darkness. They have simplicity and grandeur. Its mausoleums of enduring stone and marble have peacefulness and sanctity. All this you feel as well as see. You feel as did Shakespeare's Andronicus: "In peace and honour rest you here, Repose you here in rest, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps, Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, Here grow no damned grudges; here are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep; In peace and honour rest you here." And everywhere, too, is the feeling of thoughtfulness and care, of assurance of undisturbed permanency. These are the things that through seeing Los Angeles Beautiful Mrs. Virginia Baldwin, Chairman Pro-Tem When John D. Gregg told us that our fine community beautification program had inspired him to plan the new "Pageant of Here grow no damned grudges; here are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep; In peace and honour rest you here." And everywhere, too, is the feeling of thoughtfulness and care, of assurance of undisturbed permanency. These are the things that through seeing and feeling you know about Rose Hills. They are as real and as true as the land itself. This is no place of artificiality, of cant and hand-rubbing unctuousness. This is no museum. Even the lovely "Pageant of Roses" is remote from hallowed ground. See Rose Hills Memorial Park as I have seen it, know its feeling and its people as I have come to know them in writing this story, and you'll know one more thing as I know it— You'll know Rose Hills has its own destiny. A destiny marked not only by the engineering to provide space and perpetuity but in other thoughtful planning for the future. The younger men John Gregg and Joe Seppi have chosen to eventually carry on in their place are all imbued with the same vision, purpose and dedication to sincere service. These are the things that mean Rose Hills will continue through the years to be Southern California's most preferred memorial park. And so, the Story of Rose Hills has no ending. Los Angeles Beautiful Mrs. Virginia Baldwin, Chairman Pro-Tem When John D. Gregg told us that our fine community beautification program had inspired him to plan the new "Pageant of Roses" at Rose Hills, we were delighted. We are proud to salute the new garden as an important addition to our Los Angeles Beautiful accomplishments, and we feel sure that its beauty will affect the entire area which it serves. Rose Hills is located in the center of one of the fastest-growing areas of the Southland, and one whose future growth is bound to accelerate by leaps and bounds as the population center moves outward. This tremendous growth always creates its share of problems, stemming from the fact that beautification to accompany new streets, new subdivisions, new industries and offices, simply cannot keep up with the pace of construction. That is why we feel that a step like Mr. Gregg's... adding at a great deal of expense a beauty spot like the new "Pageant of Roses"... is a project of which the entire community can be proud. Looking to the The expansion and Rose Hills in its 45-its founding in 1914 remarkable story of the fantastic population surrounding community but it is only the beginnings being made ment insure that Rose program, based on a future of this area, rations to come. The Rose Hills Memorial covering 2645 acres, be developed. The hilling now under way, a article on Page 6, for a carefully planned sections of Rose Hill needed, and projected future. A House In Order Peace of mind achieve when actions in advance Hills. Family At Rose Hills select their memorial vance of need, insurance is put emergency, the tainty and emo of its three ending. A restful section of a beautiful portion of the park in Order Hills. Family At Rose Hills select their memvance of need, insurance is puremergency, the tainty and emoburden of make during a particu Understanding, e counselors are plea at your home to g tails of Rose Hi Need Plans John D. Gregg, president of Rose Hills (right) is congratulated for the development of the Pageant of Roses by two civic leaders dedicated to community beautification—Mrs. Virginia Baldwin, chairman pro-tem of Los Angeles Beautiful, and Arthur S. Stewart, finance chairman for the Southern California Improvement Foundation Looking to the Future Looking to the Future The expansion and development of Rose Hills in its 45-year history, since its founding in 1914, has been a truly remarkable story of growth paralleling the fantastic population increase of the surrounding community it serves . . . but it is only the beginning. Plans being made by today's management insure that Rose Hills' expansion program, based on a firm faith in the future of this area, will care for generations to come. The property owned by Rose Hills Memorial Park Association, covering 2645 acres, has only begun to be developed. The hill moving and grading now under way, and described in the article on Page 6, provides the basis for a carefully planned opening of new sections of Rose Hills year by year, as needed, and projected far into the future. Peace of mind for everyone—easy to achieve when a family makes arrangements in advance for future needs at Rose Hills. Family Memorial Plan At Rose Hills, families are enabled to select their memorial property well in advance of need, in much the same way as insurance is purchased. Then, in time of emergency, the family is spared uncertainty and emotional stress, as well as the time. Considerable savings also are possible through the Before-Need Plan. Before-Need Funeral Plan Years of experience have shown that people do not know which way to turn when they have lost a loved one—even if funds are available. To fill this need, Rose Hills has developed its own Before-Need Funeral Plan, which assures there will be money available through a planned savings program and making it possible for Family Memorial Plan At Rose Hills, families are enabled to select their memorial property well in advance of need, in much the same way as insurance is purchased. Then, in time of emergency, the family is spared uncertainty and emotional stress, as well as the burden of making many arrangements during a particularly difficult and trying Years of experience have shown that people do not know which way to turn when they have lost a loved one—even if funds are available. To fill this need, Rose Hills has developed its own Before-Need Funeral Plan, which assures there will be money available through a planned savings program and making it possible for all details and decisions to be worked out in advance. Understanding, experienced counselors are pleased to call at your home to give the details of Rose Hills Before-Need Plans. Rose Hills Memorial Park 3900 Workman Mill Road Whittier, California Without obligation, please send me information regarding the Rose Hills Before-Need Plans. Name ___ Address___ City ___State___ Telephone Number___