Calvary Cemetery in Tacoma
5212 70th St. West
Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington 98467
253-472-8875
Also known as Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Directions
From Interstate 5, take the exit for South 74th Street. Head west until you reach Lakewood Drive West. Turn right onto Lakewood Drive West, heading north to 70th Street West. The cemetery will be on your right.
History
Thanks to the efforts of forward-thinking citizens, Seattle Bishop Edward O’Dea granted permission to establish a new Catholic Cemetery Association. Tacoma was a thriving city with a growing church community at the time. In October 1905, Calvary Cemetery filed its Articles of Incorporation and officially became incorporated. Meanwhile, the Tacoma Pioneer Catholic Cemetery was reaching capacity, and additional burial space was needed, but no funds were available for expansion.
Land adjacent to the Tacoma Pioneer Catholic Cemetery was acquired, and lots were sold to the community. Since then, more than 27,000 burials have taken place at Calvary Cemetery, which has become one of the finest cemeteries in the area. The Association that operates the cemetery is governed by a six-member board of directors who live, work, and worship in our community.
The cemetery spans 55 acres, with three-fourths of this space developed and actively used. It was specifically founded to serve the Catholic community in the area. A designated section, known as the Sisters’ plot, is reserved for the nuns who have served the local community. At the heart of this plot stands a monumental Crucifixion statue, a symbol of profound reverence, beneath which Reverend Father Peter Hylebos is buried.
In 1933, a fire destroyed many burial records, resulting in numerous burials remaining undocumented due to missing markers or unmarked graves. However, in 1956, the cemetery took significant steps towards growth and development by expanding its facilities. The addition of a mausoleum called “The Cloisters,” with sections named after Saints, marked a new chapter in the cemetery’s history. The roads within the cemetery are also named in honor of Saints. In 1957, the Visitation Chapel and Garden Mausoleum were dedicated, and new niches were added to the mausoleum in 1980, 1987, 1998, and 2005.
