Cemeteries of Western New York

04/14/2026

A Titanic Survivor’s Story
Dr. Alice Leader held her ticket—No. 17465, First Class—as she boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton. It was going to be a fantastic way to end her three-month journey to Cuba, Panama, Paris, and London with her friend Margaret Swift.
Born May 10, 1862, in Batavia, New York, to Frances Humphreys and Reuben Farnham, Alice had graduated from Attica Union Academy, earned her medical degree from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, and built a respected career alongside her husband, Dr. John Leader, who died in 1900.
On April 14, 1912, the night was clear, cold, and still.
It was 11:40 pm and Alice had just returned to her stateroom when everything changed.
“I heard a crash accompanied by a pronounced jarring of the ship…” but that didn’t really faze her.
Shortly after, a friend stopped by and said they had hit an iceberg. The ship was taking on water. She got dressed, headed up, and saw ice all over the deck, but there was no panic. Alice recalled, “we all knew we were in danger but believed the Titanic unsinkable.”
On deck, she was told to board Lifeboat 8 with Mrs. Swift and an acquaintance, Mrs. Kenyon, whose husband remained behind. Ida Straus was also told to board but famously refused to do so without her husband and then gave her fur coat to her maid on the lifeboat. The Strauses were last seen together, hand in hand.
Lifeboat 8, built for 65, lowered just after 1:00 a.m., with only 28 aboard—many wearing nothing more than their nightgowns. The captain told them to row toward a distant light.
As they rowed away, Alice watched as the bow sank, the stern rose, and the lights—and music—faded into darkness.
Then came the haunting cries- “Never… will I forget those cries.” She said.
Minutes later, silence.
Through the freezing night, exhausted and exposed, they rowed on—until dawn, when the RMS Carpathia rescued them.
Afterward, Dr. Leader continued her work in women’s and children’s medicine.
She passed away on April 20, 1944, at age 81. She rests at Forest Hill Cemetery—a woman who left her mark both as a physician and as a witness to one of history’s notable tragedies.

04/02/2026

On Friday, April 3, 2026, all offices in the Forest Lawn Group will close at 12:00pm. Gates will remain open until 7pm. We will reopen on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at 8:30 AM.

If you have questions, please call us at (716) 885-1600.

03/26/2026

Discover Lakeside Cemetery, one of Western New York’s most unexpected places of beauty.

Beyond the entrance, the landscape opens into sweeping green space, towering trees, and quiet moments of reflection. With historic roots and newer offerings like The Oaks, it’s a setting that invites you to slow down and take it in.

Forest Lawn

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03/25/2026

There’s something about St. Matthews Cemetery. Step inside and the noise of the world seems to fade.

From the quiet beauty of the Garden of St. Mark to a strong sense of family, tradition, and honor for those who served, this is more than a place, it’s a community. See why so many families choose to be part of it through the Forest Lawn Group.

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03/08/2026

A Tribute to Pioneer and Women’s Rights Activist Dr. Marie Ross Wolcott
Today, on International Women’s Day, we remember Dr. Marie Ross Wolcott—a 19th-century scientist, educator, and suffragist whose courage and determination helped open doors for generations of women who followed.
Born in January 1870 in Buffalo, NY, Marie was one of four daughters of Sarah Moore and James Ross. She attended Central High School and went on to graduate from the University of Buffalo’s Medical School in 1887, during a time when women in medicine were rare. She was the youngest in her class. Eager to learn, she continued her studies at Cornell University.
In the early 1900s, she married Dr. James Wolcott and lived in Chicago and Texas. After her husband’s death, she returned to Buffalo to become the head of the biology department at the newly opened Lafayette High School. For the next 20 years, Dr. Wolcott, “captured the hearts of her pupils… aroused them in intellectual curiosity… (and) was an excellent teacher….” (TBT 2/9/1927).
Dr. Wolcott’s contributions to science education spanned across New York State. Not only did she write biological treatises (comprehensive analyses of scientific principles), but she was highly regarded by the New York State Education Department, which often asked her to consult on Regents examination questions and help to develop biology courses.
Marie was also deeply committed to women’s rights. Her voice joined many others pushing the nation toward equality, and alongside her sisters Alice and Isabelle, Dr. Wolcott supported the suffrage movement, speaking publicly in 1913 against the claim that women were “not intelligent enough to vote,” a right that she would see realized in her lifetime.
Dr. Marie Ross Wolcott passed away on February 8, 1927, less than a year after retiring from Lafayette High School. She is laid to rest in Block A, lot 136 at Lakeside Cemetery. Her legacy lives on in the students she inspired, the barriers she broke, and a scholarship at the University of Buffalo that proudly bears her name.

02/27/2026

Booker T. Spurlock – From Army to Air Force

When you read the marker of Booker T. Spurlock, you’ll see the words: “PFC U.S. Air Force, WWII,” but his draft papers show that he enlisted in the Army. It may seem unusual, but it reflects a pivotal moment in American military history.

At 18, Booker was working at the Bethlehem Steel Plant when he enlisted on May 28, 1945, serving as an airman under the U.S. Army because the U.S. Air Force did not yet exist as its own branch. It wasn’t until 1947, after World War II had ended, that President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, formally establishing the United States Air Force as an independent branch.

Private Spurlock was among the many Army servicemen who transitioned into the newly created Air Force. Booker was born on May 12, 1927, in Camden, South Carolina, to Josephine Lawhorne and James Spurlock, and he was just two years old when his family moved to Lackawanna, New York.

As a Private First Class during the 1947 restructuring, Booker witnessed many changes not only from Army green to Air Force blue, but from propeller-driven aircraft to jets, and from the end of World War II into the dawn of the Cold War and the Korean conflict.

After completing his service in 1949, Spurlock returned to Lackawanna and Bethlehem Steel, working as a third helper in the furnace room. The job was grueling: preparing and rebuilding furnace linings after each charge — it was hot, labor-intensive work that demanded endurance and skill. He devoted 27 years to the plant before retiring in 1969.

In September 1956, Booker married Maria Villaneuva Gwinn, and together they raised ten children.

Booker T. Spurlock passed away on March 4, 1984. He rests in the Garden of St. Luke, Lot 433, at St. Matthew’s Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group.


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01/27/2026

A Tribute to Stephen Szyszka on Holocaust Remembrance Day
Today, we mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945 and pause to honor the life of Stefan (Stephen) Szyszka, a man who survived and witnessed the liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
Stefan was born on July 19, 1924, in Galicia, Poland (now part of Ukraine), one of four sons of Alexandra Chuchman and Ivan Szyszka. At 17, he was living in the German-occupied village of Lubecko when, on February 20, 1942, he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a N**i Youth Camp. Two years later, on May 23, 1944, he was transferred to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, located in a wooded area in eastern-central Germany.
Built in 1937, Buchenwald was surrounded by electrified barbed wire, watchtowers, and machine guns, and became one of the largest camps in the German Reich. The camp focused on forced labor and was known for beatings, disease, and harsh working conditions. Prisoners survived on two ounces of watery soup and a few slices of bread per day. Conditions were so severe that more than forty prisoners died each day from cold and starvation alone.
Stefan endured the camp for more than a year and a half until, on April 11, 1945, weak and starving prisoners tried to seize control of Buchenwald, which was finally liberated with help from U.S. Army troops later that day.
After the war, Stefan began rebuilding his life and, on January 7, 1949, left Hamburg aboard the USS Marine Flasher, bound for the United States. He settled in Buffalo, where he worked as a machinist at the Chevy Motor Plant, married Gloria Czeslawa Choma on June 28, 1952, and devoted himself to his family, faith, and community through the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Scouting Organization.
Stephen Szyszka passed away on May 1, 2014, at age 89. He is buried in the Garden of St. Luke, lot 521, at St. Matthew’s Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group. His life is a reminder of both suffering and resilience, embodying the meaning of this day.

12/19/2025

Yes, readers, there is a Fisher- and a Price!
They may differ in size, shape, and style. Wood before plastic. Pull toys, then poppers, and “Little People”- but for nearly 100 years, generations of children around the world have joyfully unwrapped one of them on Christmas morning. They are Fisher-Price toys.
And if a child- like “Virginia”- who asked if Santa was real, were to ask whether Fisher and Price exist, the answer would be just as certain- yes!
Herman Guy Fisher was born on November 2, 1898, in Unionville, PA, to Mary Zimmerman and Elwood Fisher. From the start, his life was shaped by determination. While studying business at Penn State, Herman held several jobs to help pay for school, including selling brushes door-to-door, clerking at a clothing store, and working at a movie theater.
In October 1918, Fisher enlisted in the Army. Although he never saw combat, he completed basic training in Plattsburg, NY, and was discharged just before Christmas that year.
By 1921, Fisher had earned his degree and soon moved to Rochester, where he took a job at All Fair, Inc., a toy manufacturing plant, and rose to the executive ranks. When his plan to buy the company failed, Fisher, along with his friends Helen Schelle, a Binghamton toy shop owner, and their “angel donor,” the mayor of East Aurora, Irving L. Fisher, founded Fisher-Price Toys in 1930 during the Great Depression.
The company set down roots behind Vidler’s, in the heart of East Aurora. Their toys were designed not only to entertain but also to encourage curiosity, spark imagination, and help young minds grow.
And like the editor, who reminded Virginia that things such as imagination are real—whether we see them or not- Fisher-Price trusted in what children feel (as studied in their “toy labs”) and in the belief in a world we cannot see.
Herman Guy Fisher passed away on September 26, 1975, at 76. He rests in section 5, lot 1029 at Oakwood Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group.
Fisher was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 1985, and his legacy lives on in the laughter of children and the joy of play- because “fun never gets old.”

12/09/2025

We are incredibly honored to share that Forest Lawn has been selected as the 2025 American Cemetery Excellence Award winner. This recognition reflects a remarkable year of community engagement, historic celebration, and the dedicated work of our entire team.

Thank you, Buffalo, for embracing our mission and helping us honor 175 years of history, remembrance, and service.

Congratulations to the other finalist cemeteries from across the country also recognized by American Cemetery & Cremation. Thank you, Kates-Boylston Publications. See less

11/29/2025

National Square-Dancing Day
Put on your dancing shoes, grab your partner, and get ready to swing them by the hand because every November 29th, we celebrate National Square-Dancing Day!
No one knows exactly how this day began, but the American square-dancing style we know today has its roots in English, Irish, and Scottish folk dances of the 17th century.
Historically, square dancing brought communities together in barns, churches, saloons, and community centers—featuring lively fiddles, accordions, pianos, and guitars, along with a caller who directs dancers through allemandes, do-si-dos, and promenades in circles, lines, and, of course, squares.
The Western square dance became such an iconic part of American life that in 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill declaring it the National Folk Dance of the United States. Today, it’s also the official dance of 19 states.
Among the many who loved to twirl across the floor were Francis and Joseph McCrary, longtime square-dance enthusiasts who, over the years, belonged to three different clubs— both locally in Warsaw, NY, and even one in Florida!
Francis, born in Arcade on August 23, 1927, grew up on a cattle and dairy farm. Joseph was born in Rochester on December 31, 1920, and later moved with his family to California, but Joseph returned to New York in his early twenties to start farming. On February 15, 1942, at age 21, he registered for the Army.
Francis and Joseph married on September 2, 1945, and raised five children—some of whom shared their parents’ love of dancing.
Joseph spent years farming during the day and worked nights as a superintendent at Morton Salt, yet somehow still found time to dance and even play piano at dances for more than 50 years.
Francis passed on May 5, 2006, at age 78, and Joseph followed less than a year later, on January 18, 2007, at age 86. Today, they rest together in lot 396 at Freedom Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group.
So go on—grab a partner, give it a whirl, and celebrate National Square-Dancing Day… you just might become a hoedowner yourself!

11/18/2025

National Apple Cider Day
Ah, fall. The air turns crisp, the ground softens, leaves crunch beneath our feet, and nearby, the warm scent of apple cider fills the air. For many Western New Yorkers, visiting a local orchard has become a fall tradition—but these orchards aren’t just seasonal attractions; they’re connected to the region’s earliest history, dating back to the early 1800s when settlers first arrived along the shores of Lake Erie.
Soon after those first plantings, mills began to appear, pressing apples into cider that helped families survive the winters.
Ideal conditions helped WNY become a major apple-growing region. The best apples were sold at market, others were stored for everyday use, and the rest were pressed into cider or vinegar and stored in barrels.
Michael K. Snyder, the namesake of Snyder, NY, built one of the area’s first Cider Mills. Born in Dauphin, Pennsylvania, in 1821, he was the second son of Veronica Schenck and Abraham Snyder. The family moved to Amherst in 1823 and settled in a log cabin.
When Michael was only 12 years old, his father died tragically, and he quickly took on adult responsibilities, working with his uncle at their mercantile shop in front of their Main St. home—located along a busy route toward Buffalo.
Michael married Catherine Halter in 1851, raised ten children, and became one of the community's best-known residents. Over time, along with the cider mill, he built a blacksmith shop, wagon works, and a rug shop. Michael also served as postmaster, Town Supervisor, and auctioneer.
Michael K. Snyder passed away on December 1, 1902, at age 82. He rests in Section D, row 1, at Williamsville Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group.
And while Snyder’s mill no longer exists, the cider industry remains strong in our region. So today, have a glass of cider—warm, cold, spiced, or straight from the mill—and think about the early pioneers whose cider was both a drink to enjoy and a means of their survival; and remember Michael K. Snyder, whose dedication and spirit helped shape a community.

11/11/2025

Honoring Col. Spittler
This Veterans Day, we honor the life of Col. Donald “Duke” J. Spittler — a man whose life was defined by courage, service, and heart.
Born above his father’s general store on May 11, 1919, in Lakeview, NY, Duke was the youngest of five children. He spent his childhood ice fishing on Lake Erie, exploring 18 Mile Creek, and taking the train to high school in Lackawanna. In 1940, Spittler graduated from Cornell with a degree in wildlife biology and then enlisted in the army.
By 1944, Duke had been promoted to Battery Commander with the 99th Infantry, and in November that year, the unit was assigned to relieve soldiers in the Ardennes Forest. On December 16, shortly after their arrival, the inexperienced unit found itself at the center of a surprise attack by German forces —the last major German offensive, known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Confronted with freezing weather and continuous assaults, Duke recalled that they “lived in holes in the earth, almost always with wet feet and wet clothing.” The unit suffered heavy losses but held its position, preventing the Germans from crossing the Meuse River. Spittler was later wounded near the Danube and spent months in a French hospital after V-E Day.
Duke received the Bronze Star for meritorious service in “molding his battery into an effective fighting force… [and] his constant concern for the welfare of his troops, his aid to the wounded, and his friendly words of encouragement to the battle-weary, which enabled his men to carry on with renewed efforts against enemy forces."
In 1949, Duke married Anne Homen and they raised four children. He continued serving in the Army Reserve until retiring as a Colonel in 1975. He also dedicated himself to his community and worked for the NYSD of Conservation, restoring forests and creating habitats.
In 1986, Col. Spittler was inducted into the Army Artillery Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame.
Donald “Duke” J. Spittler died on August 30, 2010, at age 91, leaving a legacy of leadership and service to his country and community. He rests in Block G, lot 46, at Lakeside Cemetery, part of the Forest Lawn Group.