- WHO WE ARE - ABOUT US
SINCE 1868
A MEMORIAL PARK, CHAPEL & MORTUARY
ROOTED IN COMMUNITY CARE
THE second-OLDEST Family Owned and Operated CEMETERY IN San Diego County
La Vista Memorial Park is the only family owned and operated memorial park in San Diego County. We have a proud heritage of serving San Diego families since 1868, and we have a reputation for putting families first for all of the more than over 150 years we’ve been here to serve. At La Vista Memorial Park & Mortuary, everything we do begins with that understanding. We exist to walk beside you on some of the hardest days of your life — listening, guiding, and gently taking on the details you shouldn’t have to carry alone. Whether you come to us in immediate need or are planning ahead, you’ll find a calm, caring team and a peaceful place to honor a life in a way that feels true to your family.
WHAT MAKES LA VISTA DIFFERENT
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
In a moment of loss, you shouldn’t have to juggle multiple locations, unfamiliar providers, and confusing choices. La Vista brings everything together in one place, with one team you can trust. Our team includes funeral directors, family service advisors, chapel staff, and groundskeepers who have dedicated their careers to serving grieving families. Many have been here for years; some have cared for multiple generations within the same family.
What Truly Makes Us Special
- Value & Price – For the price La Vista provides the best value for the money
- A True All-In-One Location – A Memorial park, mortuary, chapel, and cremation services on a single property.
- A Peaceful Hillside Setting– Thoughtfully designed grounds and spaces that invite reflection and remembrance.
- Respect For Every Background – We embrace serving all cultures, faith traditions, and family customs.
- Personalized Guidance – No "one-size-fits-all” arrangements; we listen first and then help you shape what feels right.
Services
Our Funeral Planning
Provides Compassionate,
Customized, and Meaningful
Arrangements.
La Vista’s Burial Services
Offer Beautifully Planned
Farewells In A Peaceful
Serene Setting.
A WORD FROM THE OWNERS
MICA
CEO
To the you and your loved ones who place their trust in La Vista, thank you for allowing us to serve you during such important moments in life. We are committed to creating a compassionate, respectful, and comforting experience for every family who walks through our doors, while honoring each loved one with the dignity and care they deserve.
– Mica
LUISA
PRESIDENT
To every family who has entrusted La Vista with someone they love, thank you. It is truly our privilege to walk beside you during life’s most meaningful moments with compassion, care, and dignity. We remain deeply committed to honoring your loved ones while creating a place where families feel supported, respected, and genuinely cared for for generations to come.
-Luisa
welcome to the la vista family
from generation to generation our history lives on
our heart of families
La Vista Memorial Park is the only family owned and operated memorial park in San Diego County. We have a proud heritage of serving San Diego families since 1868, and we have a reputation for putting families first for all of the more than over 150 years we’ve been here to serve. At La Vista Memorial Park & Mortuary, everything we do begins with that understanding. We exist to walk beside you on some of the hardest days of your life — listening, guiding, and gently taking on the details you shouldn’t have to carry alone. Whether you come to us in immediate need or are planningahead, you’ll find a calm, caring team and a peaceful place to honor a life in a way that feels true to your family.
1868
Rancho De La Nacion:
Founded by the Frank Kimball Family
Francis Augustus Kimball
Born in New Hampshire, 1850
More than a century ago, on a cold and foggy morning, the early settlers of Rancho De La Nacion (now known as National City) quietly turned spades on earth on a hill above their lands.
1870
Kimball’s Generosity
The first families – the Kimballs, the Copelands, and the Dickinsons – gathered to bury Mrs. Francis Wicapaw of Philadelphia or, as she was commonly known “The Little Mother.” Mrs. Wicapaw was the first of the group to succumb to the rigors of pioneer life.
To bury Mrs. Wicapaw, Frank Kimball chose 30 acres on a peaceful hillside with a sweeping view from Otay to Point Loma. It became the settlement’s “Silent City on the Hill” and remains so today.
868
Silver Gate Cemetery
Seven years after Mrs. Wicapaw’s burial in 1870, Kimball’s music- loving wife, Sarah planted eucalyptus trees in the shape of a grand piano around the top eight acres of the “Silent City on the Hill” and it became Silver Gate Cemetery.
Sarah Kimball’s eucalyptus trees are still there, and towering now, encircling a hundred pioneer graves, including her own. Today, the Kimballs, Copelands, Dickenson’s and many more pioneers have scattered graves amid wildflowers in the oldest part of the cemetery. The graves mark the history not only National City, but of San Diego County as well.
La Vista Memorial Park
Over the years Silver Gate Cemetery became La Vista Memorial Park. When La Vista was born, a ravine running through the middle of the cemetery was transformed into a pool filled with water from the park’s own well. A monument to the Armed Forces rises from the center. An annual grand Memorial Day celebration – free to the public – is held by the fountain each year.
La Vista's Historical Archive
La Vista’s Historical Society Vice President “Lindy” Marilyn Dubos, along with President Janice Martin and “Lady” Margaret Parr, have helped us archive many items. These treasures have built up a love for the Saratoga area’s early history and a measure of our respect for those who came before us.
1912
Grand Army of the Republic
Some of that “living history” includes the 30 Civil War graves in the park; the history of the “Grand Army of the Republic”; the archives of both the Union and Confederate soldiers; and in-depth information on National City’s founders.
There is a city map from 1912 showing all property lines and owners as named on the ownership deed papers. Do you have any ancestors you would like us to look up? Maybe you can find them listed on our map or in our original cemetery records.
Frank A. Kimball House Tour
The historic Frank A. Kimball House is listed on the National City Historic Site List.
It stands as a visible symbol of the life and legacy of Frank and Sarah Kimball who devoted their lives to the building and betterment of National City and its people.
The National City Historical Society and the City of National City welcome you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long has La Vista Memorial Park served San Diego families?
La Vista has served local families since 1868, with a long-standing commitment to
compassionate guidance, dignified service, and a peaceful setting for remembrance.
What are the benefits of La Vista being family-owned—and why does it matter?
Being family-owned means decisions are guided by care, reputation, and community
responsibility, not corporate quotas. Families often feel the difference in the consistency of
service, the personal accountability of the team, and the long-term commitment to honoring
families with respect—generation after generation.
What makes La Vista different from other providers?
Families choose La Vista for the combination of experience, calm support, and an all-in-one
setting—with options for burial, cremation, and meaningful ceremony in one place, guided by a
team that prioritizes dignity and clarity.Families choose La Vista for the combination of experience, calm support, and an all-in-one setting—with options for burial, cremation, and meaningful ceremony in one place, guided by a team that prioritizes dignity and clarity.
What does “all-in-one location” mean?
It means La Vista brings key services together on one property—so families can coordinate
arrangements, ceremony, and memorialization without being sent from place to place during
an already difficult time.
Do you serve all faiths, cultures, and family traditions?
Yes. La Vista welcomes families from all backgrounds and can help incorporate religious
practices, cultural customs, and personal traditions with care and respect—so the service
feels appropriate and true to the life being honored.
Why is La Vista considered historically significant?
La Vista has deep roots in the region’s history and is known for serving generations of
families—making it not only a place of remembrance, but also a meaningful part of the local
community’s legacy.
Can you help us look up ancestors or historical records?
Yes. If you believe a family member may be memorialized at La Vista, our team can help guide
you on record searches and available archives, so you can locate information and visitation
details more easily.
