Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors

06/12/2026

Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors is pleased to help in celebrating our nation.

06/06/2026

Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors pauses to remember the brave soldiers that today launched on D-Day. We remember the courage you displayed and the courage of your families at home.

05/12/2026

04/24/2026

Arlington National Cemetery is home to many unique trees to explore on Arbor Day (April 24), but only one has roots in outer space. The “Moon Tree,” an American Sycamore, is a second-generation tree descendant of seeds that orbited the moon.

On Jan. 31, 1971, astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa launched from Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida aboard Apollo 14, en route to the moon. Days later, while Shepard and Mitchell walked on the moon's surface, Roosa orbited the moon alone in the command module. A former U.S. Forest Service smokejumper who once parachuted into various locations to extinguish wildfires, Roosa carried special cargo: hundreds of seeds from five different tree species.

After the crew returned to Earth, scientists germinated the seeds. These “Moon Tree” seeds were donated to all 50 states in time for the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. In the following years, second-generation seeds from those original trees were planted at significant locations across the country. Eleven years after Roosa was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 7A on Dec. 15, 1994, the American Sycamore was planted nearby in Section 48 in a ceremony attended by his son, Christopher, on Feb. 9, 2005.

Army National Military Cemeteries Urban Forester Greg Huse said that the sycamore, native to Virginia, is appropriate for Arlington National Cemetery. “It’s the only tree of its kind in the cemetery,” he said. “It’s another way our trees are tied to more than just the military, but to our nation’s space program.”

Today, the Moon Tree stands as a living memorial to America’s astronauts who risked everything for space exploration — including the crews of Space Shuttles Columbia and Challenger, whose memorials stand nearby in Section 46. Visiting the tree is a great way to commemorate the nation's achievements during its 250th year.

Visit the ANC Education Program for lesson plans and a walking tour highlighting ANC's ties to our nation's space program: https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Themes/Explorers-Earth-Air-Space

🖊 Kevin Hymel

04/14/2026

Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors, thanks the dispatchers and staff at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office . You do an amazing job under pressure to serve all our community.

03/11/2026

Today we pause a brief moment to acknowledge our funeral director here at Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors and the thousands of others. This often silent group of people help many in unthinkable ways they are caregivers.

02/20/2026

What an amazing gift to our community that these people are giving. I am greatful for that staff of this program and the participants. Last cycle our Lions Club was a focus of one of these programs and this cycle there are some more amazing projects.

Keep up the good work.

Participants in the Douglas County H.O.P.E. Drug Court program will spend over 50 days to get clean and support each other on their road to recovery. But before they can

01/31/2026

Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors encourages local people to attend this service. David Hopkins our funeral directors was honored to be selected as a Legion of Honor member. This year other community members will be inducted.

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 & 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒉

Shared from the local Chapter of the Legion of Honor with US Navy retired veteran CWO4 James Little and US Army retired CWO4 Dan Loomis serving as hosts.

Douglas County Commissioners Tom Kress, Chris Boice, and Tim Freeman, are honored to share information and invite the public to attend Roseburg's 14th Annual Four Chaplain's Ceremony and Local Legion of Honor Induction Event on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Westside Christian Church located at 2712 West Harvard Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon starting at 12:00 pm.

There will be a “meet and greet” at 11:30 with light Refreshments prior to the ceremony which begins at 12:00 noon.

Each year in February all across the nation, local chapters of the Legion of Honor recognize local community members who have gone above and beyond in service to others in their community and beyond. The award is in remembrance and honor of the Four Chaplains, who 83 years ago, sacrificed their lives for others and our nation on February 3, 1943, upon which a unique legacy of brotherhood was created.

The Four Chaplains ceremony will include candle lighting, ringing of the ship's bell, bag pipe playing and taps for the 672 who perished on February 3,1943 during the untimely sinking of the USAT Dorchester. The Special Local Legion of Honor Induction Ceremony will follow the Four Chaplains Ceremony.

The local chapter has honored the memory of the Four Chaplains and those who perished with them by presenting over 50 local individuals with the Legion of Honor, Bronze Medallion, Humanitarian, and Appreciation Awards in the last 14 years.

Recipients include several Douglas County employees, former employees, and elected officials including Commissioner Tim Freeman, Commissioner Chris Boice, former Commissioner Mike Winters, Sheriff John Hanlin, Undersheriff Brad O’Dell, former Undersheriff Jeff Frieze, County Clerk Dan Loomis, Veteran Service Officer Mary Newman, Public Works Admin Heidi Wood, Public Affairs Officer Tamara Howell, and former Public Affairs Specialist Kellie Trenkle.

01/09/2026

Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors is pleased to work with our local law enforcement community. Thanks for all our city and tribal police, county sheriffs and state police and the federal law enforcement that serve here in Douglas County.

12/23/2025

This Christmas Eve when you gather as a family share memories of loved ones who have passed away. Sharing allows there life to continue to impact new generations.

Follow Umpqua Valley Funeral Directors for more thoughts and tips.