Western New York National Cemetery, National military cemetery in Pembroke, United States.
Western New York National Cemetery is a military burial ground in Pembroke serving veterans and their families. The grounds feature both conventional grave sites and marble columbariums for cremated remains.
The cemetery was established in 2014 when the Department of Veterans Affairs acquired the land, creating the seventh national cemetery in New York. This addition filled a major gap in burial services for the region's large veteran population.
The cemetery's name follows VA policy of naming national cemeteries for their geographic region, announced in May 2016. Senator Charles Schumer had proposed naming it after local war hero William J. Donovan, but the geographic name prevailed. Visitors can note the marble columbariums used for cremated remains.
The cemetery lies near exit 48A of the New York State Thruway, about 30 miles east of Buffalo and 45 miles west of Rochester; the street address is in Corfu but the property sits in the Town of Pembroke. Development plans call for roads, administration and maintenance buildings, a public information center and restrooms. The first 60-acre section was expected to take three years to build, with later phases added as burial space is needed.
The site was chosen because Western New York had a large veteran population with no nearby burial options. Opening this facility meant local veterans no longer had to travel long distances for burial services.
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