Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused
Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Focused

Family History

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Cornelius H. Doherty, Sr.
Founded in 1957

Cornelius H. Doherty, Sr. , (1896-1969) founded the cemetery in 1957. A trial lawyer in Washington, DC. and Northern Virginia, Mr. Doherty represented the local Catholic Bishop. At that time, Catholics were required by canon law to be buried in a Catholic cemetery. So Mr. Doherty and a small group of Catholic laymen from Arlington, purchased 181 acres in 1956, and opened Calvary Memorial Park, a private Catholic cemetery, in 1957.

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Cornelius H. Doherty, Jr.
President 1967-2010

Cornelius H. Doherty, Jr. was a law student at the time of the cemetery's foundation. In addition to being involved in the cemetery's management from the beginning, Neil was a practicing attorney in Virginia and Florida. He was the President of the cemetery from 1967 until 2010, Neil purchased the adjoining Fairfax Memory Gardens in 1976, and combined the two cemeteries into the present Fairfax Memorial Park. With the rapid growth in population in Northern Virginia in the 1970's and 1980's, Neil developed and beautified the cemetery with an attractive pond and brook, mausoleums and columbaria, and new burial sections and features. With the help of his son, Mike, Neil founded Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home on the cemetery grounds in 2003.

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Michael H. Doherty
President

Michael H Doherty, Neil's son, started working the cemetery grounds in the mid-1970's. In keeping with family tradition, Mike studied law, went into practice, and worked in the cemetery. He started attending board of directors meetings in the early 1980's, became its assistant secretary-treasurer in 1984, and was formally elected to the board in 1989. The philosophy of the cemetery has been effectively passed on. "He has followed, in his dad's footsteps," said a former staff member, "Michael cares very much about families." Upon Neil's retirement in 2010, Mike was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of the cemetery and funeral home.

What people are saying...
I found your staffto be extremely conscientious and willing to go the extra distance to meet the needs of their clients. They were very accommodating in helping me to find the perfect resting place for George, and for myself when that day comes. It was with much patience that theyintroduced me to Fairfax Memorial Park and it is thanks to them that I can now take comfort in knowing that George is at peace in the Garden of Time surrounded by the beauty of the site. I look forward to working with them in the coming days to choose a proper memorial to mark our plots.
"Amy is one of those special persons that the world needs more of. She is professional and caring. When we were making plans through the cemetery, she was always helpful and supportive. We know she treated us as she would one of her own family. That caring attitude meant everything to our family. Please accept my appreciation for the services provided to my family and the treatment we were accorded at Fairfax Memorial Park."
"I was greeted by Amy's welcoming smile and warm handshake. From the day I came to make arrangements all the way through the subsequent months while she assisted me,she has been extraordinarily helpful, very organized, and very friendly-always returning my calls promptly and taking care of every detail meticulously."
"On behalf of my Dad, my sisters & brothers, I would like to thank you again for taking the time to help us with choosing the grave-marker for my mom and for answering all our questions. Your help has brought us much comfort at this sad time."
"Many thanks for your help. It's my great pleasure to get to know you and working with you. May God bless you for your goodness and kindness."
"James and I want to thank you for the kindness that you took the time to show and patience while choosing our burial property. We truly thank God for you and all that you did."
"You have been a special place in my heart and prayers."
"My husband was very ill and is now at peace thanks to you. Also, a very special "thank you" to both men, who prepared the ground for his burial."
"Thank you so much for your guidance and comforting in working with me to plan my husband's arrangements. It is a terribly sad time for my family and I but it's comforting to talk to such kind people."
"I want to thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your kindness and compassion you showed to me when I met with you to talk about and order my mom's cemetery site."
"You are very good at what you do, and I feel that it must feel so good to know how much you help and comfort all those you come in contact with.
Thank you again."
"I just had to thank you for taking such wonderful care of all of us when we had the interment of my father. Your personal touch made such a difference and that meant so much to us.
Thank you again, so very much."
"I am writing to acknowledge the excellent service that Kylie has provided over the last several weeks."
"Being able to finalize the decisions and feel fully comfortable with them was an amazing relief. Kylie played such a significant role in helping me and allowing me to do so and I greatly appreciate all of her help, patience and thoughtfulness. She was equally adept when I brought my father in to select and design the memorial marker. In fact, Kylie so well represented Fairfax Memorial Park that based on her level of service and the high degree of care evident among the grounds, I decided to "pre-need" purchases two additional plots next to my parents' site."
"Thank you for making one of the most difficult experiences in life one that came with such ease and peace of mind."
"On behalf of my family, I wanted to thank you for your kindness and help in arranging the interment of my sister. Everything was beautiful, she surely must love the beauty of Fairfax Memorial Park, and my brother-in-law is grateful for the ease in which everything was carried out at such difficult time."
"Thank you so much for your patience and kindness in working with me to order a marker for my husband. I know that it has been a long time coming, but the sudden and unexpected death of my husband was a very difficult event for me to accept."
"Thank you very much for the way you handled my father's funeral service. Although it was simple and short it was meaningful to me. You are professional and caring in dealing with the family member. Thank you for your consideration at a sad time."
"Thank you so much for your special attention to the arrangements for my husband. Your thoughtful care was truly appreciated."
"I want to thank you for all your invaluable help in guiding me through the process of bringing my mother to rest in the way that was most satisfactory to my heart."
"By patiently explaining all the options I could explore, I was able to reach a decision of what I wanted for my mom who was precious beyond my words. It took a good amount of work on your part as all the arrangements were made to perfection. Thank you so very much. Her name plaque is beautiful and exactly what I wanted because it describes her. Finally, thank you for your patience in not hurrying us out of the cemetery. It was difficult to leave. I am very grateful to you."
"I want to thank you personally and on behalf of my mother, brothers and sisters for sensitivity and understanding you gave my mother during the difficult process of her choosing and then finalizing a burial site for my father. It was very cold and the snow had the hard layer of ice on it as you walked my mother, brother and me to different sites. You were exceptional in your willingness to show my mother all her options and to mark the ones she thought she would like and have them cleared the next day when she came back with my siblings to finalize the arrangements."
"Again I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help."
"Thank you for your support and help in making the grave selection process so easy for our daughter. Your guidance and support helped us through this difficult time."
"You probably don't know this but all that came to the graveside service mentioned, "...how pleased they were to see you standing on the hillside waiting for the family to depart and keep watch." It made everyone feel like Mom was not alone. I saw a beautiful pink urn shining in the cool fall sun, standing proudly and not alone! Thank you, for your special touch. It was noted and deeply appreciated by all the family!"
"I would like to thank you for all your help both professional and personal in the handling of the service and taking the time for us while we looked for the perfect place to have a burial as well as the special memorial."
"It takes a very special, kind, dedicated, understanding and professional person to accomplish such a task. This I thank you for. We consider you a great asset to the Fairfax Memorial Park and also a friend to us."
"Thank you for your kindness and professionalism during a difficult time. I will never forget your help at a crucial time."
"Thank you so much for the care that you provided during my family's painful period. Please also extend this Thank You to the staff who assisted with the service. It is very comforting to know there are people who cared and made things just a little easier to cope."
"The kindness you have given me is beyond words of gratitude. I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is difficult enough to lose a family member, but when you don't even know the remembrance on the headstone, it increases the sadness. This will help to bring closure."
"Thank you so much for all that you have done for me and my entire family regarding all arrangements for Susan. You are a true professional, as well as a sincere and caring person."
"We appreciate your professional and caring attention for the funeral of my mother. Everything was handled very well, and we were pleased with your preparation at the gravesite."
"Please don't feel that you have been forgotten over the past three months. Your professionalism and thoughtfulness during our time of extreme grief was to say, at the very least, top notch. Your help, consideration, direction, and compassion you showed towards my Mother and Father will never be forgotten. Although I realize this may be just another day at the office for you, your genuine concern helped us cope, as easily as possible, during this time of tragedy. For that, we will be forever grateful."