KNOPF CEMETERY

End of Life Ministry
End of Life care is another important ministry of Kingswood United Methodist Church, which is trustee of historic Knopf Cemetery. Founded in 1853, Knopf was the final resting place for some of the first settlers of Buffalo Grove. Today, it is open to Kingswood members and the wider community for burials and purchase of plots. The cemetery is located on the east side of Arlington Heights Road, north of Lake Cook Road. Both traditional and cremation burial plots are available for purchase. For more information, email Knopf Cemetery Trustees Chairman Jim Miller.
Donate For The Preservation of Knopf
The families of those interred at Knopf, and interested community members, can join the Friends of Knopf group, which supports the preservation of the cemetery through donations.  The group sends out newsletters regularly with updates about the cemetery. If you would like to join the Friends of Knopf group, please email Sue Fujiu.

The Rich History of Knopf

Knopf Cemetery was founded by settlers of German heritage from the Alsace region of France when Buffalo Grove was a cluster of farms.  Alsace is a small area in northeastern France on the border with Germany that has been fought over between the two countries for centuries. The settlers who left Europe for America organized an Evangelical church in what is now Long Grove in 1845. In 1853, the church acquired the land for Knopf Cemetery as a gift from Alsatian settlers Henry and Magdalena Knopf. The Evangelical church eventually became Grace United Methodist Church. The church closed in 1985 and deeded Knopf Cemetery to Kingswood, which has managed it since through a Committee of Trustees.
For many years there were few burials at Knopf even though approximately half of the cemetery was not filled with graves. To preserve the cemetery and provide End of Life Options for the Kingswood community, the trustees announced on Memorial Day, 2019 that the cemetery would be reopened to sales of plots and new burials. The trustees also opened the cemetery to cremation burials and approved the construction of a memorial wall to honor those whose ashes are interred at Knopf.  These actions are intended to preserve this historic resting place.

Memorial Day Service at Knopf

Every Memorial Day, Kingswood holds a service at the cemetery to commemorate those who have gone before us. The service includes music, readings, a keynote speech, prayers, and a Boy Scouts’ American flag retirement ceremony. The event aims to provide the community with an opportunity to pause our busy lives and reflect on loved ones we have lost as well as those who gave their lives for our freedom. 
If you would like someone on staff to reach out to you to discuss the purchase of a plot or donation to the cemetery please fill out the form below and someone will follow-up with you.