District Mission Statement

The mission of the Sanger/Del Rey Cemetery District is to provide its residents with sensitive, thoughtful, and reasonably priced burial services; well-maintained facilities; assurance of future growth to ensure availability for future generations; and conduct all business activities in an open and transparent environment.

Narrative of District's History

In the mid 1850’s SangerCemetery (formerly Kings River Cemetery) was established near the small town of Centerville (formally Kings River, King River, Scottsburgh, and Scottsburg). Scottsburg was founded in 1854 in the low lands of the King River at Poole’s Crossing. In 1858 Hills Ferry at Poole’s Crossing was established. Over the next few years the ferry crossing was destroyed and the town eventually was rebuilt on top of a bluff and renamed Centerville.

In the early years of the cemetery, Sanger Lumber Company had an easement that ran through the eastern portion of the cemetery. In that easement the flume that ran from Hume Lake to the mill at Sanger was located. A portion of the cemetery under the oak trees has several unknown persons that were buried before records were kept. The earliest currently marked grave today in the cemetery is 1863.

In 1925 the residents in and around the towns of Sanger, Centerville, Minkler, Peidra, and Gravesboro formed the cemetery into a Special District. At that time there was one 26 acre cemetery. Over the next few years two cemeteries were added, one and a half acre Bethel Cemetery and one and a half acre Fairview Cemetery. Eventually the District was renamded Sanger Cemetery District.

At the turn of the century Del Rey Cemetery (formerly Prairie Cemetery) was established outside the little community of Del Rey. In 1929 the residents of Del Rey and surrounding areas formed Del Rey Cemetery District. At that time the cemetery was two acres in size. Over the years the District acquired a small one acre cemetery called Salem Cemetery.

In 1991 the Sanger Cemetery District annexed the Del Rey Cemetery District and changed the name of both Districts to Sanger/Del Rey Cemetery District. Both Cemeteries were formed and are governed under the California Health and Safety Code, Division 8, Part 4 and Section 6500 et seq of the Government Code. A three member Board of Trustees appointed by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors 4th and 5th District governs the District. The Trustees serve a fixed four-year term. The Board hires a District Manager to run the day to day operations and implement the Policies set by the Trustees.