Draft:Memorial Park Cemetery

Memorial Park Cemetery is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit trust estate. Memorial Park is the largest cemetery in a six-state area (Tulsa, Oklahoma) and the 10th largest cemetery in the US.

History
Memorial Park Cemetery was established in 1927. It is guided by a Board of Trustees and operated by a trained staff. An Easter Pageant depicting the events around the death of Jesus Christ was held from 1946 until 1957.

The building has a resemblance to the Spanish-style building of The Alamo. Beck used this style to honor his wife who was from San Antonio. Beck wanted to build a modern cemetery, so he purchased 160 acres that were then about 6 miles outside of Tulsa's city limits and built the huge 5,000-square-foot chapel (now used primarily as offices). The Tower of Memories was also built at the same time as the cemetery, which has 20-pipe Deagan chimes that play melodies during the day and chime on the hour and half hour.

Chapel of Saints Valley
The Chapel at Memorial Park is offered to families of society and community to use free of charge for funeral and memorial services. The Chapel of Saints Valley seats approximately 125 people.

Memorial Park Family Center
Memorial Park offers a state-of-the-art Family Center for families to be used before or after the service of a loved one. The family center has two large dining rooms that seat seventy-five persons each. Memorial Park also has a smaller area that accommodates twenty-five people.

Notable Burials
The first burial was Bertha Rogers on August 13, 1927. Since the first burial, many famous personalities have been laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery.


 * Roy Clark- the Grammy, CMA, and ACM award winner, Country Music Hall of Fame, and Grand Ole Opry member, co-host of the famed Hee Haw television series.
 * Reverend Billy Joe Daugherty- founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
 * Frank Christian Frantz, a former Oklahoma Governor. During the Spanish-American War, served as a Captain in Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders.
 * Moscelyne Larkin Jasinski, a Native American ballerina from Oklahoma and founder of the Tulsa Ballet.
 * Roman Jasinski, a Polish ballet dancer and founder of the Tulsa Ballet.
 * Sam Kinison, an American stand-up comedian, and actor.
 * Carl Wendle Morton, a Major League Baseball Player.
 * James Dorn Oglesby, a Major League Baseball Player.
 * Dr. T.L. Osborn, a world missionary evangelist and author.
 * Steve Pryor, a blues guitarist.
 * Reverend Oral Roberts, an American televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University.
 * Evelyn Lutman Roberts, an Evangelist who played a vital role in Oral Roberts' ministry.
 * Leon Russell, an American Musician, Songwriter, and Producer.
 * Albert E. Schwab, a Medal of Honor recipient.
 * Wayman Tisdale, an American professional basketball player in the NBA and jazz bass guitarist.
 * Michael (Hondo) Richard Walker, Disc Jockey.
 * Jerald T. Webber, Tulsa broadcaster.
 * Bob Wills, a Country Music Singer, Songwriter, and Bandleader. Known as the "King of Western Swing".
 * Billy Jack Wills, a Western Musician, vocalist, songwriter, and guitar player, best known for being a member of the western swing band the Texas Playboys.
 * Johnnie Lee Wills, a radio personality and one of the original Texas Playboys on tenor banjo.