top of page

Our History

Mt. Olivet Memorial Park, Ltd. was founded in 1902. Our first burial took place November 4, 1902 when a 68 year old widow named Frederia Linden passed away.   

 

Our cemetery was founded as a part of John Alexander Dowie’s vision of a utopian society that escaped the influence of evil in normal society. This utopian society is today known as Zion, Illinois. Dowie claimed to be the prophet Elijah and also claimed to have healing powers. Many people came to Zion as a result of a family member needing to be healed.  Which is how our family came here from Rhode Island, Indiana, and Oklahoma.

 

After many unfortunate events, Dowie’s life began to spiral downward. He died in Zion in 1907. An alcoholic at the time of his death, it is rumored he was not in good standing with the church and was not allowed to be buried at Mt. Olivet. For this reason, his grave is located in Lake Mound Cemetery, a small cemetery located in downtown Zion. Mt. Olivet was one of the first pieces of the Zion Industries to be sold by the church. We believe our cemetery has been independently owned since the 1940’s.​

mto 2.jpg

Our Story

In 1979, Lee and LeAnna Fischer purchased the cemetery. LeAnna’s father, Everett Congdon, founded the Congdon Funeral Home in Zion that is still owned and operated by her brother, Loren Congdon. LeAnna passed away in 2003. Her husband, Lee, passed away in 2011. Mt. Olivet continues to be run by two of their children, LeNette Van Haverbeke and Lew Fischer.

 

Since Lee and LeAnna purchased it, Mt. Olivet has continued to grow. Building of a mausoleum complex complete with both niches, crypts, and an indoor chapel built in 1982.  A crematorium was added in 1989 in response to the growing demand for crematory services with a second cremation unit added in 2008. Our new office was completed in fall of 2010. We have also added an underground ossuary and started a new mausoleum complex on the east side of our property. Future expansions include an outside gazebo, a cremation garden, more mausoleums, and a veterans’ memorial area.

 

We are proud of the fact that we are one of the few (and maybe the only) family-owned cemeteries in Lake County, Illinois.

 

We are active members of:

  • Cremation Association of North America (CANA)

  • Illinois Cemetery and Funeral Home Association (ICFHA)

  • International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA)

  • Kiwanis Club of Zion Benton

  • Moose International

Lee .jpg

In Loving Memory
Lee Fischer 1942 - 2011
LeAnna Fischer 1943 - 2003

Mt. Olivet Memorial Park, Ltd. is a privately owned cemetery in Northeastern Illinois. We are very proud of the fact that our cemetery has been privately owned by the Fischer family since 1979. Since our cemetery opened in 1902 as part of the original Zion Industries, every member of our maternal lineage has been interred in our cemetery, making Mt. Olivet much more than a job to us.  Our cemetery is also the final resting place of our loved ones and many friends.

bottom of page