Miscarriage Memorial

History: In cooperation with Des Moines area hospitals, Hamilton's offers our facilities for cremation and memorial services for families who have had a baby die prior to 20 weeks gestation. This program was started by Mercy Hospital Medical Center in April, 1990, as a way to recognize and honor the lives of these tiny babies. Iowa Lutheran Hospital began offering this program in January, 1993. Since then, Iowa Methodist Medical Center and Broadlawns Medical Center have also joined us in this special program.

Memorial Service: Hamilton’s is pleased to offer our facilities for a special Memorial Service. Families who select to be invited to attend a Memorial Service, honoring the life of their child, recieve an invite in the mail. Staff from participating hospitals, along with Hamilton’s staff, conduct the service, which takes place twice a year in January and August.

The Process: Cremation of these precious babies takes place, collectively, at Hamilton's Crematory. The cremated remains are then sheltered at Hamilton's near Highland Memory Garden location until burial.

When it is time for burial, the babies cremated remains are laid to rest in a donated space in the children's section called Best Friends at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. The space is marked with a monument donated by Granit-Bronz, Inc.

Our first vault was donated by Wilbert Burial Vaults, and was buried during a special ceremony on September 20, 1998. Our second vault was donated by Watts Vault Company and was buried with a Memorial Service on July 27, 2002 and our third vault, also from Watts, was buried on July 19, 2008. Our fourth and fifth burials took place on September 14, 2013 and August 18, 2018. Our sixth burial will take place in August 2024.

The Next Miscarriage Memorial Service

January, 2025

For more information, please contact the Academy (515) 697-3666 or
email HFHAcademy@HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

The Next Miscarriage Memorial Burial

Burial - August, 2024

Please contact the Academy for more information
or to receive an invitation to the next burial


Grief Support Organizations

The Compassionate Friends: http://www.compassionatefriends.org/

The Fletcher Foundation: http://www.thefletcherfoundation.net/

No Foot Too Small: http://www.nofoottoosmall.org/