For All Time Coming

Since its dedication in 2010, the W&M Memorial Garden has served as the final resting place for many in our university community. The serene place of reflection, located in the Matoaka Woods near the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre at Lake Matoaka, includes a scatter garden, landscaping and a sculpture of a flying dove by David H. Turner ’83. Plaques on the surrounding brick wall commemorate each person whose ashes are placed in the garden.

As W&M’s alumni community has grown, so has interest in the Memorial Garden. This year, the Memorial Garden will be renovated and expanded. New features include a columbarium (a wall in which urns with ashes and corresponding plaques can be placed), a welcoming entryway, additional seating, improved walkways and more. This expansion will provide a final “homecoming” for over 400 additional members of the William & Mary community. Construction is slated to begin in late spring, with the goal of completion by early 2026.

“The Memorial Garden has long stood as a beautifully dignified place of tribute to those who rest there,” says Matthew “Matt” L. Brandon ’92, CEO of the W&M Alumni Association. “Enhancing the garden adds meaningfully to the lifelong connections that we believe are core to the William & Mary experience and stands testament to the strength of community at W&M.”

The garden was brought to fruition through the generosity of private donations, initially spearheaded by the late Jack Garrett ’40, P ’67, P ’70, G ’93, G ’95, G ’95 and the Class of 1959’s 50th reunion gift. The expansion, championed by several alumni, will be supported by revenue from the garden, the Alumni Association and private philanthropy from naming opportunities. For more information on naming opportunities, please contact Robert Waggoner at rdwaggoner@wm.edu or 757-221-1463. To reserve a space in the Memorial Garden for you or a loved one, or to learn more about visiting the garden, please contact Jackie Blum at jblum@wm.edu or 757-221-2794.