About Us

"This is a time when we must not only be compassionate, with a deep sense of sympathetic understanding, but we must be sincere in every detail."

Leavitt's Mortuary & Aultorest Memorial Park

Leavitt's Mortuary and Aultorest Memorial Park have a unique distinction. The Ogden facilities were the first in the nation, possibly in the world, to combine a mortuary and memorial park on the same grounds. It began serving bereaved families of the Ogden area several months before the famed Forest Lawn Memorial Park, burial place of many Hollywood stars, was opened more than a half-century ago.

The sixty acres occupied by his establishment represents the largest single land area within the city of Ogden under one ownership. Offices, chapel, crematorium and cemetery are located at 836 Thirty-sixth Street. "Less than fifty percent of our property is now utilized," he adds. "We believe that, following modern practices, we have space enough to bury everyone in Ogden who will die during the next 100 years or more."

The previously unpracticed idea of combining a mortuary and a memorial park was conceived in 1927 by James M. Harbertson, when he purchased forty acres of farmland in the southeastern section of the city. It took many months to prepare the ground properly for its new role; roads were created, sprinkler systems installed, and burial plots surveyed.

Harbertson opened the gates of Mount Ogden Memorial Park on March 5, 1929. One of the first objectives was to educate residents of the area about the difference between traditional cemeteries, with the raised and sometimes massive headstones, and a memorial park where all the grave markers are ground level and of a uniform non-pretentious design.

Public acceptance of the newer concept was enough that the Mount Ogden Mortuary was added in July 1933, the Mount Ogden Mausoleum was added in 1935, and a Crematory, the first in Ogden and possibly the first in Utah, was constructed in 1937. Harbertson changed the name from Mount Ogden to Aultorest a coined word combining "all", "to","rest"-Memorial Park and Mortuary on February 3, 1938.

The size of the facility was nearly doubled on December 1, 1946, when the 25 acre, century old, but nearly abandoned, Mountain View Cemetery was purchased from John Guthrie Haywood. More than $100,000.00 was spent refurbishing and rehabilitating the old burial ground, adjacent to Aultorest on the north. Old grave-stones and memorials were, of course, retained by all burials from then on followed the memorial park concept.

Thomas T. Leavitt became a member of the organization in 1947, following 3 years of U.S. Army Service. A native of Ogden and a graduate of Ogden High School, Tom Leavitt had earned the Bronze Star and two Purple Heart Medals during his two years in the South Pacific, during World War II.

Tom Leavitt then became an apprentice mortician, and in 1950 graduated from the California College of Mortuary Science and received licenses as an embalmer and funeral director. In March of 1948 he married Lynette Harbertson, daughter of the Aultorest founder, and in 1950 upon returning to Ogden from California, became manager of the Memorial Park and Mortuary.

Tom Leavitt purchased the property in 1958 and changed its name to its present designation, Leavitt's Mortuary and Aultorest Memorial Park. He made the change because he felt the Aultorest by itself took too much explaining as to what it meant.

Patronage has more than quadrupled since Tom Leavitt became President in 1958, and three of his sons have joined him in the business. Thomas Jr. and Scott take care of the grounds. Son Mike graduated from Cypress College of Mortuary Science in 1987, became President of the Companies in 1990. Leavitt's has also purchased a Funeral Home in Southern California, and also a Funeral Home and Cemetery combination in Medford, Oregon in 2000.

The main chapel has been enlarged and refurbished in 2009. Currently more than 400 people can be accommodated at a single funeral service. There are 30 employees, including 10 counselors in our "Pre-Need Sale Department".

Thomas and Mike Leavitt have been very active in the community for many years.

When asked what makes Leavitt's Mortuary and Cemetery so successful, Tom Leavitt replied that he believed it was "The dignity of the quiet surroundings" in the park-like setting and its location near the base of the Wasatch Mountains. Of equal importance, was the availability of all options for funerals-mortuary, memorial park, cemetery, mausoleum, and crematory and the areas newest, largest outdoor mausoleum names Crystal Garden's Mausoleum all at one location.

Leavitt's Mortuary recognized the need for bereaved families to be associated at the time of their loss with individuals who are not only professionals in Mortuary Sciences but are sincere.

Other mortuary and cemetery locations:

 Perl Funeral Home & Siskiyou Memorial Park