Our History
The Gardens of StoneBank is a beautiful and historic cemetery located on the corner of Hwy K and West Shore Drive in Stone Bank, Wisconsin. Its location is just to the west of Hwy 83 and is close to Moose Lake, North Lake and Okauchee Lake. The quaint 15 acres was established in 1847 on land donated by one of the area’s original settlers, John Ferguson.
At the time that the cemetery was established, most of the settlers came from England and Scotland and were farmers, millers, carpenters, merchants and pioneers.
The cemetery was previously named The Stone Bank Presbyterian Cemetery and was maintained and operated for many years by volunteers established by the Kettle Moraine United Presbyterian Church, which is located on the land adjacent to the cemetery. The cemetery has always been non-sectarian and open to all, but the church had taken the initiative to operate the cemetery funds from sales of cemetery lots and donations made by the friends and families who have loved ones interred in the cemetery helped fund the operations for many years.
When the Cemetery Committee of the church felt it was time for a change and volunteers became more difficult to find, they turned the cemetery over to The Tribute Companies, which owns and operates three other cemeteries in Wisconsin and has been active in the cemetery industry for four generations. The Tribute Companies (see www.tributeinc.com for further information) is owned by Christine Toson and consists of three divisions offering various products and services to the cemetery and funeral industry.
The change in operations was a natural transition, as the Toson family has lived in, and been active members of the Lake Country area for many years. They plan to enhance the history and heritage of the Gardens of StoneBank by adding burial options, such as private family estate areas, cremation gardens and bench memorialization areas. Additionally, the grounds of the cemetery will be improved by adding perennial gardens, additional trees and more areas which encourage more comforting and welcoming visitations. Improved genealogy, products, services and committal service coordination will be added to the operation of the cemetery in order to better serve families at a difficult time in their lives.
