Since the founding of Cypress Lawn in 1892, our team has been guided by a set of values that have continued to fill us with purpose as we have maneuvered the many ups and downs of this past century.

To us at Cypress Lawn, working with a defined and specific purpose is akin to a sailboat relying upon its keel and rudder. Our purpose grants us the ability to successfully navigate the waters before us — whether they are calm or treacherous.

At the start of this year, none of us were equipped with a playbook for how to handle a pandemic, which is why we found ourselves relying upon our core values more than ever before. Every day, our team reflects upon why we are here and who we are here for. That’s what has kept us going through these difficult and unprecedented times.

Cypress Lawn CEO and President Robert A. Gordon Jr. has been courageously leading all of us through the pandemic. Here’s how he describes his leadership philosophy in his own words.

“We hear it every day that these are challenging times. However, it is in times like these when our resolve is truly tested.

At Cypress Lawn, our associates continue to rise to the occasion and serve while remaining careful, calm, positive, and grateful.

As essential workers, we weathered the storm of the ‘dark days’ at the beginning of the pandemic and are diligently working to ensure Cypress Lawn remains a safe place to work and a safe place to remember and celebrate life.

Our organization has never been stronger. We have been listening, learning, and adjusting — and taking the lessons we’ve learned to innovate and invent. We have become better than ever at adapting to change.

An example of this is illustrated by our ability to meet families’ needs during the pandemic head-on. As COVID-19 took hold and social distancing became a ’new normal,’ we were able to offer livestreaming of funeral and memorial services to countless families. We made it possible so their relatives and friends could still celebrate the life of their loved one from around the block — or around the world.

While following safety protocols, employing new forms of engagement with families, and observing social distancing, we have continued to help our neighbors in the Bay Area celebrate life, remember those they love, and heal from loss.”

As the pandemic continues to deeply impact our country and world for the foreseeable future, we want you to know that our team of caring professionals is here for your family whenever you need us.

Whether you have recently lost a loved one or have questions about how to begin the process of planning ahead, we’re ready to guide you through it all.

Many things have changed over the past year, but there is one matter that remains constant: Our desire to help your family and walk beside you during one of the most difficult times of your life.

It’s what we’ve been doing since 1892, and this will never change.