Sonoma hires new cemeteries manager to breathe life into its historic burial grounds

The manager of a Petaluma cemetery has been appointed by Sonoma officials to the new post of cemeteries manager responsible for the city's three burial grounds.

Carolyn Fulton will oversee Valley Cemetery, Veterans' Cemetery and Mountain Cemetery, the resting place of General Mariano Vallejo who founded Sonoma and is the namesake of the City of Vallejo.

A study recommended creation of a dedicated position to oversee the expansion of cemetery facilities, enhance support services, upgrade record-keeping and develop marketing and sales strategies, according to a city press release. The city's cemeteries were the subject of a 2023 Civil Grand Jury report that determined that they were losing money due, in part, to numerous management problems.

Fulton was general manager at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma and has more than two decades of experience in cemetery management. She began work July 1.

"With Carolyn's expertise, we are confident that these sacred grounds will continue to be a source of solace, respect, and reflection," Sonoma City Manager David Guhin said.

In addition to General Vallejo and his wife, for whom the city of Benicia was named, the cemeteries reflect Sonoma Valley's history. Mountain Cemetery is one of the oldest continually operated cemeteries in the western U.S., according to the city. It is the final resting place of notable figures including two Donner Party survivors.