Scattering Ashes in Missouri — A Complete Guide

Everything Missouri families need to know about ash scattering laws, verified cemetery scattering gardens, the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, the Ozarks, and cremation options across the Show-Me State.

Author's Note: I have not yet been to Missouri, but I was obsessed with biographies when I was in elementary school. The Lewis & Clark biographies were riveting. I didn't realize that the trail reached from Pittsburgh, PA through Oregon and Washington! 

If you are thinking of scattering ashes in the state of Missouri, it may be helpful to know the official symbols:

  • State Floral Emblem: White Hawthorn Blossom 🌺
  • State Tree: Flowering Dogwood 🌳
  • State Bird: Eastern Bluebird 🐦
  • State Rock: Mozarkite 💎
  • State Mineral: Galena ⛏️
  • State Song: "Missouri Waltz" 🎶
  • State Motto: "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto" ("The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law") ⚖️

How Prevalent Is Ash Scattering in Missouri?

The practice of scattering ashes has grown steadily across Missouri, reflecting national trends in cremation and personalized memorials. In 2020, the cremation rate in Missouri was approximately 51%, and it continues to grow as national cremation rates now exceed 60%. As more Missouri families choose cremation, scattering ashes in cemetery gardens, natural settings, and along the Show-Me State's great rivers and landscapes has become an increasingly meaningful choice.

Missouri's geography offers rich variety for ash scattering ceremonies. The Missouri River — the longest river in North America — flows 2,341 miles and forms the state's northern border with Iowa before crossing through the heart of Missouri to meet the Mississippi at St. Louis. The Mississippi River forms Missouri's entire eastern boundary, from the Iowa line south to the Arkansas border. The Ozark Plateau's spring-fed rivers, limestone caves, karst landscapes, and dense forests spread across southern Missouri. The Gateway Arch and St. Louis riverfront, the rolling farmland of the Bootheel, the Prairie region of the northwest, and the Mark Twain National Forest all provide deeply personal settings for a final farewell.

Missouri Laws on Scattering Ashes

Missouri has no statewide law controlling where you may keep or scatter ashes. Key statutory provisions govern cremation process and cemetery scattering gardens specifically:

  • Mo. Rev. Stat. § 193.145 — A death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within five days after death and before final disposition of the body.
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. § 194.350 — Governs final disposition of cremated remains. If unclaimed after 90 days (with proper notice), a funeral establishment may scatter or inter the remains in "a scatter garden or pond, columbarium or other place formally dedicated for such purpose."
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. § 214.550 — A specific statute authorizing religious cemeteries adjacent to church buildings to establish scatter gardens, defining what a scatter garden is ("a location for the spreading of cremains set aside within a cemetery"), and establishing recordkeeping requirements for operators.

Rules by location type:

  • Private Property: Permitted on your own land. Get the landowner's written permission before scattering on someone else's property.
  • City and County Parks: No statewide prohibition. Check city and county regulations and zoning rules before scattering. Many people proceed with common sense and discretion.
  • Missouri State Parks: Contact the specific Missouri State Parks District office before scattering. Missouri State Parks manages more than 90 parks and historic sites — individual sites may have different policies.
  • National Parks and Federal Land: Missouri has six units of the National Park Service including Gateway Arch National Park, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, and Harry S Truman National Historic Site. Each has its own rules — contact the park superintendent's office before any ceremony. Under 36 CFR 2.62, NPS units require a permit or letter of authorization.
  • Missouri River, Mississippi River, and other inland waterways: The federal Clean Water Act governs inland water scattering. Contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for guidance.
  • Aerial Scattering: No Missouri law restricts aerial scattering. Federal aviation law prohibits dropping the container — ashes must be removed before release.

Cemetery Scattering Gardens and Cremation Memorial Options in Missouri

Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum — St. Louis

Location: 4947 West Florissant Ave., St. Louis, MO 63115 Phone: (314) 381-0750

Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum is one of the most historically significant and aesthetically extraordinary cemeteries in America — the first rural cemetery west of the Mississippi River, founded in 1849 as a nonprofit, nonsectarian institution "open to all regardless of religious affiliations." The cemetery encompasses 314 stunning acres listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2014, with over 14 miles of paved roads winding through a landscape that has been designated an ArbNet Level III Accredited Arboretum — the first in Missouri, containing 180+ species of trees and shrubs among 9,000 specimens across 5,000 varieties. Three natural lakes provide all the water needed for the grounds.

The cemetery's historical significance is staggering. William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition is buried here beneath a 35-foot granite obelisk. Adolphus Busch, founder of Anheuser-Busch, rests in an ornate Gothic mausoleum. Inventor William Burroughs, Beat Generation author William S. Burroughs, and Missouri Governor Thomas Hart Benton are among the 87,000 buried on the grounds. The Louis Sullivan-designed Wainwright Tomb is a National Register landmark in its own right.

For cremation and scattering families, Bellefontaine's own website explicitly confirms multiple options: in-ground scattering in several natural settings within the cemetery; Wildwood Valley Gardens near the lakes for cremation burial; the open-air Lakeside Columbarium set between Cascade and Cypress Lakes; and the indoor Hotchkiss Chapel Columbarium in the historic 1909 chapel. Bellefontaine also offers flameless cremation (alkaline hydrolysis) — one of the most progressive cremation offerings in the St. Louis area.

Website: bellefontainecemetery.org

Mount Moriah Cemetery South — Kansas City

Location: 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO 64131 Phone: (816) 942-2004

Mount Moriah Cemetery South is one of Kansas City's most storied and distinctive memorial parks — a sprawling 130-acre cemetery that opened in 1922 as a Masonic cemetery in the rolling green hills of south Kansas City. The grounds feature two lakes (one nestled among family estates, one on the undeveloped acreage), with thirty acres still available for future use. The cemetery features the Temple Mausoleum, completed in 1925 — one of the few Mason-sanctioned temple rooms in the United States, still used for meetings, ceremonies, and inductions. A historic bell tower remains as a beautiful architectural landmark even after its bells fell silent.

Mount Moriah Cemetery South explicitly confirms a cremation garden on its primary website, along with traditional ground burials, lawn crypts, and indoor and outdoor mausoleum options. The associated funeral home — Mt. Moriah, Newcomer and Freeman Funeral Home, a non-denominational home in business since 1922 — offers expertise in scattering ashes and can help families plan cemetery and land-based scattering ceremonies. The cemetery also hosts dedicated veterans events, a Homeless Veterans Burial Program, and maintains Jewish, Muslim, and veterans sections.

Website: dignitymemorial.com — Mt. Moriah

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery — St. Louis

Location: 2900 Sheridan Rd., St. Louis, MO 63125 Phone: (314) 845-8320

⚠️ Veterans and Eligible Family Members Only. Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs national cemetery with strict eligibility requirements. It is not open to the general public for burial or scattering. Please confirm eligibility before planning arrangements.

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is Missouri's most historically significant military cemetery — and one of the most important in the nation. Originally established as Jefferson Barracks Military Post Cemetery in 1826 (the U.S. Army's first permanent base west of the Mississippi), it became a National Cemetery in 1866 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery covers 331 acres along the banks of the Mississippi River in south St. Louis County and contains approximately 237,000 interments — the largest National Cemetery in Missouri or Kansas. Notable burials include Veterans of every American conflict from the Revolutionary War through recent decades.

Memorial markers in sections MA, MB, MC, and MD honor veterans whose remains were cremated and scattered. Eligibility is limited to: veterans who met minimum active duty requirements and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions; their spouses, widows, and widowers; minor dependent children; and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities. To make burial arrangements, contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at (800) 535-1117.

Website: cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/JeffersonBarracks.asp

Springfield National Cemetery — Springfield

Location: 1702 E Seminole St., Springfield, MO 65804 Phone: (417) 881-9499

⚠️ Veterans and Eligible Family Members Only. Springfield National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery with strict eligibility requirements. It is not open to the general public for burial. Please confirm eligibility before planning arrangements.

Springfield National Cemetery is a 18.1-acre VA national cemetery established in 1867 to honor Union soldiers who died at the nearby Battle of Wilson's Creek — the first major Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. The cemetery has since been opened to all eligible veterans and now holds interments of soldiers from conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War. The VA confirms space is currently available for cremated remains in both columbarium placement and in-ground burial.

Note: Families in southwest Missouri may also wish to inquire about the separate Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Springfield — a 60-acre state facility with 30,000+ gravesite capacity, three columbariums, and columbarium niches at (417) 823-3944.

Website: cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/Springfield.asp | MO State Veterans Cemetery: mvc.dps.mo.gov/cemeteries/springfield.php

Are There Mail-In Options for Ash Scattering Services?

Yes. Missouri families — or families anywhere honoring a loved one — may choose Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Cremated remains are mailed directly to the working farm, where they are scattered respectfully according to the family's chosen preferences. No travel required.

Visit our service page at farmsteadscattering.com/collections/services, or call or text us at (814) 450-5432 to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scattering Ashes in Missouri

Is it legal to scatter ashes in Missouri?

Yes. Missouri has no statewide law prohibiting the keeping or scattering of cremated remains. A death certificate must be filed within five days of death (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 193.145) and a cremation permit obtained before cremation. After those steps, families have broad flexibility.

Does Missouri have specific laws about cemetery scattering gardens?

Yes — notably. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 214.550 specifically authorizes religious cemeteries adjacent to church buildings to establish scatter gardens, defines the term, and establishes recordkeeping requirements including the deceased's name, death date, Social Security number, and the scattering date. This statute gives Missouri families and cemeteries a legal framework that many other states lack.

What is the difference between Missouri's State Rock and State Mineral?

Missouri has two distinct geological state symbols. Mozarkite (RSMo 10.045, 1967) is the State Rock — a colorful chert (flint) found in Benton County and the Ozarks, so named from "Mo" (Missouri) + "zark" (Ozarks) + "ite." It comes in hues of red, pink, and purple and takes a high polish for jewelry. Galena (RSMo 10.047, 1967) is the State Mineral — the principal ore of lead, honoring Missouri's historic status as the nation's top lead producer, with rich deposits in the Joplin-Granby area and counties along the Ozark border.

Does Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis allow ash scattering?

Yes. Bellefontaine's own website confirms in-ground scattering in several natural settings throughout the cemetery. They also offer Wildwood Valley Gardens for cremation burial, two columbariums (Lakeside and Hotchkiss Chapel), and flameless cremation. Contact (314) 381-0750.

Is Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery open to everyone?

No. Jefferson Barracks is restricted to eligible veterans, their qualifying spouses, widows or widowers, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities. Contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at (800) 535-1117 to confirm eligibility.

What is the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Springfield?

In addition to Springfield National Cemetery (a VA federal cemetery), Missouri operates a separate Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Springfield — a 60-acre facility with 30,000+ gravesite capacity, three columbariums, and free burial services for eligible veterans and their spouses and dependent children. Contact (417) 823-3944.

Can I scatter ashes along the Missouri or Mississippi Rivers?

No Missouri state law prohibits scattering in state rivers. The federal Clean Water Act governs inland water scattering — contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for current guidance on specific locations.

Can I mail ashes for scattering from Missouri?

Yes. Cremated remains may be legally mailed within the United States via the U.S. Postal Service using Priority Mail Express. Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania accepts mail-in remains for private farm scattering. Call or text (814) 450-5432 or visit farmsteadscattering.com.

Legal and Regulatory References

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