Famous People Buried in Houston
There are plenty of interesting things you can see and do in Houston, but one that’s probably not on most people’s radar is a tour of the city’s cemeteries to visit the resting places of some of Houston’s and Texas’ most important figures.
A few Houston-area cemeteries — including Forest Park Cemetery, Glenwood Cemetery, and Historic Hollywood Cemetery — are home to iconic individuals who had major influence over the city’s history and development.
Glenwood Cemetery
Image Credit: Glenwood Cemetery
Just outside of Downtown Houston, Glenwood cemetery is home to many well-known and influential Houstonians, including:
- Howard Hughes – businessman, record-setting pilot, movie director, philanthropist
- Gene Tierney – actress
- Judge Roy Hofheinz – built the Astrodome
- Glenn MacCarthy – oil tycoon, founder of Shamrock Hotel, the inspiration for the movie Giant starring James Dean
- Dr. Denton Cooley – surgeon famous for performing the first artificial heart implant
- Anson Jones – the last President of the Republic of Texas
- William Hobby – Lieutenant Governor, president of Houston Post and wife Oveta Hobby, president and editor at KPRC-TV, Secretary of US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Cemetary Hours: Daily, 7 am to 5:30 pm | Office Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 8 am to 4:30 pm
Location: 2525 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007, United States
Forest Park Cemetery
Image Credit: Forest Park Cemetery
Located in southeast Houston, this cemetery is home to numerous figures from Houston’s history, including:
- Jesse H. Jones – politician and entrepreneur
- Mama Ninfa Laurenzo – Ninfa’s restaurants
- Lloyd Bentsen – US Senator, nominee for Vice President in 1988
- Marcellus E. Foster – founder of the Houston Chronicle
- Sam “Lightnin'” Hopkins – iconic blues musician
- Paul Neal “Red” Adair – legendary oil well firefighter and inspiration for John Wayne movie Hellfighters
Cemetary Hours: Daily, 24 hours (according to Google Maps)
Location: 6900 Lawndale St, Houston, TX 77023, United States
Historic Hollywood Cemetery
Image Credit: Historic Hollywood Cemetery
This historic cemetery was founded in 1895 and is home to some names you should know, including:
- Lawrence Shipley Sr. – founder of Shipley Donuts
- Hortense Ward – suffrage attorney and first female registered voter in Harris County
- Sarah Jane Gillis – a witness to General Santa Anna’s burning of Harrisburg amid the Texas Revolution
- Mollie Arline Kirkland Bailey – Circus Queen of the Southwest
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm (according to Google Maps)
Location: 3506 N Main St, Houston, TX 77009, United States
Do you know of any other famous people buried here in Houston? Share them by commenting below.
Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, all information presented is subject to change. Please confirm with the organizers/businesses before planning to head out!
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