Bentsen Palm Community
Local Heroes Have Dedicated Memorial in the Beautiful Rio Grande Valley State Veteran Cemetery in
Located on a former agricultural field alongside the Rio Grande River, the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery provides a peaceful and respectful resting site for area veterans.
The Rio Grande Valley has a long history of dedicated men and women serving in the military, and the cemetery provides a special place to recognize those who have served their country. Rhodes Enterprises, Inc., developers of the Bentsen Palm community and new homes for sale in the Rio Grande Valley, share the important history behind this special place.
History of the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery
In November 2001 Texas voters approved Proposition 7 to authorize the use of assets from certain Texas Veterans Land Board funds for the operation of state cemeteries for veterans and their eligible dependents. The cemeteries will be built and operated through a partnership between the VLB and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VLB will own and operate the cemeteries and fund most of the costs of operations. On May 10, 2002, the Committee announced two sites had been chosen; one near Killeen and Fort Hood and one in Mission, which would become the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery.
The 75-acre tract of land that was to be used for the Mission cemetery was donated by Rhodes Enterprises, Inc., developers of the Bentsen Palm community, to the city of Mission, TX, and ownership was transferred to the Texas Veterans Land Board in January 2004 to build the memorial cemetery. Construction began in September 2005 and the land was dedicated in 2006 to provide a resting place for Texas Veterans and the nearly 45,000 veterans living within the service radius of the cemetery. The 75-acre cemetery includes a visitors center, a computer system for locating specific graves, and an assembly area for special occasions.
The cemetery provides a free place for interment for Texas veterans and options to accommodate spouses and their children. The cemetery is being built in phases with Phase I covering approximately 31 acres and including 2,430 burial sites, 2,000 double-depth lawn crypts, 1,300 in-ground sites, and 500 columbarium niches. Today the cemetery provides a beautiful resting place for more than 6,000 Texas Veterans with a plan to provide capacity to serve more than 25,000 veterans and their families.
The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery is an important part of the Bentsen Palm new home community and a way to continue our commitment in recognizing and supporting our military men and women for their tireless dedication and service.
