About Us
Serenity Ridge Natural Burial Cemetery
Serenity Ridge is the first 100% natural burial cemetery in the state of Maryland, open since January 2023. It sits inside of a nature preserve and nationally registered arboretum. The natural burial cemetery reflects the same ecological values as the preserve:
- Bodies return naturally to the earth without chemicals or vaults,
- Burial areas are managed as meadows, forests, and conservation land
- Death becomes part of renewal rather than environmental harm
The mission of Serenity Ridge Natural Burial Cemetery is to protect and restore the surrounding fields and forests, waters, wildlife and vistas while providing a simple and environmentally friendly choice for burial.
We are certified by the Green Burial Council and regulated by the State Office of Cemetery Oversight as a licensed, permanent Maryland cemetery.
The services we provide start at the cemetery gate and take place within it. We have a list of Green Funeral Homes that we have worked with and we are happy to work with any other Funeral Home the family feels comfortable with.
Hours of Operation, Tours & Appointments
The cemetery gate is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to access at your convenience. If you would like to meet with a cemetery counselor, that is done by calling or emailing to make an appointment (please visit our contact page).
We encourage people who are interested in learning about Serenity Ridge and natural burial to sign up for one of our guided tours, where we will review information about natural burial and explain exactly what we do at Serenity Ridge. All your questions will be addressed and you can see where and how we do burials (please visit our tours & events page to sign up)
Once you have toured the property, you can meet with one of our licensed experts. Meetings for site selections are made by appointment only, Monday – Friday. Please send us an email or call the Serenity Ridge line to schedule an appointment.
Currently, we have two beautiful locations:
- Valleys & Meadows: This area consists of rolling hills and native fields.
- Inspiration Point: This is a wooded area closer to the forest.
Making Arrangements
The site, or “Interment Right,” can be purchased with us at any time. The “Interment Service Fee” is separate and only payable when a death has occurred, and the burial service is scheduled.
If you have an immediate need, contact us and we can help ease the burden and assist you with selecting a site, our interment fees, and what to expect on the day of the burial.
Interments are scheduled Mondays through Fridays, between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Extended hours, expedited, holiday, and weekend services are available but will incur additional fees as indicated on our general price list.
A canopy and up to 15 chairs can be placed if the family chooses to rent them. Serenity Ridge will provide flowers as a part of our burial package.
Serenity Ridge is inter‑denominational.
We respect and honor the value of every community member that we serve. We value diversity and inclusiveness of all religious beliefs, cultures, and ethnicities as we help to ease the loss of a loved one, offering compassion and empathy to all we serve.
We are certified by the Green Burial Council
Meet Our Team
Richard S. Berg, David J. Berg, Howard K. Berg MD
The Serenity Ridge property has been in the family since 1965. After identifying the need for a natural burial cemetery in Maryland, the Berg’s completed an almost 5-year period to work with the community and local politicians to open Serenity Ridge in January 2023.
We will continue to improve the property, remove invasive species and replace them with native Maryland trees. We have been working with experienced consultants and have brought in outstanding, experienced and dedicated people to work with the families through a difficult time.
Melissa Baughman
Cemetery Manager
Dan Law
Head of Business Development
Bonnie Sorak
Community Outreach Liaison
Steve Kuehne
Cemetery Director
Steve brings more than a decade of knowledge and experience in end-of-life-care to the Serenity Ridge Team. His background has involved working in all phases of end-of -life care including mortuaries, crematories, and managing the Archdiocese of Washington D.C cemetery. During this time, Steve set on a path of personal discovery, in search of “The best way to help people through grief… Helping them do all they can to honor their loved ones, with love.” He felt that natural burial offered the most comprehensive way to offer solace with end-of-life issues.
We are glad his journey has led him here, and Steve has found a home for this philosophy at Serenity Ridge. His passion is for guiding families through these most difficult times along with encouraging all to find the peace offered at Serenity Ridge in our natural surroundings. Outside of Serenity Ridge, Steve enjoys the outdoor lifestyle, hiking, camping, and quality time with family and friends.
Melissa Baughman
Cemetery Manager
Melissa has been helping families as a cemeterian for over ten years. She has worked at or managed All Souls Cemetery in Germantown, Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring and
Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery in Emmitsburg. She is an advocate for equality in death and has been passionate about the natural burial movement since before her career as a cemeterian.
Outside of Serenity Ridge, Melissa enjoys taking adventurous hikes, spotting wildlife and collecting interesting rocks.
Dan Law
Head of Business Development
Dan brings over 40 years of experience in horticulture and landscape design, along with a decade as Manager of Pre-Need Burial Planning at the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington. He is a strong advocate for natural burial, viewing it as an “earth-friendly” alternative to traditional burial practices, and is eager to share this environmentally responsible approach with others. Outside of his work at Serenity Ridge, Dan enjoys hiking, adventure travel, home renovation, and restoring his suburban yard to its natural meadow and forested state.
Bonnie Sorak
Community Outreach Liaison
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Bonnie graduated from Florida State University where she had a double major in Communications/Public Relations and Political Science. After graduating she worked for several non-profit organizations before embarking on a decade-plus career as a real estate agent. A 20+ year resident of Ellicott City, she is the mother of four sons, and has volunteered for many organizations including chairing Columbia Jewish Congregation’s (CJC) Green Team for a dozen years. Bonnie served as CJC’s representative to the Howard County’s Jewish Community Relations Council and on the Howard County MLK Holiday Commission. Bonnie worked for Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake for over 11 years, engaging with hundreds of diverse congregations throughout the watershed helping them to start and sustain their environmental initiatives.
Outside of Serenity Ridge, Bonnie enjoys cooking with a deep concern about food integrity issues as evidenced by her 30+ year commitment to a vegan diet. She enjoys hiking and walking with friends and family, and reading. Bonnie looks forward to helping Serenity Ridge to connect with congregations and environmental groups to educate the public regarding the many benefits of natural burial.
Joe Freed
Counselor
Joe is a retired educator who was Principal at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and at Baltimore Design School. He was also a Coordinator for Leadership Development Initiatives for the Maryland State Department of Education.
Joe has served as Community Liaison and Counselor for Serenity Ridge since its opening in January 2023. Joe is very proud of the Serenity Ridge team, in educating the public regarding the many benefits of natural burial. In addition, he enjoys his time with families at “a nature preserve where people happen to be buried.”
In his spare time, Joe enjoys playing cards, having dinner with friends, and serving as mixologist for his guests.
Kelly Joseph
Cemetery Caretaker
Kelly has been working with the Berg family in many capacities for the past 18 years, knowing personally three generations of the family. He has always enjoyed the outdoors so when offered the position to manage the grounds of Serenity Ridge, it was a natural move. Working at Serenity Ridge since its inception in January 2023, Kelly has gained a great deal of knowledge related to natural burial and is able to appreciate and share that with others.
When he is not at Serenity Ridge, Kelly enjoys bike riding, walking in the park with his Fiancé, spending time with family and detailing vehicles.
Chloe’ Allison
Family Services Specialist
Chloe’ spent five years as an art teacher in both public and private schools before finding her true calling in helping families navigate loss with empathy and care. Her passion for offering meaningful and alternative ways to honor loved ones led her to join our team. As our newest member, Chloe’ will be involved in planning and developing events, while working closely with families to provide support during challenging times. Outside of work, Chloe enjoys discovering new restaurants, thrifting and antique shopping, watching films, and engaging in creative hobbies that help her stay centered and inspired.
Get in touch
Phone
240-NATURAL
(240-628-8725)
Text
Cemetery Location
2406 Ridge Road
Windsor Mill, MD 21244
Gates open everyday from 7am-5pm
Appointment hours 9am-3pm
For any questions you may have, please feel free to contact us and someone will get back to you.
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