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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