Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Chapel - St. Louis County, MO - Cemetery Chapels on Waymarking.com

County of chapel: St. Louis County
Location of chapel: Omar Bradley Dr. & Miravalle Dr., Jefferson Barracks National cemetery, St. Louis County
Built: 1978
Architect: Dennis Hancher
Architectural Style: Modernistic

"In 1970, the Korean and Vietnam Gold Star Mothers and Fathers sought a perpetual living memorial to remember the sons and daughters who paid the supreme sacrifice in defense of the principles in which they believed. As a result of their efforts, a chapel was constructed in the cemetery. A ground breaking ceremony was held on Veterans Day 1976. A model of the chapel was unveiled during the ceremony that was attended by VA officials, state and local government representatives, members of the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Committee and area residents. In his speech before the gathering, Carl T. Noll, then Deputy Director of the National Cemetery System, told how the chapel will honor the dead of all wars and be a "place of serenity and beauty that will always be a source of solace and consolation, strength and pride to the relatives of our deceased veterans."

"The nonsectarian memorial chapel was dedicated on April 30, 1978, and has a seating capacity of 104 persons.

"A stained glass skylight that floods the interior with color and light, was installed at the chapel in 1985. The 60- by 20-foot multi-colored overhead window depicts the history of man from ancient Egypt to the present. It is set five feet below an exterior skylight where it dominates the chapel ceiling. The skylight was designed and hand-crafted by St. Louis artist Robert Frei, as were stained glass windows on each side of the nave and a 30-foot by IO-foot glass panel in the narthex. The Jefferson Barracks Chapel Association continues to spearhead a fund drive for donations to the chapel." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

"The National Cemetery plays a critical role in the internment of veterans, and even on a weekday, burials are frequent, with various processions coming and going. Recently, I met with Al Katzenberger, retired from the U.S. Navy and 10th District Department of Missouri, American Legion: Liaison Jefferson Barracks Chapel, Cemetery and Expansion, for a tour of the cemetery’s chapel. Completed in 1978, and designed by Dennis Hancher as his first major commission, the chapel sits in the middle of the cemetery. It is a stout building (according to my guide, the government requires its buildings to be built to withstand tornados) and sits at that interesting period in American architecture when Modernism was evolving into Post-Modernism. I like the chapel; its clean lines and geometric shapes represent a moment in time that is not always appreciated. Even while we were touring the building, an honor guard was preparing for the arrival of a funeral; the chapel sees frequent use in the busy cemetery." ~ St. Louis, Magazine, BY Chris Naffziger, November 9, 2016

"The carillon bell tower was erected as part of the AMVETS international carillon program to provide living memorials in honor of American veterans. At the time of installation, it was as described as "a very fine instrument [whose] beautiful tones can be heard throughout the entire cemetery and beyond."' ~ VA - Cemetery Administration

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