Inspiring Conversations with Ralph Howard of Whispering Hills Natural Cemetery and Memorial Nature Preserve

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ralph Howard.

Hi Ralph, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Ralph Howard, a lifelong resident of LaGrange, Georgia, graduate of Emory University and Georgia State University, and an avid fan of the arts in LaGrange, Atlanta, and the world. Much of my business activity has long been in Atlanta, where my wife Nita, our family, and I have enjoyed gallery events, concerts, festivals, and incredible restaurants for decades. I’m an 83-year-old businessman and entrepreneur who never plans to slow down. My parents purchased 140 acres of land about six miles outside LaGrange in 1946. My sister Jean and I explored every inch of that property growing up – riding horses in the forest and meadows, hiking along the streams and ponds. It was and still is an incredibly beautiful place – an oasis from the development that is all around LaGrange and northward to Atlanta. My sister and I were committed to finding a way to preserve this land for future generations. Jean had developed part of the acreage into a horse farm. The white fences line the operation along Mooty Bridge Road. But we needed to find another way to protect the rest of this special property. After reading an article about the growing trend of natural cemeteries and burials, I dove deep into researching natural cemeteries and quickly formed some friendships and mentorships with some of the pioneers of the industry, including Billy and Kimberley Campbell at Ramsey Creek Preserve in Westminster, South Carolina. The Campbells founded Ramsey Creek in the late 90s, as the first natural cemetery in the country and for all practical purposes, the first in the world. I invited the Campbells to walk our property to get their honest opinion about our plans to start a natural cemetery. They were excited to see the rich diversity of the land under the towering trees, in the flower-filled meadows, and an existing network of trails that offered access to just about every piece of the property. The Campbells thought we had a beautiful property that would make for a wonderful natural cemetery, of course with a lot of preparation, planning, and hard work. We talked with others in the natural cemetery to learn all we could. It’s amazing to consider that the Campbells founded the first natural cemetery less than 30 years ago and today there are nearly 500 natural cemeteries in the U.S. We spent several years prepping and honing the land, securing the licenses, and county commission approvals, and we opened Whispering Hills Natural Cemetery and Memorial Nature Preserve on Earth Day, April 21, 2021. In less than four years, more than 200 families have chosen Whispering Hills for a loved one’s final resting place or for a full family plot for later use. We’ve experienced firsthand how end-of-life preplanning can bring incredible peace of mind to families, who don’t have to worry about finding a special resting place and signing the necessary paperwork in the midst of grieving. When all that is taken care of ahead of time, at any age, it can bring peace of mind. And we’re seeing more and more people in their 40s, 50s, 60s explore Whispering Hills, pick out and secure their own special resting place. Once that’s all done, they often tell us it’s one of the best decisions and acts of preplanning they’ve ever made in their life. We have individuals and families from across the U.S. and the South choosing to leave their last mark on Earth at Whispering Hills. We even have several people from Europe, Japan, and other places around the world who have chosen to have a full natural burial or an ashes burial or scattering at Whispering Hills. More and more people and families from all across Atlanta are choosing Whispering Hills. There are three natural cemeteries currently in Georgia, but we offer by far the most diverse options for burial sites across this nature preserve. It has been so gratifying to see how much these families have come to cherish Whispering Hills as much as I do and my family does. They truly appreciate knowing they will forever be in a beautiful place surrounded by towering trees, meadows, streams, and walking and riding trails. Unlike a lot of cemeteries, Whispering Hills is a place where families want to return to celebrate their loved ones here, with hikes, walks, picnics, and time spent with their loved ones surrounded by nature. There are so many amazing family stories, I can’t begin to share them all, but perhaps Jeff Martin of LaGrange, Georgia put it best when he said, ‘Whispering Hills is a world apart from traditional cemeteries.’ Jeff lost his mom Joan in the fall of 2023, and he and his family set out to find a final resting place that fit her love for beautiful places, flowers, and the outdoors. They found the perfect spot at Whispering Hills, under a beautiful dogwood tree that blooms every April on Joan’s birthday. Jeff, like a lot of people who find solace at Whispering Hills, says he ‘didn’t want his mom in a traditional cemetery with rows of tombstones.’ Families can pick a natural stone from the preserve, and the Whispering Hills team will have it engraved with the person’s name, dates, and anything else the family wants. The stones lay flat to mark the grave, which is in keeping with the natural surroundings at the cemetery. Families who select a natural burial can choose among a number of options, including a full natural burial in a pine or wicker casket or a shroud, or an ashes burial or scattering. Whispering Hills has become a place where people want to gather to spend time with their loved ones lost, to walk the property, feed the horses in the pasture, enjoy nature, and even attend special events throughout the year. Whispering Hills hosts an annual anniversary event, now called the Down to Earth Fair, every April or early May, which features informative presentations by experts ranging from funeral directors to estate planners, even natural gardening and landscaping specialists. Our Down to Earth Fair will be held on Saturday, May 2 this year, when we will celebrate our fifth anniversary with a marketplace, exhibits, and a full line up of informative discussions and presentations. We also host smaller events with local nature, hiking, and horse-riding groups. And every Veterans Day we honor veterans and their families, including those buried at Whispering Hills. The event draws hundreds who gather to pay tribute and to experience an incredibly emotional ceremony that includes the presentation of U.S. military service medallions, which are then permanently placed on the veteran’s tribute stone in the cemetery. Our Veterans Day celebration also features incredible stories about veterans shared by family members, patriotic speeches from local veterans, and an amazing rendition of Taps that echoes throughout the forest. A local baker also brings a Veterans Day cake that everyone looks forward to every year. Whispering Hills has become, I’m very happy to say, an important part of the community. I have chosen my final resting place at Whispering Hills, since of course no one gets out of here alive. But in the meantime, there’s so much to do and to enjoy, and so many families and funeral directors to introduce to Whispering Hills and this exciting and growing trend of natural cemeteries and burials. The LaGrange High School’s cross-country team began training on the challenging trails at Whispering Hills two years ago and this past fall, we hosted the Troup County Cross Country Championship meet. The LaGrange team has gained a competitive edge over the past couple of seasons by training on these trails. One of the high school boys on the team has an aunt buried at Whispering Hills, and he blows her a kiss every time he runs by. Hundreds come here to celebrate a loved one’s life in a place that is so full of life and activity. It could be a hike with a family dog along a trail to a loved one’s final resting place or a mountain biker dashes down the trails, or a horseback rider explores the woods and fields, or an entire family gathers for a picnic lunch or dinner to honor their loved ones. The wildlife here, like the deer and the wild turkeys who roam this place, along with the flowers and blooming trees offer a full orchestra of beauty that draws people back to share time outdoors with family forever at rest here. Anyone can choose a final resting place at Whispering Hills, where our natural burial options are open to all. Families who explore Whispering Hills are amazed by the beauty and the natural burial choices and the fact that they can get as hands-on as they want to during the burial ceremony. More times than not, family members opt to help close the grave by picking up a shovel and taking turns to respectfully return dirt to the grave. So many have told us they never thought they could experience such a level of closure. We welcome anyone to schedule a free tour and come out to explore Whispering Hills. We’re about an hour or less from downtown Atlanta, and a world apart from traditional cemeteries. You can visit Whispering Hills online at www.whisperinghillspreserve.com or call us anytime to schedule a tour or get additional details at 706-884-7435.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I recall early discussions with Jeff Higgins of Higgins Funeral Home in LaGrange, who said ‘Ralph your biggest challenge is going to be no one around here knows what a natural cemetery or burial is.’ So we opened on Earth Day 2021 with a series of local and regional advertising programs aimed at educating everyone when it comes to natural burials and cemeteries. What we’ve found is families are happy to have another option to consider, for their own end-of-life preplanning or for a loved one passed. Funeral homes at first considered Whispering Hills a big threat, but most of them now know we’re not a threat at all but a great partner as they search for ways to boost their businesses in the face of a fast-changing market. Natural cemeteries and burials offer funeral directors with new options to offer their customers and families, who are increasingly interested in natural cemeteries. Funeral homes across the Atlanta-metro area now have world-class natural cemeteries they can partner with to offer families a whole new level of closure. Ultimately, that kind of partnership will enable funeral homes to meet the evolving needs and demands of families that simply want a more beautiful final resting place and beautiful ceremony surrounded by nature. Overall, we’re ahead of schedule at Whispering Hills nearly five years in. Look, we obviously didn’t choose the most lucrative options for this special property that our family holds dear. We could’ve developed the land of course, but that is exactly what we were determined to avoid. Whispering Hills will now be a great natural cemetery choice for generations to come, long after I’m gone and buried at Whispering Hills. That’s exactly what we set out to do and I couldn’t be more honored to see how special this place is to so many families across the region, Georgia, the South, and beyond.

We’ve been impressed with Whispering Hills Natural Cemetery and Memorial Nature Preserve , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I spent much of my professional career heading up the Kleen-Tex Industries business. Kleen-Tex Industries, Inc. is known around the world as a premier manufacturer of washable rubber-backed mats and logo mats. First recognized in 1971 as the innovator of the first washable rubber-backed mat, Kleen-Tex soon revolutionized the industrial rental laundry industry throughout North America, Europe and Japan. Kleen-Tex has continuously broadened its product line with an extensive collection of logo, advertising, multi-purpose and home-use mats. The worldwide headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, while the Kleen-Tex was originally founded in 1967 is LaGrange, Georgia. From Atlanta, Kleen-Tex oversees manufacturing and distribution in seven countries – Japan, Thailand, Austria, Poland South Africa, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

I have recently stepped down from lead roles in Kleen-Tex, where my son and daughter are now instrumental in the running of the mat business. I will forever appreciate and pull from my business experience at Kleen-Tex as we serve families at Whispering Hills. I don’t plan on slowing down too much and feel blessed to have the opportunity to help build something as special as Whispering Hills.

While I was still running much of the Kleen-Tex operation, I became very committed to finding a great use of our family land in LaGrange and that led to the development, founding and launch of Whispering Hills Natural Cemetery and Memorial Nature Preserve. The diversity of the land certainly sets Whispering Hills apart from other natural cemeteries. We have become a wonderful option in the world of natural cemeteries and the families who have chosen Whispering Hills are truly the biggest promoters of our brand and offerings. All it takes for most is a tour of the natural cemetery and memorial nature preserve and people become very interested in learning more and ultimately securing the perfect resting place in a special spot they truly connect with. For some it’s being in or near the flowering meadow, while others want a spot under the towering trees in the forest, and others want to be near a trail or creek. So many have described our nature preserve and natural cemetery like a park. It really is very much like a park, with the trails and streams, the canopies of flowering trees and the sun-drenched fields.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
According to a series of recent studies by the Funeral Directors Association and others, as many as 65% to 84% of Americans have expressed interest in natural burials. Those numbers have jumped considerably over just the last few years, and we expect those numbers and sentiments to continue to rise. Think about it, there were just 150 natural cemeteries in the U.S. in 2016. Just ten years later, there are nearly 500 in 2026, according to the Green Burial Council.

There’s an increasing focus on the chemicals used in traditional burials and cemeteries. Even cremations aren’t very green at all when you dig into the details. So natural burials and cemeteries are really gaining in interest – not just because embalming chemicals, metal caskets and concrete vaults and marble tombstones aren’t allowed. Those are very important factors for a lot of people, including the environmentally conscious. But based on what I hear more and more people sharing with me about their decisions around end-of-life preplanning, they don’t want to make their last mark on Earth in a tombstone-filled cemetery close to the road. In many cases, a busy road with fast-food restaurants in full view. More and more people simply want a more simple approach in a beautiful place. Whispering Hills offers so many burial and location options – whether you want a full natural burial or you want your ashes buried or scattered in a forest, a meadow or with a lake or stream view. And top it off with the fact that Whispering Hills is the only natural cemetery in Georgia certified by the Green Burial Council.

In short, we only see the interest in and the number of natural cemeteries and burials only growing from here.

Pricing:

• Natural Burial Rights – in-ground, full body, natural burial rights. Single Space is $3,000.00
• Double Space is $4500.00
• Family Estate (four spaces) is $8000.00. All with additional cost estimates.
• Cremation Burial Rights – Single Space is $450.00 with additional cost estimates. Double Space is $850 with additional cost estimates, and Family Estate (four spaces) is $1600.00
• Cremains Scattering Rights -Single Set of Cremains is $525.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.whisperinghillspreserve.com