Home Mission Cemetery

{{Short description|Historic cemetery in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox cemetery | name = Home Mission Cemetery | native_name = Sleeping Bride Cemetery Thompson Cemetery | native_name_lang = | image = Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -2.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Home Mission Cemetery | map_type = | map_size = | map_caption = | established = 1936 | abandoned = Abandoned | location = West Dove Wing Drive Surprise, Arizona | country = U.S. | coordinates = {{Coord|33.7569|-112.4248|type:landmark_region:US-AZ|display=inline,title}} | type = | style = | owner = | size = | graves = 14 | interments = | cremations = | leases = | website = | politicalgeo = | footnotes = | nrhp = | embedded = }} The '''Home Mission Cemetery''' is a historic cemetery located on West Dove Wing Way in the Maricopa County of Arizona, United States, slightly outside of the Surprise town border. The cemetery is also known as the "'''Sleeping Bride Cemetery'''", the "'''Thompson Cemetery'''", and The "'''Rhodes Cemetery'''". The Pioneers' Cemetery Association (PCA) defines a "historic cemetery" as one which has been in existence for more than fifty years.<ref>[http://www.azhistcemeteries.org/our-cemeteries.html Pioneers' Cemetery Association]</ref>

==History== Lewis and his wife Marie Thompson were homesteaders who settled down in the area which is now part of the town of Surprise. In 1936, Marie established a small cemetery in one acre of the Thompson family ranch. The Thompson's would regularly hold Bible studies in their ranch house. In 1936, their son, 15 year-old Robert Thompson and his friend were playing with a gun when suddenly it accidentally went off and fatally shot him. Thus, he became the first person to be buried in the cemetery.<ref>[https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2015/09/29/whos-buried-surprise-cemeteries/72995594/ Arizona Republic]</ref>

In the 1950s the property, which included the cemetery, was passed on to Reverent James Outlaw, a Pentecostal preacher and his religious Mission. The members of the Mission were the ones who called the cemetery the "Sleeping Bride Cemetery". This was within the believe that Christians are brides of Christ.<ref>[http://archive.azcentral.com/community/surprise/articles/20110728history-detectives-probe-surprise-cemetery.html Az Central]</ref>

Thirty-seven graves have been identified so far. The most common surnames in the cemetery are those of the Thompson's and Rhodes'.<ref name="MH">[http://www.apcrp.org/MISSION_HOME/Mission_Home_Mast_Txt.htm Mission Home]</ref> The Surprise Historical Society is in process of restoring, preserving and maintaining the cemetery as a Pioneer Cemetery.<ref name="MH"/>

==Graves== {{Gallery |title=Historic Home Mission Cemetery (Sleeping Bride Cemetery) center|thumb|250px|{{center|'''Home Mission Cemetery'''}} |width=180px |height=200px |align=center |File:Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -Robert Thompson.jpg|Grave of '''Robert Thompson''' (1921–1936) |File: Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -Norman Rex Galloway.jpg |Grave of '''Norman Rex Galloway''' (1898–1973) |File: Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -Emma Leona Thompson.jpg |Grave of '''Emma Leona Thompson''' (1921–1989) |File: Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -Vernon C. Thompson.jpg|Grave of '''Vernon C. Thompson''' (1912–1991) |File: Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -John Chester Rhodes.jpg|Grave of '''John Chester Rhodes''' (1928–1993) |File: Surprise-Home Mission Cemetery -Orie V and Rosie M. Rhodes.jpg |Graves of '''Oried V. Rhodes''' (1899–1980) and '''Rosie M. Rhodes''' (1907–2000) }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Home Mission Cemetery}} Category:Cemeteries in Arizona Category:Buildings and structures in Maricopa County, Arizona Category:Cemeteries established in the 1930s Category:1936 establishments in Arizona