Loewen Completes Rose Hills Purchase

A partnership between Vancouver-based Loewen Group, the nation’s second-largest funeral and cemetery services company, and the Blackstone Group investment bank of New York has completed its $240-million purchase of Rose Hills Memorial Park. A charitable foundation, Rose Hills Foundation, has been created with the proceeds of the sale and will be setting up guidelines to apply for funds, said Victoria Rogers, executive director. Dennis C. Poulsen, who previously was president of Rose Hills’ operating company, was named chairman of Rose Hills Co., which owns the 81-year-old Whittier cemetery and 14 other Loewen properties in Southern California. Kendall E. Nungesser was named president and chief executive of Rose Hills Co.