The Artesia Cemetery District, established in 1882, was the only cemetery in the area for many years, exclusively serving the needs of Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, and portions of Lakewood, Long Beach, and Norwalk, with the cemetery hosting over forty Civil War Veteran plots. With Johnson’s blessing, the Cemetery Board unanimously approved the hiring of Artesia resident and former State Senator Tony Mendoza, who in 2018, resigned from the California Senate just moments before a vote to formally expel him after a series of sexual misconduct accusations. Following in the footsteps of the larger cemeteries such as Forest Lawn, the Artesia Cemetery is planning to offer family events inside the facility throughout the year.