I was surprised to find out that Peter Mayhew is buried down the street from me here in North Texas. Mayhew is the actor best-known for playing Chewbacca, the lovable Wookiee side kick of Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. He passed away on April 30, 2019.
Mayhew is buried in Azleland Memorial Park and Mausoleum. It’s a lovely cemetery with well-kept grounds and an eye-catching stone grotto with a statue of Jesus standing on top.
I waited a while before visiting Peter Mayhew’s grave because I didn’t want to bother any mourning family members or close friends. When I finally visited the cemetery, I had a hard time finding Peter Mayhew’s grave.
Some friendly cemetery caretakers finally pointed it out to me. It is way in the back corner, and much to my surprise, there is no headstone. All that marks Mayhew’s grave is a bouquet of flowers, a Wookiee cookie, and a tiny photograph of Mayhew and Chewbacca.
For such a famous actor, I was expecting something much fancier! The cemetery caretakers explained that his family will eventually add a custom-made headstone, but it will be a while.
I’ve shared a few photos that I took, as well as a video I made about my visit to Peter Mayhew’s humble gravesite. (Scroll down to see the video!)
More info: youtube.com
Peter Mayhew is buried in Azleland Memorial Park
It's a beautiful modern cemetery with a grotto and Jesus statue
A bouquet, cookie, and photo are all that mark Peter Mayhew's grave
Closer look: A bouquet, cookie, and photo at Peter Mayhew's grave
