FORM T-1

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                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                           STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                  A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

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                     CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                     ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                           SECTION 305(B)(2) _______

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                     UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

            New York                                          13-3818954
  (Jurisdiction of incorporation                            (I.R.S. employer
   if not a U.S. national bank)                            identification No.)

      114 West 47th Street                                    10036-1532
          New York, NY                                        (Zip Code)
     (Address of principal
      executive offices)

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                              Rose Hills Company
               (formerly known as Rose Hills Acquisition Corp.)
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

             Delaware                                          13-3915765
 (State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. employer
  incorporation or organization)                           identification No.)

       3888 Workman Mill Road
            Whittier, CA                                           90601
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)

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                       9 1/2% Senior Subordinated Notes
                                   Due 2004
                      (Title of the indenture securities)

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                                     - 2 -

                                    GENERAL

1.   General Information

     Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

     (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which 
         it is subject.

             Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2nd District), New York, New York
                  (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System)

             Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.
             New York State Banking Department, Albany, New York

     (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

         The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

2.   Affiliations with the Obligor

     If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

             None

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15:

     Rose Hills Company (formerly known as Rose Hills Acquisition Corp.)
     currently is not in default under any of its outstanding securities for
     which United States Trust Company of New York is Trustee. Accordingly,
     responses to Items 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of Form
     T-1 are not required under General Instruction B.

16.  List of Exhibits

     T-1.1        --      Organization Certificate, as amended, issued by
                           the State of New York Banking Department to transact
                           business as a Trust Company, is incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit T-1.1 to Form T-1 filed on
                           September 15, 1995 with the Commission pursuant to
                           the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended by the
                           Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990 (Registration No.
                           33-97056).

     T-1.2        --      Included in Exhibit T-1.1.

     T-1.3        --      Included in Exhibit T-1.1.







                                                  - 3 -

16.  List of Exhibits
     (cont'd)

     T-1.4        --      The By-Laws of United States Trust Company of New
                           York, as amended, is incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit T-1.4 to Form T-1 filed on September 15, 1995
                           with the Commission pursuant to the Trust Indenture
                           Act of 1939, as amended by the Trust Indenture Reform
                           Act of 1990 (Registration No. 33-97056).

     T-1.6        --      The consent of the trustee required by Section
                           321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
                           by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990.

     T-1.7        --      A copy of the latest report of condition of the
                           trustee pursuant to law or the requirements of its
                           supervising or examining authority.

NOTE

As of January 9, 1997,  the trustee had  2,999,020  shares of Common Stock 
outstanding,  all of which are owned by its parent  company,  U.S.  Trust 
Corporation.  The term  "trustee" in Item 2, refers to each of United States
Trust Company of New York and its parent company, U. S. Trust Corporation.

In answering Item 2 in this statement of eligibility as to matters peculiarly
within the knowledge of the obligor or its directors, the trustee has relied
upon information furnished to it by the obligor and will rely on information to
be furnished by the obligor and the trustee disclaims responsibility for the
accuracy or completeness of such information.

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Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the trustee,
United States Trust Company of New York, a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of
eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, all in the City of New York, and State of New York, on the 9th day
of January, 1997.

UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY
   OF NEW YORK, Trustee

By: /s/ Christine C. Collins
    -----------------------------
    Assistant Vice President






                                                                  Exhibit T-1.6

       The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

                    United States Trust Company of New York
                             114 West 47th Street
                              New York, NY 10036


September 1, 1995


Securities and Exchange Commission 450 5th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20549


Gentlemen:


Pursuant to the provisions of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990, and subject to the
limitations set forth therein, United States Trust Company of New York ("U.S.
Trust") hereby consents that reports of examinations of U.S. Trust by Federal,
State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities
to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request therefor.


Very truly yours,


UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY
       OF NEW YORK


      -------------------------
By:   S/Gerard F. Ganey
      Senior Vice President




                                                                EXHIBIT T-1.7

                    UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CONDITION
                              SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
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                                (IN THOUSANDS)


ASSETS
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Cash and Due from Banks                                               $ 38,257

Short-Term Investments                                                  82,377

Securities, Available for Sale                                         861,975

Loans                                                                1,404,930
Less:  Allowance for Credit Losses                                      13,048
                                                                     ---------
      Net Loans                                                      1,391,882
                                                                     
Premises and Equipment                                                  60,012
Other Assets                                                           133,673
                                                                    ----------
      Total Assets                                                  $2,568,176
                                                                    ==========

LIABILITIES
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Deposits:
      Non-Interest Bearing                                          $  466,849
      Interest Bearing                                               1,433,894
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         Total Deposits                                              1,900,743

Short-Term Credit Facilities                                           369,045
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities                               143,604
                                                                     ---------
      Total Liabilities                                             $2,413,392
                                                                    ==========
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
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Common Stock                                                            14,995
Capital Surplus                                                         42,394
Retained Earnings                                                       98,402
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Securities
     Available for Sale, Net of Taxes                                   (1,007)
                                                                    ----------
Total Stockholder's Equity                                             154,784
                                                                    ----------

    Total Liabilities and
     Stockholder's Equity                                           $2,568,176
                                                                    ==========


I, Richard E. Brinkmann, Senior Vice President & Comptroller of the named bank
do hereby declare that this Statement of Condition has been prepared in
conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate regulatory authority
and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.


Richard E. Brinkman, SVP & Controller


October 24, 1996