Robert Kendall was Elvis’ funeral director of the Memphis
Funeral home who arranged all the procedures for the burial of
Elvis Presley.
Having arranged the funeral service for Gladys Love Presley,
Elvis’ mother, 19 years previously Kendall thought is only
appropriate that Elvis should be buried in an identical $8,000
casket as his mother.
The copper lined casket also provided a
two by 4-inch stainless steel cylinder for identification
purposes in the event the remains, in the future are exhumed.
Such ID vials included the information on chemically treat
paper that list information of the deceased. Elvis’ cylinder
read:
Elvis Aaron
Presley
Born: January 8, 1935 -
Died: August 16, 1977
Funeral: August 18, 1977 at
Elvis' Eulogy: 2pm
Graceland
Interment same day at Forest Hills Cemetery (Midtown Memphis Tennessee)
(This information still remains
in Elvis’ casket despite the fact that in
November 1977 Elvis was re-buried at Graceland upon his
father’s request.
As Kendall had forgotten to update the details to final
resting place to
read: Graceland Meditation Gardens)
 Priscilla and Lisa Marie attend Elvis Funeral Usually, Robert Kendall discourages family to place valuables
inside the coffin for the most obvious of reasons and made that clear to Vernon Presley, however, this time against his
better judgment he allowed a small token from Lisa Marie who was only nine years old at the time.
During the first day of private viewing Lisa Marie approached Kendall while still holding
her mother’s hand and asked, “Mister Kendall can I give this
to my daddy?” With that she held out her other hand to display
a thin metal bracelet. In this case being only a child Kendall could deduce that Lisa
Marie was terrified to touch her beloved father’s body.
Instead of taking the bracelet from Lisa Marie,
Kendall took her hand walked her to her daddy’s bier.
Lisa Marie Presley
holding the bracelet approached the casket. She did not look at the father’s body when
Kendall asked her to point to which wrist she wanted Kendall to put it on. Instead
of pointing to her daddy’s wrist she pointed to her own right wrist.
Kendall realised then that already in her tender innocence Lisa has an innate aversion to
touching the corpse of a person she loved so very dearly. Thus
it was left to Kendall who gently lifted her father’s right
forearm just enough to slip the trinket into place. Lisa Marie
looked down at the floor throughout the whole procedure.
"Thank you, sir..." whispered Lisa Marie while walking hand in
hand with Kendall until she reached her mother in the hallway. Just before she turned to walk away,
Lisa Marie questioned Kendall... "Will it stay there
always?.." Kendall assured her that it
would be there forever.
As Lisa Marie headed for the front door, Priscilla Presley
asked if Kendall would cover the bracelet with the shirt cuff so it couldn’t be seen. Although
she did not offer any reason Kendall suspected that it was
so that it would remain safe without temptation to be taken as
a final memento.
Elvis' personal physician Dr Nick reveals
the true cause of death
in his book
The King and Dr. Nick
|
Elvis Medical Report
| Cause of
Death
Thursday, August 18, the funeral procession was an 21 car cortège.
Celebrities, Ann-Margaret & Colonel Tom Parker attending the funeral service. Jackie Kahane gave the eulogy & Kathy Westmoreland
sang Heavenly Father. The pallbearers at Elvis' funeral were, Jerry Schilling, Joe Esposito, George Klein,
Lamar Fike, Billy Smith, Charlie Hodges, Gene Smith
and
Dr. Nichopoulous.
"Son, Daddy will be with
you soon. Daddy will be with you soon," cried Vernon Presley. Two years later
26 June 1979 Vernon Presley died of a broken heart.
In
1977 it was Elvis Presley 2012 Whitney Houston gets the front
cover of the National Enquirer who ran a photo of Whitney's
body in her coffin that was taken during the family's private
viewing at Wigham...
Which begs the question who
took the photo? |
