A two-day public viewing has been arranged in the town of Detroit, Michigan in order to celebrate the life of the now deceased legend, Aretha Franklin.
The Queen of Soul
had recently been battling with Pancreatic Cancer. However, the
advanced condition of the disease took her life at age of 76. People
close to Aretha have decided to pay their final respects to her by
organizing a four-day celebration of her life.
On the 28th
and 29th of August, Aretha’s public memorial will take
place at the Charles H. Wright Museum that is known for its
importance in the African American history, a place that the singer
herself frequented. It has been decided that the casket will be left
open so the fans and the rest of the world can get closure.
The more private
funeral will be held at the Greater Grace Temple, situated in city of
Detroit on the 31st of August. Only her family and close
friends will be allowed here to bid farewell to the legend, after
which she will be buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.
As announced by
the music icon’s publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, Aretha will be buried
alongside the graves of her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, fellow
siblings Carolyn, Erma and Cecil Franklin. Her nephew, Thomas Garrett
was also laid to rest in that very cemetery.
The legend’s
relatives and representatives arranged her public memorial, private
funeral service and burial in the same venues as Rosa Parks, Civil
rights activist who died in 2005.
It has also been
rumored that various top artists are also being scheduled to perform
to pay their final respects to the singer.
News of the
Respect hitmaker’s death emerged just several hours after her
closest friends Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder opened up about
their last meeting with her. Stevie teared up discussing that he had
flown to see her, a day after her condition was declared to be
critically ill. He had been told that she could hear everything he
said even though she did not utter a word. Stevie recalled that he
had asked her to greet his sister whom he lost a year earlier.
Furthermore, he added that she was a great human being who had
inspired lives all over the world. Choking up, Stevie said that her
voice would live on even after those who loved her, passed away.
Smokey stated
that he had known Aretha since they were children. He described his
friend as a good person and an amazing cook. He also shared several
childhood memories they had made, all the while smiling. The singer’s
childhood pal also added that he was glad that their friendship had
lasted for as long as Aretha had been alive.
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