Lisa Marie Presley was remembered Sunday morning by her family, friends and fans at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. It was an emotional public memorial, with Elvis Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla, Lisa Marie’s mother, leading the tribute by reading a heartfelt family message at the ceremony.
Priscilla Presley shared a poem by one of Lisa Marie Presley’s 14-year-old daughters.
The poem referred to a “broken heart” that hastened Lisa Marie’s death at age 54. This was a conclusion of her son Benjamin’s suicide in July 2020.
At the end of the poem, Priscilla switched to her own message. “Our hearts are broken. Lisa, we all love you.
Lisa Marie’s other daughter, actress Riley Keough, had her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, read a eulogy for her. Riley shared memories of being driven to school by her mother while Aretha Franklin played and recalled the feeling of being picked up at school.
“Thank you for showing me that love is all that matters in this world,” concluded her eulogy.
At the helm of the ministry, filmmaker Joel Weinshanker said Lisa Marie’s wish for her ministry is: “Don’t make it sad.” Lisa, we’re going to try to honor you, try to honor your wishes.
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has shared how she regards Lisa Marie as her “sissy” and has vowed to stay close to Lisa’s children. Talent manager Jerry Schilling, a longtime Presley family friend and companion of Lisa Marie at the Golden Globes, gave the opening speech and recounted how he first met Lisa shortly after her birth.
Performances were an important part of the ceremony. Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose spoke and then played a moving “November Rain” on the piano. Billy Corgan and Alanis Morissette also performed, followed by the Blackwood Brothers Quartet who sang the traditional gospel song “How Great Thou Art.” The memorial services concluded with a song by Jason Clark and the Tennessee Mass Choir.
Lisa Marie Presley is buried with her father Elvis and son Benjamin at the Memphis estate. The live stream of the memorial service concluded with a message to donate to the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation for a gift in memory of Lisa.
After the ceremony to allow fans to see her gravestone where they can leave flowers or other gifts, according to the New York Times.
Author: Bruce Herring
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
