Family members of the late
Aretha Franklin gather before
entering the Mausoleum Chapel at
the Woodlawn Cemetery, Monday,
March 25, 2019, in Detroit.
Family celebrated Franklin and
other passed family members with
a memorial service inside a
chapel at the cemetery on what
would have been the Queen of
Soul's 77th birthday. Franklin
died last year after battling
pancreatic cancer. Sabrina
Owens, Franklin's niece, says
"our family thought it might be
a good idea for us to start the
day the right way _ in prayer."
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Family
members
celebrate
birthday
of late
‘Queen
of Soul’
By
MIKE
HOUSEHOLDER
APNews.com
DETROIT
- Family
members
celebrated
Aretha
Franklin
on what
would
have
been the
Queen of
Soul’s
77th
birthday
Monday
with a
memorial
service
and a
screening
of a
documentary
film.
The
service
was held
inside a
chapel
at
Woodlawn
Cemetery
in
Detroit.
Franklin
died
last
year
after
battling
pancreatic
cancer
and was
laid to
rest
inside a
crypt
not far
from
Woodlawn’s
chapel.
“Our
family
thought
it might
be a
good
idea for
us to
start
today
the
right
way, in
prayer,”
Franklin’s
niece
Sabrina
Owens
said.
“And ask
for
God’s
blessing
on today
as we go
through
these
very
exciting
events
of the
day.”
In
addition
to
Owens,
Franklin’s
sons
Kecalf
Franklin,
Edward
Franklin
and Ted
White
Jr. were
among
those
who
attended
the
remembrance
service,
which
focused
not only
on the
legendary
singer,
but also
other
departed
family
members,
including
Aretha’s
father,
the Rev.
C.L.
Franklin,
and her
brother
Cecil
Franklin,
who also
was a
pastor.
“It’s
always
very
emotional,
mixed
emotions,
when I
come
here,
because
not only
is my
aunt
here,
but my
mom is
here.
And my
uncle
Cecil,”
Owens
said,
adding:
“I think
about my
life
with
them
growing
up and
what
each of
them
meant to
me.”
The
Rev.
Edward
Branch,
a family
friend
and the
senior
pastor
at Third
New Hope
Baptist
Church
in
Detroit,
presided
over the
service,
saying
he hoped
the
gathering
would
“heal
their
hearts
and help
them to
focus on
the
brighter
times
and the
greater
memories
that are
behind.”
Later
Monday,
the
Detroit
Institute
of Arts
was to
host the
premiere
of
“Amazing
Grace,”
which
chronicles
Franklin’s
1972
performance
at a Los
Angeles
church.
Owens
said the
film
will go
into
wider
release
next
month.
While
the
movie
and the
recent
release
of a
boxed
set of
recordings
from
that
performance
are
reasons
to
celebrate,
the loss
of her
aunt
still
stings,
Owens
said.
“Each
day, it
gets a
little
better,”
she
said.
“So, we
just
rely on
our
strength
and that
of our
family
and our
friends
and our
support
systems.”