Fans of the late singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley were devastated to hear the news of her passing on Thursday, just hours after being hospitalized for a medical emergency. However, it was announced that her final resting place would be alongside her son, Benjamin Keough, at Graceland, the famous home of her father, Elvis Presley.
A Touchstone to the Icon
Fans paid their respects at Graceland’s gates on Friday, writing messages on the stone wall, leaving flowers, and sharing memories of Elvis Presley’s only child, who was one of the last remaining touchstones to the icon whose influence and significance still resonates more than 45 years after his sudden death.
A Personal Look
Lisa Marie was not living in Memphis, where she was born. Still, she made trips to the city to celebrate her father’s birth anniversary and commemorations of his death, which stunned the world when he was found dead in his Graceland home at age 42 on August 16, 1977. She was in Memphis this past Sunday on what would have been her father’s 88th birthday.
In 2012, Lisa Marie visited Graceland to attend the opening of a new exhibit, “Elvis Through His Daughter’s Eyes,” a personal look that included her baby shoes – her birth, nine months exactly after Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s wedding, was international news – as well as her first record player and a small white fur coat.
The Elvis Presley Trust
Lisa Marie became the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which – along with Elvis Presley Enterprises – managed Graceland and other assets until she sold her majority interest in 2005. She retained ownership of the mansion itself, the 13 acres around it, and items inside the home.
A representative from Elvis Presley Enterprises told The Associated Press that the mansion is in a trust that will benefit her children – she’s survived by three daughters. The representative did not have details on the timing of a funeral or burial.
A Somber Mood
Fans of both Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley were devastated by the news of her passing. Angela Ferraro, an Elvis and Lisa Marie music fan, drove 25 minutes from Olive Branch, Mississippi, to pay her respects. She said, “It’s hard and it’s devastating.”
On Thursday, Sancelle Vance, 50, took the Graceland tour, which included a stop by Lisa Marie’s old swing set and her son’s grave. About an hour and a half later, Vance heard about Lisa Marie’s death; the mood at The Guest House at Graceland, the hotel where she was staying, became somber.
Fans have been paying their respects at Graceland’s gates and reflecting on the legacy of both Elvis and Lisa Marie Presley.
