NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 07: Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Commemorates Its 25th Year And Honors Founder Sir Elton John During New York Fall Gala at Cathedral of St. John the Divine on November 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)
Aretha Franklin entertained us for decades and now she is getting a send-off fit for a queen after passing away from pancreatic cancer last week.
She lied in repose in the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, roses surrounding her gold-plated casket. Fans were eager to say their final goodbyes, some even spending Monday night on the sidewalk outside to ensure they would see the Queen of Soul one last time.
Never one to be outdone, the details were meticulous. The casket arrived in a 1940 Cadillac LaSalle hearse that carried her father’s body, as well as Rosa Parks’. Aretha was even dressed in a different outfit each day of the open casket showings.
On Tuesday, mourners saw her in a red lace dress and crimson heels. The lining inside the casket read, “Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul.” There was a very particular reason this musical legend was wearing read for her public showing.
Red is the color of African American sorority Delta Sigma Theta, of which the 76-year-old singer was an honorary member. The sorority is dedicated to public service and on Tuesday night, sisters gave Aretha their final rite. About a thousand women dressed in black showed up. The sisters formed a semi-circle, reading poems and Bible verses to honor their beloved Aretha.
The second day of the showing, the Queen of Soul had a complete clothing change. Mourners on Wednesday witnessed her dressed in blue, though the family did not authorize a picture of the second outfit.
People from all over the country flocked to Detroit to pay their respects to Aretha Franklin. To include her fans across the world, her funeral will be broadcast live on television Friday.
More information about Aretha’s viewing and funeral, including the outfit changes, is in the video below.
This has certainly been a legendary sendoff for a legendary singer.
Source: Inside Edition
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