According to Aretha Franklin's death certificate the iconic singer did in fact die of pancreatic cancer. The document marks her passing at 9:50 AM on August 16, 2018. It also indicates the location Aretha's family have chosen as her burial site, Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, where civil rights icon Rosa Parks is also entombed. The rest of the inscribed fields pinpoint information that is already readily available, such as birthrights and her occupation (singer/songwriter).
As previously reported, Aretha Franklin passed after enduring several months of deteriorating health. Recently it came to light that Aretha had been receiving hospice care for some time now. Thankfully she spent her final moments peacefully in the company of family and friends. Her closest relatives are planning a 4-day celebration of her life, which will include an open casket memorial service open to the public at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Conversely, the funeral proceedings are reserved to closest of kin and invited guests. Aretha is survived by her four sons Clarence, Edward, Kecalf and Ted.
Aretha may have been born in Memphis, Tennessee, but the story of her life as we know it really began in Motown while she was just a toddler. Pay your respects, play your favorite tune, light a candle, do whatever you feel compelled to. I don't say this about everybody.
R.I.P.
