Elvis Presley | August 14, 1958 | The Death of Gladys Love Presley

August 8, All though the summer Gladys has been feeling ill.

As her condition worsens Elvis insists that she do something about it, putting his parents on a train to memphis so that she can see her personal physician, Dr. Charles Clarke.

August 9, Responding to an 11.30am emergency call, an ambulance transports Mrs. Presley from Graceland to Methodist Hospital, where her condition is listed as grave. Elvis completes Advanced Tank Training.

August 11, Elvis commences his Basic unit Training.

August 12, After more effort than it would take for any ordinary soldier, including calls from Gladys' Doctor to military personnel in Washington and Elvis' desperate threat to go AWAOL, Elvis is finally granted emergency leave, flying from Fort Worth to Texas with Lamar Fike and going straight to the hospital.

August 13, Vernon remains at his wife's side throughout the night, while Elvis after spending the evening at home, returns in the morning and again in the afternoon, not leaving until close to midnight.

Alan Fortas, Lamar Fike, George Klein, Elvis Presley, Billy Smith and Louis Harris, pictured sat round a table in the hospital conference room waiting for news of Elvis' mother's condition.

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley : August, 1958 : Methodist Hospital

August 14, At approximately 3.15am, with her husband at her side Gladys Love Presley dies.

Gladys Love Presley was 46. Both Elvis and Vernon are inconsolable.

In the early afternoon with hundreds of fans at the gates, Gladys is brought home to Graceland. Elvis wants the funeral conducted at the house but the Colonel convinces Elvis that security will not be able to be effectively maintained and arrangements are made to have the service at The Memphis Funeral Home.

August 15, Gladys funeral is held at 3:30pm. Elvis sobbed hysterically while Gladys' favourite gospel group, the Blackwood Brothers, performed at the service in the Memphis Funeral Home, and he was equally inconsolable at her Forest Hill Cemetery grave site, crying out, 'Oh God, everything I have is gone'. Elvis leans over the grave, crying out, inconsolably, 'Goodbye, darling, goodbye. I love you so much. You know how much I lived my whole life just for you'. The mourning continued through the next few days as Elvis was granted extended leave. Evidently his fans were grieving too -- they sent him more than 100,000 cards and letters, around 500 telegrams, and more than 200 floral arrangements to express their sympathy for his loss.

Still, even though it would never be the same, life had to carry on.

Vernon and Elvis Presley : August 14, 1958.
Vernon and Elvis Presley : August 14, 1958.

August 16, Elvis insists upon attending the funeral of Red West's Father who died the previous day. later in the afternoon Elvis insists on visiting his mothers grave.

August 18, Elvis' seven-day leave is extended for five more days, during which the Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up by giving him helicopter rides over Graceland and the city.

The Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up by giving him helicopter rides over Graceland and the city.
The Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up with helicopter rides over Graceland

August 24, Elvis returns to Fort Hood, leaving instructions that nothing is to be altered in his mothers room.

September 11, Elvis is assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor, 3rd Armored Division in what was then known as West Germany. September 19, Elvis leaves Fort Hood on a troop train bound for the Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York. September 22, The troop train arrives in Brooklyn at 9.00am.

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley : Elvis visits his mothers grave at Forest Hill Cemetery : March 8, 1960

Elvis returns to visit his mothers grave at Forest Hill Cemetery on August 17, 1958.
Elvis returns to visit his mothers grave at Forest Hill Cemetery on August 17, 1958. [Follow the funeral of Red Wests Father].

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley | Western Hills Inn, Euless, Texas | August 9, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: August, 1958 | Methodist Hospital
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley waiting at the Hospital for word on his Mothers condition | August 13, 1958

January 1958

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley January 8, 1958 | With Eight-year-old Mary Kosloski
Elvis Presley Video Video | Elvis passes through Fort Worth January 11, 1958

March

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis and Anita Wood looked at new auto-mobiles | March 19, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis with Gladys & Vernon + Army Induction | March 24, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis fan letter to President Eisenhower
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Inside King Creole
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley In The U.S. Army 1958-1959
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis in the U.S. Army in colour

June

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley June 1, 1958 | Outside Graceland
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley June 10, 1958 | RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee

August

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Western Hills Inn, Euless, Texas | August 9, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley August, 1958 | Methodist Hospital
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley waiting at the Hospital for word on his Mothers condition | August 13, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley August 14, 1958 | The Death of Gladys Love Presley

October

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Ray Barracks, Germany | October 2-3, 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Ritters Park Hotel, Bad Homburg, Germany | October 1958
Elvis Presley Photos Sheikh Elvis Presley Goethestrasse 14, Bad Nauheim, Germany

November

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Grafenwoehr, Germany | November 28, 1958

 DVD. Elvis Presley The King of Rock 'n' Roll

The Movies of 1958

Elvis Presleys Movies 1958, King Creole, Paramount

The Movies In Photos

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Inside King Creole

CDs | DVDs | Books

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Elvis Presley Photos

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Elvis Presley Video Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD

Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.

This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.

The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.

Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.