Gene Pike is shown with his wife Gail and son Stephen. The Pikes got a special tour of Graceland from Vernon Presley a few days after Elvis died.
A Chattanooga funeral home director buried Elvis Presley twice. Gene Pike also handled the burials for his grandmother and his mother and father.
At the time Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977, Mr. Pike was over the entire eastern district of the United States for Service Corporation Incorporated (SCI). He was already well acquainted with the Presley family from the prior burials.
Mr. Pike has many fond memories of the rock n roll star. He said, “Elvis came by the Memphis Funeral Home often. Our employees knew him, and he would even sing for services.”
Mr. Pike said, “Elvis loved to look at our new cars. He told me, 'One of these days I’ll own as many Cadillacs as you folks.' ”
Mr. Pike said Elvis was first buried at the Memphis Forest Hill Cemetery, but, within a week, his body was moved to Graceland because the cemetery was overwhelmed with visitors. He said, “One lady wanted to see the singer’s grave so badly she climbed over the fence off I-40 after the cemetery had closed.”
Mr. Pike remembered Elvis buying a new Lincoln for a mother and her children who would walk by the local dealership often just to eyeball the cars. The young mother, as she walked out of the showroom, asked the salesman, “Was that Jesus?”
Mr. Pike said he never met a more humble man than Elvis. "He always looked after his family.”
Mr. Pike said; “Three days after the funeral, Vernon Presley invited my family to Graceland for a tour. He gave us a large picture of Elvis that hangs in our home today.”
The Pikes’ son, Stephen, was only 10 years old and in elementary school at the time, but he has never forgotten going through Graceland. The younger Pike said he has always been an Elvis fan. He bought his records growing up and still today never tires of listening to his music. Stephen said Vernon Presley told him during the visit, “You are a little Elvis." Stephen Pike said, "I guess he liked my black hair.”
As the Pikes left the mansion, Elvis' Uncle Festus told them, “Elvis never outgrew his raising.”
The late Martha Ragland was Chattanooga Funeral Home secretary-treasurer and helped plan Elvis’ service. Those arrangements were handled by the Memphis Funeral Home whose parent company operates Chattanooga Funeral Home. Mrs. Ragland said she spent several hours on the phone with her friend and Gospel singer J.D. Sumner discussing music and making funeral plans.
Mrs. Ragland said she had met Elvis when she and State Senator Anna Belle Clement O’Brien went to RCA’s studio B in Nashville for a recording session.
Mr. Pike said, “What made Elvis so special to me was I got to know him. I guess Elvis was the most famous person I’ve helped bury, and I’ve buried thousands over 60 plus years.”
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Earl Freudenberg can be reached at HeyEarl1971@comcast.net