Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley, passed away on August 14, 1958.
Gladys Love Smith was born on April 25, 1912, in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. She married Vernon Presley on June 17, 1933, and gave birth to their only child, Elvis Aaron Presley, on January 8, 1935. Gladys was known to have a very close relationship with her son, and her death had a profound impact on him.
Her health began to deteriorate in the mid-1950s. She was diagnosed with hepatitis, and her condition worsened due to her drinking. Despite the efforts of doctors and a brief period of hospitalization, Gladys’s health continued to decline rapidly. She died of heart failure at the age of 46.
Elvis was deeply affected by his mother’s death, as they shared a strong bond. He was on military duty with the U.S. Army in Germany at the time of her illness and was granted emergency leave to visit her. After her passing, Elvis returned to Germany and continued his service, but her death remained a significant emotional event in his life. Gladys Presley was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee, and later reinterred at Graceland, Elvis’s residence and now a museum dedicated to his life and career.
