Funeral
Clark’s funeral was held on November 19 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, in the Church of the Recessional.
Kay sat in the front row with her two children, her face covered with a black veil.
Clark requested a simple funeral with no eulogies and that his casket be closed, saying, “I don’t want a lot of strangers looking down at my wrinkles and my big fat belly when I’m dead.”
The closed casket was covered in red roses and a crown made of small dark red roses. The air force chaplain who presided read Psalm 46 and 121 from the Book of Psalms, after which the air force guardsmen sounded taps.
Psalm 46:
For the leader. A song of the Korahites. According to alamoth.
God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in distress.Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea, though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging.
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day.
Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, God’s voice thunders and the earth trembles.
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come and see the works of the Lord, who has done fearsome deeds on earth; who stops wars to the ends of the earth, breaks the bow, splinters the spear, and burns the shields with fire; who says: “be still and confess that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Psalm 121:A song of ascents.
I raise my eyes toward the mountains.From where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
God will not allow your foot to slip; your guardian does not sleep.
Truly, the guardian of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps.
The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade at your righthand.
By day the sun cannot harm you, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all evil, will always guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and going both now and forever.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy and Robert Taylor as well as his long time friends Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling, Ernie Dunlevie and Ray Hommes. Keenan Wynn, Frank Capra, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Norma Shearer, Marion Davies, Jack Oakie, Arthur Miller and Jack Benny, among others, were in attendance.
Construction at Forest Lawn delayed the entombment until November 23. Only Kay and her two children were present as he was placed next to Carole in The Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Trust. He was buried with his wedding ring, his St. Jude medal and in the same navy blue suit he wore at his wedding to Kay.
The Last Will and Testament of Clark Gable
*Pictures of Forest Lawn on this page taken by me in October of 2011.
See color pictures from Clark Gable’s funeral here.
5 Comments
Anne
Hey! How were you able to get into the mausoleum to take the pictures? When I went in 2007 (specifically to visit Clark – a bucket list item for me!), we were blocked at the door and told that only immediate family were ever allowed in. The old lady at the desk finally took pity on my friend and me and whisked us through. I think we spent 2-3 seconds by his grave. Not even enough time to snap a picture. Which she probably wouldn’t have allowed us to do….
Joe
Special Thanks for it. “The King” is gone forever. J
Molly
How did you get pictures of his will???
Cynthia O'Keeffe
This is really a beautifully done site. The photographs of the Gable family, the biographies of Mr. Gable’s wives, are superb.
I just found your website today while looking up information about Clark Gable; so glad I did!
I was born in Los Angeles, and many of my family are buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, just a few miles from La Cañada-Flintridge where I grew up.
My parents were BIG Gable and Lombard fans – anytime GWTW was re-released in theaters, we attended.
I was 8 years old when Mr. Gable departed, and I remember being very sad and somewhat confused — I imagined him as the same age when he starred in GWTW.
Today we know that in the 1960s, the average life expectancy was 66 years for men. Now we take for granted that elders who are in their 90s are pretty common. Much more is known about the causes of heart attacks; people who would not survive severe angina then are thriving today. Just something to think about.
I realize security is very tight now (2021) at Forest Lawn, and so I am very happy to see these photos of the final resting place of these stars. Your pictures are respectfully done. I am glad you had the opportunity to take them.
Thank you for posting them here where we can enjoy them, reflect, and remember.
DMGAdmin
Thank you so much for your kind comment!