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Entertainment

Aretha Franklin's funeral to be held at Greater Grace Temple

by Cara Bentley

Aretha Franklin's representative Gwendolyn Quinn was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that the funeral at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple and will be limited to her family and friends.

It's the same church at which Franklin sang at Rosa Parks' funeral in 2005. 

Franklin's service will take place at 10am on Friday 31st August but public viewings will take place on 28th and 29th August at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History respectively. 

Her body will be laid at Woodlawn Cemetery along with her father, the preacher Rev CL Franklin, her sisters Carolyn and Erma, her brother Cecil and nephew Thomas.

The current leader of her Father's church, Pastor Robert Smith Jr. told CNN, before news of her death was announced: "No matter where she was, no matter what stage she was on, you're going to know about her church, you're going to know about her father, and you're going to know about her God."

He said Franklin served the church by doing concerts to raise money and wrote "big checks" to help them feed those in need.

Smith added that his early morning Wednesday service - normally attended by about 10 to 12 people - turned into a prayer vigil for Franklin with more than 100 attending.

The singer, who was known as the Queen of Soul, died aged 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Listen to Patti Boulaye, a Christian and singer, speaking to Deanna Fletcher about Aretha Franklin here:

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