The Fate of Elvis’ Parents: The Story of Gladys and Vernon Presley

Before marriage, Elvis Presley’s mother was known as Gladys Love Smith.

Her middle name, “Love,” fittingly reflected the deep bond she shared with her son.

Born on April 25, 1912, in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, about 15 miles from Tupelo, Gladys entered a world quite different from the one her son would come to influence.

Elvis’ father, Vernon Elvis Presley, was born on April 10, 1916, in Fulton, Mississippi, making him four years younger than Gladys.

The couple met in church, and their love story quickly blossomed into an elopement. When Gladys was 21 and Vernon just 17 — too young to legally marry in Mississippi — they both lied about their ages to the Pontotoc County court clerk to obtain a marriage license.

Their union on June 17, 1933, marked the beginning of a journey that included the birth of Elvis Aaron Presley on January 8, 1935. The birth certificate mistakenly spelled his middle name “Aron.” Tragically, Elvis’ twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was stillborn.

Gladys and Elvis shared an extraordinarily close relationship, often described by many as that of a “sweet mama bear” protecting her cub. However, their early years were marred by financial hardships. People magazine reported that the family lived in poverty, and both parents took on various jobs to make ends meet; Vernon worked as a truck driver and a hog farmer, while Gladys found employment at a garment factory.

The family faced further adversity when Vernon was imprisoned in 1938 for altering the amount on a check. During his eight-month incarceration, the family lost their home in Tupelo.

In November 1938, the Presleys relocated to Memphis, hoping for better fortune. The family resided in various places before settling in an apartment at the Lauderdale Courts from September 1949 to January 1953. This period marked their longest stay at a single address until Elvis’ newfound rock ‘n’ roll fame allowed him to purchase the Graceland mansion in 1957 for $102,500.

Gladys and Vernon moved into Graceland, where they lived alongside Elvis and other relatives. Unfortunately, the family dynamics took a tragic turn when Gladys fell ill with hepatitis and later suffered a heart attack while Elvis was in basic training at Fort Hood, Texas. She passed away on August 14, 1958, at the age of 46.

Elvis received emergency leave from the Army to visit his ailing mother and attend her funeral. Charles Portis, then a reporter for The Commercial Appeal and future author of “True Grit,” chronicled Elvis’ emotional visit to the hospital. Elvis told Portis, “I like to do what I can for my folks. We didn’t have nothin’ before, nothin’ but a hard way to go.”

During the funeral on August 15, Elvis was visibly heartbroken, reportedly exclaiming, “Goodbye, Darling. Goodbye! — I love you so much!” The Memphis Press-Scimitar documented the intimate moment, reflecting on his profound love for his mother.

Following Gladys’ death, Vernon assumed many responsibilities, effectively managing Elvis’ business affairs from an office behind Graceland that is now part of the public tour. He often traveled with Elvis and engaged with fans at the estate’s gates.

After remarrying in 1960 to Davada “Dee” Stanley, a woman he met in Germany, Vernon’s relationship with Elvis became strained. The couple divorced in 1977, shortly after Elvis’ death, and Dee passed away in 2013.

Vernon remained an active presence at Graceland, overseeing the estate and business matters. In October 1977, he orchestrated the move of Elvis and Gladys’ bodies from Forest Hill Cemetery to Graceland’s “Meditation Garden” following an attempted grave robbery.

Although Gladys’ marble tombstone identified her as the “Sunshine of Our Home,” it wasn’t placed at her grave until 2018. It had been in storage since the family moved the bodies to Graceland.

Vernon Presley died on June 26, 1979, from a heart attack. He was interred at Graceland beside other family members. Three years later, in 1982, Graceland opened its doors to the public, becoming a historical monument to Elvis’ enduring legacy.

Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal, People