Frank Sinatra at 82: the Untold Story of His Final Days and the Tributes Keeping His Voice Alive
Sinatra's funeral on May 20, 1998, took place at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, attended by hundreds of luminaries including Gregory Peck, Tony Bennett, Sophia Loren, and Kirk Douglas. Following the Roman Catholic service, the funeral procession traveled east to the Coachella Valley, arriving at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
His family ensured that his burial reflected the trademarks of his legendary life. Close friends and relatives placed carefully chosen keepsakes inside his casket:
- A bottle of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7: Sinatra's signature drink since the 1950s, which he famously sipped on stage and credited with saving his voice during long nightclub runs.
- A pack of Camel cigarettes and a Zippo lighter: Everyday fixtures of his personal routine and visual aesthetic during the Rat Pack era.
- A roll of ten dimes: A habit born out of terror following the December 1963 kidnapping of his son, Frank Sinatra Jr. For the rest of his life, Sinatra carried ten dimes in his pocket to guarantee access to a payphone should an emergency arise.
- Life Savers cherry candies: A small personal favorite he carried during rehearsals and recording dates.
His grave is marked by a simple bronze plaque set flush against the earth, inscribed with the title of one of his definitive anthems: "The Best Is Yet to Come."
