A Final Farewell to Music Legend Michael Jackson

As a warm, mallow moon rose over the enormous black wrought iron gates of the Forrest Lawn Cemetery on the balmy 80 degree evening of September 3, 2009, family and friends gathered to bid their final farewells to the late music legend Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson will be laid to rest 70 days after his untimely death which coroners have ruled a medical homicide by a lethal drug overdose. CNN News reported that his mother, Catherine Jackson, who is a Jehovah's Witness, requested that the ceremony was to be a simple and dignified private family ceremony.

HLN News coverage showed the arrival of the Jackson family in a 26-vehicle motorcade by 8:20 PM including his mother Catherine, father Joe, his sisters Latoya, Janet, and Rebbie, and his brothers Tito, Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon, and Randy. Also in attendance were his sons Prince Michael and Prince Michael II (Blanket) and daughter Paris Michael along with a number of his cousins. In addition to his family, the ceremony was attended by several guests that arrived in a multitude of limousines under tight security provided by the Glendale Police Department who maintained a large security perimeter around the Cemetery and had cordoned off at least a block and a half around the front entrance of the Forrest Lawn Cemetery. Guests of the burial service included his first wife Lisa Marie Presley, second wife and mother of his two oldest children Debbie Rowe, Elizabeth Taylor who was confined to a wheel chair, pop musician Stevie Wonder, friend Miko Brando, comedian Chris Tucker, actors Corey Feldman and Macauley Culkin, singer Gladys Knight, the Reverend Al Sharpton who was Twittering throughout the ceremony, and his lawyer L Londell Mcmillan, Kenny Ortega co-creator of the final show, and Barry Barnes. Diana Ross was noticeably absent from the service.

CNN's AC 360 reported that the ceremony which was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Great Mausoleum situated atop the large hill of the Forrest Lawn Cemetery began significantly later upon the arrival of the hearse slightly after 8:30 PM. The casket was escorted from the hearse to the front of the open air seating area by his brothers dressed in black suits, red ties and wearing black mourning bands upon their right arms. The solid bronze, 24 karat gold plated casket was draped with a large arrangement of white lilies and encircled by seven large freestanding bouquets of the same. In addition, there were two large framed pictures of Michael Jackson as well as a speaking podium where guests were encouraged to speak about their thoughts and memories of Michael Jackson. There was a distinct difference in the atmosphere between the previous and almost jovial memorial service that was held at the Staples Center and the somber burial service held at the Forrest Lawn Cemetery. Gladys Knight gave a heart warming performance and Lisa Marie Presley offered her condolences to the family. By 9:30 p.m., the guests, casket, and services moved inside the Great Mausoleum and by 9:50 p.m. guests began leaving the cemetery to attend a dinner and celebration of Michael Jackson's life at a restaurant in Pasadena, California.

CNN's Larry King Live stated that Michael Jackson's remains will be interred in the Holly Terrace located in the Memorial Court of Honor section within the Great Mausoleum under a stained glass window, a recreation of The Last Supper by Da Vinci as well as a recreation of several of Michelangelo's art works including a reproduction of the original Sistine Chapel painted upon the ceiling. The Holly Terrace consists of 13 levels of marble covered floors and 20 foot archways. In addition, you can find a number of artworks including a life sized replica of the David statue.

According to the seeing-stars.com website, the Forrest Lawn Cemetery is located at 1712 S Glendale Avenue in Glendale, California and the list of celebrities that are buried there include George Burns & Gracie Allen, W.C. Fields, Tom Mix, Sammy Davis Jr., Walt Disney, Red Skelton, Robert Young, Lon Chaney, Ethel Waters, Alan Ladd, Dick Powell, Robert Taylor, Wallace Beery, Ted Knight, Sam Cooke, Joe E. Brown, Sydney Greenstreet, Nat King Cole, Jack Oakie, Ed Wynn, Jack Carson, Norma Shearer, Chico Marx, Dorothy Dandridge, Robert Cummings, Sid Grauman, Dan Daily, William Boyd ("Hopalong Cassidy"), Marie Dressler ("Tugboat Annie"), Irving Thalberg, Casey Stengel, Larry Fine, Aimee Semple McPherson, Edward Everett Horton and Jean Hersholt.