Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

5 B.B. King children visit body a day before public viewing

B.B. King family

AP Photo/John Locher

Willie King, from left, Tanya Deckard, Patty King, Karen Williams, Barbara King Winfree and Rita Washington stand outside of a funeral home after a private family viewing of blues musician B.B. King Thursday, May 21, 2015, in Las Vegas. The family members attended a private viewing ahead of a public viewing scheduled for Friday. King died May 14 in Las Vegas at age 89.

Five B.B. King family members have visited the blues great one last time in private at a Las Vegas funeral home that will host a public viewing Friday ahead of a Saturday memorial service.

They emerged from the Thursday meeting saying the King of the Blues was dressed in a signature purple and gold brocade jacket with black lapels.

But some among daughters Karen Williams, Patty King, Rita Washington and Barbara King Winfree, and son Willie King, said they don't think their father looks like himself.

Williams and Patty King are fighting for control of King's affairs with King's longtime business agent, LaVerne Toney.

Toney retains power-of-attorney.

King died May 14 in Las Vegas at age 89. He's survived by eleven of his 15 children.

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