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End of an era
In September of 1986, Ella underwent
quintuple coronary bypass surgery. Doctors also replaced
a valve in her heart and diagnosed her with diabetes,
which they blamed for her failing eyesight. The press
carried rumors that she would never be able to sing again,
but Ella proved them wrong. Despite protests by family
and friends, including Norman, Ella returned to the stage
and pushed on with an exhaustive schedule.
By the 1990s, Ella had recorded over 200 albums. In 1991,
she gave her final concert at New York's renowned Carnegie
Hall. It was the 26th time she performed there.
As the effects from her diabetes worsened,
76-year-old Ella experienced severe circulatory problems
and was forced to have both of her legs amputated below
the knees. She never fully recovered from the surgery,
and afterward, was rarely able to perform. During this
time, Ella enjoyed sitting outside in her backyard,
and spending time with Ray, Jr. and her granddaughter
Alice. "I just want to smell the air, listen to
the birds and hear Alice laugh," she said.
On June 15, 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died
in her Beverly Hills home. Hours later, signs of remembrance
began to appear all over the world. A wreath of white
flowers stood next to her star on the Hollywood Walk
of Fame, and a marquee outside the Hollywood Bowl theater
read, "Ella, we will miss you."
After a private memorial service, traffic
on the freeway was stopped to let her funeral procession
pass through. She was laid to rest in the "Sanctuary
of the Bells" section of the Sunset Mission Mausoleum
at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
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