A Tribute to Gladys Love Smith Presley
The memory of Gladys Love Smith Presley is one of a loving and protective mother to her only surviving son, Elvis. A devoted wife, Gladys was an endearing, spiritual and compassionate lady; a good Christian. She suffered a great deal in her brief life. Born on April 25, 1912, we sadly remember that 50 years ago, on August 14, 1958, Gladys untimely passing broke her son's will to pieces and shattered any future dreams of making his beloved momma's life more gifted and comfortable. The void Glady's passing left upon her son would never be filled again, not within himself, not with family, friends. Family was very dear to Elvis and remained ever so. Still, his momma's absence was a permanent scar on his life.
Elvis did not always prefer reading poetry, however, following Glady's death, a friend offered him a book of poems to read. Elvis scanned through the pages of "Poems That Touch The Heart," and stumbled upon this beautiful poem written by Albert K. Rowswell, and which he began to read aloud:
Should You Go First
Should you go first and I remain
To walk the road alone,
I'll live in memory's garden, dear,
With happy days we've known.
In spring I'll wait for roses red,
When fades the Lilac blue;
In early fall when brown leaves call,
I'll catch a glimpse of you.
Glady's Sister, Lillian Smith Fortenberry
Some say that Aunt Lillian had done Elvis wrong and that they no longer associated after Glady's death. Notably, however, Aunt Lillian's son from her first husband, Billy Mann, was not unlike his mother or other family relatives who tried to profit from Elvis' fame. Billy is the person responsible for secretly bringing a camera to the funeral home and snapping a photo of Elvis in the coffin, which earned Billy a profit of $10,000 from the National Enquirer. Even when you can't trust your family, trust only in the Lord!
OF NOTE: 
Lillian Smith Mann's second husband was, James Thomas (Isaac) Fortenberry, a kin cousin descended from the family of Isaac Fortenberry/Faulkenberry. (Mary Margaret Fortenberry/George Helms) James predeceased Lillian who died in 1990. The Fortenberrys originally spelled their name Faukenberg, which is how James Thomas spelled it on his first marriage certificate. The Fortenberrys go back to NC with the Presleys, Helms and other allied families, however, they probably were not on speaking terms with the Presleys, Hoods, and Helms for a time during the American Revolution as Henry, Isaac and Jacob Faulkenburg chose to remain loyal to the crown and, thus, left North Carolina and relocated in South Carolina. It was at that time that the original spelling of the name was changed to Fortenberry. From SC the family spread to TN, AL and finally to MS. James Thomas and Lillian are buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Memphis where there is a large monument erected to him there.
Gladys Love Smith Presley 1912-1958
Gladys and Vernon Presley Wedding Photo
Vernon's mother, Minnie Mae Hood, did not approve of her seventeen-year-old
son's marriage to Gladys who was four years older, and the two eloped
to Verona and were married in the town hall there on June 17, 1933. Three people
attended as witnesses: cousins Maude and Allen Helms and Glady's sister, Retha Smith. 
Verona Town Hall, Mississippi
Glady's bedroom at Graceland
A Sweet Christian Lady
Back in a time when the south was still recovering from the ravages of war, many southerners lived in poverty and endured however they could prevail. It was not uncommon for folks to walk miles to work and Gladys Presley was no different. Every day she walked two miles to work and then home again. A hard working, Christian lady, Elvis' momma, like most southern women, did not have it easy. Circumstances of her life caused her anxiety and depression with the only comfort and solace being "her boy." While she tried to make the most of their lives with what little they had, Gladys was very protective of her son and as devoted to Elvis as he was to her. When Elvis was officially inducted in the the U.S. Army, Gladys, already ill and suffering, sunk into deep depression and despair believing that she might never see her beloved son again.
John Helms, a Tennessee artist, knew Elvis' and his mom and dad from when his (Helms) father owned a store not far from Graceland. He remembered Gladys as a sweet, Christian woman. Helms was also very good friends with Billy Mann, his hair stylist, and a cousin of Elvis. Mann passed away in a truck accident some time after he had taken the last photo of Elvis (in his coffin) and, despite the families request for privacy, had sold the photo to the National Enquirer for $10,000. Elvis, Gladys and Vernon had many relatives, unfortunately, willing to turn for a profit, living off of Elvis until the end.
