Kathie Lee Hosts Party: Frank Gifford Remembered The Way He Wanted, With No Funeral
Kathie Lee’s party for Frank Gifford, her recently deceased husband, was the way she chose to remember him. It was a decision spawned by his own dislike for funerals.
It seems Frank Gifford, once professional football player and sportscaster, had a dislike for sad occasions. Kathie Lee Gifford had shed quite a few private tears this past week, and the one prior, after her husband of 29 years passed away of natural causes. Her return to Today almost went by without tears until the end, when Heavenly Joy Jenkins dedicated a gospel song to her.
Alongside Frank’s dislike for funerals was his equal annoyance with boxes. He didn’t like being in them, so he wasn’t put in a coffin. It wasn’t revealed what was done with his body, but Kathie Lee’s party for Frank was, as she told the audience on Today.
“We did not have a service for Frank last week. We had a party. Frank hated funerals. He hated boxes. He hated to be put in boxes. He hated to get in an elevator. So we played Frank Sinatra all day long and we had a party. The only criteria was, if you were there you had to be somebody that he adored, so [we] kept it nice and small.”
There is also a plan for Frank Gifford’s previous football team to honor his passing. Kathie Lee revealed that the Giants would wear the number 16 on their helmets as they play.
Despite Frank Gifford’s wish for a small gathering of close friends, there is another party being planned for his fans. Kathie Lee said there would be a public second party for fans of the late NFL legend. There is still no funeral though, as she wants “some way to celebrate Frank’s life that the public could come to.”
Instead of Holding a Funeral, Kathie Lee Gifford Through a Party to Honor Her Late Husband http://t.co/fUBGOsGK8y
— IJReview (@ijreview) August 19, 2015
Based on how much publicity the Today co-host received for her tearful return after her husband’s August 9 death, the party could be massive.
Would you be interested in attending Kathie Lee’s public party for Frank Gifford?
[Image via Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images]
