Columbia County woman hosts celebration of life for Elvis

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A Columbia County woman hosted a celebration of life for the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death.

46 years ago, the world lost Elvis.

One Columbia County woman is keeping his memory alive.

“It’s been 46 years and he will never be forgotten,” said Laura Tinney, an Elvis fan.

Last year, we introduced you to her house. She has hundreds, if not thousands of Elvis things hanging on the walls.

“He’s the greatest entertainer that ever lived. He was so generous and so humble,” she said.

Every year, thousands gather at Graceland on the anniversary of Elvis’s death to celebrate his life.

On Wednesday, Tinney’s friends gathered at her house.

“Since we didn’t get to go to Memphis, we’re gonna celebrate his life here,” said Tinney.

They showed up in their Elvis shirts. Tinny lit an Elvis-themed candle and then served food Elvis would eat.

“I have Elvis’s cookbook, and I look to see what his favorite foods were, and he loved blueberry muffins and banana pudding, so I made that,” she said.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration of Elvis without watching him perform.

All these years later, Tinney and her friends are still moved by him. They sang along and danced while watching one of his old concerts.

“In the Elvis movie, he told Priscilla, ‘I will be forgotten,’ he’s wrong, he will never be forgotten,” said Tinney.

Tinney says her Elvis collection keeps growing, mostly through gifts.

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