Natalie Cole Laid to Rest in Los Angeles; Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder & More Attend Her Funeral

Grammy-winning singer, whose father was jazz icon Nat King Cole, passed away on New Year's Eve at age 65

By Rebecca Macatee Jan 11, 2016 9:34 PMTags
Natalie ColeEthan Miller/Getty Images

Natalie Cole was laid to rest Monday in her native L.A.

Her funeral took place at West Angeles Church of God in Christ's cathedral and was a closed-casket service, per the Los Angeles Times. David Foster, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Lionel Richie and Chaka Khan were among those who came to pay their respects. The singer's longtime music director and conductor Gail Deadrick coordinated the lineup for the services, included performances from some "noteworthy names", he told the L.A. Times.

Per CBS2 in L.A., Robinson was among those to speak at the funeral. "I feel so blessed to have called you my friend, and my buddy, and many times my confidante," he said of Cole. "You are so real and down to Earth. Now I have to say you're so real and up to heaven."

Cole, whose father was jazz icon Nat King Cole, passed away on New Year's Eve at the age of 65. Her family issued a statement explaining, "[Cole] responded well to pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific agents over many years, during which she performed many concerts world-wide, but eventually succumbed to intractable right heart failure, an outcome that unfortunately commonly occurs in this progressive disorder."

The news of her passing was first confirmed by Cole's son, Robert Yancy, and her identical twin sisters, Timolin Cole and Casey Cole. They issued a joint statement, saying the Grammy winner "fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived..with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever."

Mariah Carey paid tribute to the late "This Will Be" singer on social media, Instagramming a sweet photo of the pair and admitting she was "beyond devastated to hear about the passing of the beautiful and talented Natalie Cole."

NEWS: Natalie Cole underwent a kidney transplant in 2009

"My deepest condolences to her family and all who were blessed to know her," Carey added. "She will be terribly missed."

Cole was perhaps best known for her virtual duet of "Unforgettable" with her father, who passed away in 1965. Her other hits included "I've Got Love on My Mind," "Pink Cadillac" and "Miss You Like Crazy."

Per the L.A. Times, Cole's body will be buried at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park alongside her father and mother Nat Cole.

-Additional reporting by Lindsay Good

Take a look back at E!'s memorial for those we lost in 2015.

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