Rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard was laid to rest Wednesday at his Alma mater, Oakland University in Michigan.
Many of the mourners, who wore face masks, gathered at the campus to pay their respects. They, along with others, stood just a few feet apart for the outdoor service at the school’s cemetery.
“What I really remember about Richard was not his stage performances, which were certainly formidable, but what I remember most about Brother Richard, not Little Richard, but Brother Richard, was his incredible kindness and his generosity to people,” university President Leslie Pollard, who knew Little Richard personally, told the mourners.
“I remember those of us riding around with him in Los Angeles, and he’d have money in the trunk of his car,” Pollard said. “Why he had money in the trunk of his car, only he knew, but he would take money out and give it to homeless people. He was a very generous and giving person.
“Once Richard met you and he knew you, he never forgot you,” Pollard said. “He remembered your family, your mother, your father, your sisters, your brothers, whose birthday was it. … He had a genuine interest in people.”
Little Richard died on May 9 at age 87 following a battle with bone cancer.