Carl Ellan Kelley: What Happened to Aretha Franklin’s Sister?

Carl Ellan Kelley was the older half-sister of famous singer Aretha Franklin. Aretha became known around the world as the Queen of Soul. Carl lived a very different life. She stayed away from fame and lived mostly in private.

Carl had a hard start in life. She did not grow up with her father. She was raised by her grandmother. When Carl became a teen, she decided she wanted to know the father she had never truly known.

Her story later became an important part of the Franklin family history. Here, we will look at Carl Ellan Kelley’s childhood, parents, father, siblings, and her bond with Aretha. We will also learn what happened after she found her father.

Carl Ellan Kelley Quick Bio

Who Was Carl Ellan Kelley?

Carl Ellan Kelley was born on November 17, 1940, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was Rev. C. L. Franklin. Her mother was Mildred Jennings. Carl was born before her famous half-sister, Aretha Franklin.

Carl came from a family that later became very famous. Her father became a well-known church preacher. Aretha became one of the biggest singers in the world. Some of Carl’s other family members also worked in music.

Carl did not follow the same path. She stayed mostly away from the public. For many years, people knew very little about her. Later, books about C. L. Franklin helped people learn more about Carl and her unusual family story.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s Early Life

Carl Ellan Kelley did not grow up in her father’s home. Her grandmother, Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry, raised her. Her grandmother gave Carl a home while she was separated from her father and his other children.

Carl knew who her father was. Still, she did not have a normal father and daughter bond while she was young. She grew up away from him. She also spent much of her childhood away from her half-brothers and half-sisters.

Not much is known about Carl’s school years or childhood friends. She lived a private life. But as she got older, one question became important to her. She wanted to know her father and understand more about her own family.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s Parents and Difficult Family Story

Carl’s father was Rev. C. L. Franklin. He became a famous Baptist preacher. He later worked at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. He was also the father of Aretha, Erma, Cecil, and Carolyn Franklin.

Carl’s mother was Mildred Jennings. Books about the Franklin family say Mildred was only 12 years old when Carl was born. C. L. Franklin was an adult. This makes Carl’s birth story a very sad and serious part of the family history.

None of this was Carl’s choice. She was an innocent child. Her grandmother helped care for her as she grew up. Meanwhile, her father later moved to Detroit, where he became a famous preacher and public figure.

Carl Ellan Kelley Contacted Her Father as a Teen

Carl always knew who her father was. But she did not contact him until she was around 17 or close to 18 years old. At that age, Carl wanted to know more about herself and where she came from.

Carl knew a church leader named A. R. Williams in Memphis. He was also close to C. L. Franklin. Carl told Williams that she wanted to contact her father. Williams supported her and told her to reach out.

Carl then wrote a letter to her father. But C. L. Franklin did not call Carl right away. He reportedly contacted Williams instead. Reports say Williams pushed him to accept Carl as his daughter and face the situation.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s First Visit to Detroit

A few months later, Carl Ellan Kelley traveled to Detroit. This was a big moment in her life. She was finally going to enter the world of the father she had known about since she was young.

C. L. Franklin accepted Carl as his daughter. Carl also started meeting members of his family. Reports say she met several of her siblings during this time. Carolyn Franklin was said to be missing from that first meeting.

Rachel Franklin, who was known as “Big Mama,” gave Carl a warm welcome. This was important for Carl. She had spent years outside this part of her family. Now, she finally had a chance to know them.

Carl Ellan Kelley and C. L. Franklin’s Relationship

Carl and her father did not become close right away. Things were uncomfortable at first. C. L. Franklin was already a famous preacher. Carl’s arrival also brought attention to a part of his past that was painful.

Still, Carl continued visiting him. As time passed, their relationship became easier. Carl slowly became a real part of her father’s life instead of being someone he hardly knew.

Carl later lived in New Orleans. Reports say her father sometimes had her beside him during church visits. Their family bond also continued after Carl moved to Seattle. One letter had helped start a relationship that lasted for years.

Carl Ellan Kelley and Aretha Franklin

Carl Ellan Kelley and Aretha Franklin were half-sisters. They had the same father but different mothers. Carl was born in 1940. Aretha was born in 1942, making Carl the older sister.

Their childhoods were very different. Aretha grew up around her father’s home, church, and music. Carl was raised by her grandmother. She did not become part of her father’s family until she was nearly an adult.

There is not much trusted information about how close Carl and Aretha were in private. Still, they remained family. Years later, something found after Aretha’s death would show that Carl still had a place in her famous sister’s life.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s Brothers and Sisters

Carl Ellan Kelley had several half-brothers and half-sisters. The best known were Aretha Franklin, Erma Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, and Cecil Franklin. They all shared the same father, Rev. C. L. Franklin.

Aretha became a world-famous singer. Erma was also a singer. Carolyn sang and wrote songs. Cecil chose a different path and became a church minister like his father.

The family also included Vaughn Franklin. He was the son of Barbara Siggers Franklin from an earlier relationship. Carl joined this large family later in life because she had grown up away from them.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s Career and Private Life

Carl Ellan Kelley did not become a singer like her sisters. She did not look for fame. Instead, she lived a quiet life and stayed away from cameras and the news.

Some reports say Carl worked as a nurse for many years. There are not many public records about her jobs. So, it is better to say she was reportedly a nurse instead of saying it is fully proven.

Carl also kept her love life private. There is little clear information about her marriage or husband. Even though her family was famous, Carl was able to keep many parts of her life private.

Carl Ellan Kelley’s Children and Family

Carl Ellan Kelley had a family of her own. Her funeral information names three children. They were Vivian Smith, Herman E. Wheatley III, and Charles G. Smith. Sadly, Vivian died before Carl.

Carl later became a grandmother. Her grandchildren included Alyssa, Rayden, Amaria, Herman IV, Justin, Tevin, and Detric. She also had a great-grandchild named Ariya.

This tells us something important about Carl Ellan Kelley. She was much more than Aretha Franklin’s sister. She was a mother and grandmother. She had her own family and her own life story.

Carl Ellan Kelley and Aretha Franklin’s $50,000 Will

Aretha Franklin died on August 16, 2018. After her death, handwritten papers were found inside her home. Some of these papers were said to be wills.

One of Aretha’s handwritten wills reportedly listed $50,000 for Carl Ellan Kelley. This is an interesting family detail. It shows that Carl still had a place in Aretha’s plans near the end of Aretha’s life.

Still, we do not have clear proof that Carl actually got this money. Being named in a will does not always mean the money was paid right away. Carl died only a few months after Aretha.

What Happened to Carl Ellan Kelley?

Carl Ellan Kelley died on January 30, 2019. She was 78 years old. Some websites say she was 79, but her birth date shows that she was 78 when she died.

Her death happened less than six months after Aretha Franklin died. This meant the Franklin family lost two sisters in a very short time. Aretha died in August 2018, and Carl died the next January.

Some reports say Carl died from a heart attack. They also say she had heart problems before her death. However, her funeral notice did not clearly give a cause of death. Because of this, the exact cause is not fully clear.

Final Thoughts

There is some confusion about where Carl Ellan Kelley was buried. Some online reports say she was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Other information tells a different story. Carl’s funeral service was held on February 6, 2019, in Memphis. Her funeral notice said she would later be laid to rest at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle.

Because the reports are different, we should not say one place is correct without better proof. This is why it is important to be careful when reading personal details about famous families online.

(FAQs)

What was Carl Ellan Kelley’s age and birthday?

Carl Ellan Kelley was born on November 17, 1940. She died on January 30, 2019. She was 78 years old when she died.

What was Carl Ellan Kelley’s cause of death?

Some reports say Carl Ellan Kelley died from a heart attack. However, her funeral notice did not give an exact cause of death. So, the heart attack claim is not fully confirmed.

Where did Carl Ellan Kelley live, and where is she today?

Carl Ellan Kelley lived in different places, including New Orleans and Seattle. Some reports also connect her later life to Detroit. She died in 2019, so she is not alive today.

What was Carl Ellan Kelley’s ethnicity?

Carl Ellan Kelley was Black American. She came from the Franklin family. Her father was famous preacher C. L. Franklin, and Aretha Franklin was her younger half-sister.

What was Carl Ellan Kelley’s nationality?

Carl Ellan Kelley was American. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, on November 17, 1940.

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