It was an evening that I will never forget, Miss Peggy Lee asked if I would accompany her to the Funeral Services for Frank Sinatra at the Good Shepherd Church on Santa Monica Boulevard located in Beverly Hills, California. I had already crossed into a very confidential area of trust having been with Miss Lee and her family for a few years. My relationship with Mr. Sinatra that too solidified my place in the world of these people, it was called trust. To this very day, that trust is as solid as when they were both alive.
My time with Mr. Sinatra was due to my friendship with Miss Lee and it seemed appropriate to Miss Lee that I should attend the funeral services for Mr. Sinatra with her. Our limousine picked us up at the Lee Mansion up in the hills of Bel Air. The driver was one that Miss Lee was familiar with and was comfortable in having that person drive the two of us for the evening. Another John J. Nazarian flashback, here I was sitting with someone I had become very friendly with and was trusted, Miss Peggy Lee. Also I was going to be escorting Miss Lee to Mr. Frank Sinatra’s funeral. Who could have ever thought as a child watching these two on The Ed Sullivan Show that I would be in this position. As a child living in Medford, Massachusetts, this was the Sunday night entertainment in America for millions every Sunday night…. and look where I ended up. Having taken care of several personal events for Mr. Sinatra and being Miss Peggy Lee’s friend and body guard till the day she died, was and still is such an honor.
Upon arrival at the Good Shepherd we were directed to the side of the church, as Miss Lee had a wheelchair. For that reason we had to have a few moments to get Miss Lee into that chair and comfortable and not make it a media event in the process. For years, I made sure that no photos were ever taken of Miss Lee at any event that we might attend. I had broken and pulled film on several occasions. Upon entering the church we were directed to the very front pew, the casket was within feet of where we sat, Mr. Sinatra was laying in rest just a few feet away. A few of Mr. Sinatra’s staff that I had made eye contact gave me a nod in away that made me feel welcomed. After all I was standing with another music legend of all time, Miss Peggy Lee.
Once we were seated I was asked to get a few prayer cards from the entrance, we had entered through a side door. Closer to the front and the prayer cards were being given as you came into the main doors of the cathedral. I got a few cards and gave Miss Lee a couple, I still have my two, it was a small card with a photo of Mr. Sinatra on the cover wearing a sweater and holding one of his dogs. Mr. Sinatra loved his dogs. As I walked up the isle I could not help but to see that every single person in that church was a big somebody. Mia Farrow was standing mid church and was saying, “Hi, I am Mia,” I heard her say this 2-3 times as I walked by her, for sure she was not close to the family room. Again, I had seen her picture in the early days as a teen when she and Mr. Sinatra had married. Don Rickles, this was a man that my dad and I laughed at while watching him on the talk show circuit on our black and white Zenith TV in our living room.
Working for Mr. Sinatra was breath taking if that was ever something I would have an opportunity to have. Sinatra was a man, a powerhouse in the world of entertainment and I, John J. Nazarian was standing in his kitchen…. Mr. Sinatra did look at me a little funny when I had made mention that I thought that I make one of the best Italian meatballs ever. Don’t go there, my biological father was Italian (Titus). As fast as the words had left my mouth I noticed there was gravy simmering on the stove. In all my years of working in the land of the rich and powerful for some reason I always get into the kitchens.
Tony Bennett came over and spoke to Miss Lee as he was going up to speak to all those seated in the cathedral. The two of them spoke as old friends and it seemed it took forever. Mr. Bennett would speak of the time the two music legends shared so many career experiences, it was typical funeral stories on steroids! Later as the chapel emptied Mr. Bennett came over and spoke further, shook my hand and said to me, ‘you must be someone pretty important to be accompanying my friend here.’
We smiled and moved on, the chapel was almost empty except for Miss Lee and myself. Barbara Sinatra left the chapel quickly as I recall and am not sure what the reason was for the quick exit. She did not just leave, she stormed out of the immediate area. The casket looked to be a ‘bronze’, very nice and not cheap. (Don’t forget I had been an embalmer for several years). Once again I was standing next to Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Don Rickles and members of Mr. Sinatra’s family. At the base of Mr. Sinatra’s casket is my full hand print, I wanted to touch the casket and in doing so left my print at the foot of the casket.
As Miss Lee and I were preparing to leave, Eydie sang a few words in Miss Lee’s ear, it was an incredible evening that only a very select few could ever have participated in….. and John J. Nazarian, just a guy from Medford, Massachusetts was one of those who was invited to be present for, Miss Lee and I did not participate in the media event the next day. The funeral itself and the travel to Palm Springs was going to be another even bigger event. Miss Peggy Lee had made trip to the church to say good bye and that was that, always a class act, My Friend Miss Peggy Lee, god I miss her so much.