Franklin (with whom the Ward groups extensively toured), the famous Detroit-based preacher and father of legendary Aretha Franklin. Clara spent much time in the Franklin home and, along with Mahalia Jackson (another close Franklin family friend), mentored Aretha. Clara's depression resulted in alcoholism. Health, death, and legacy Ward collapsed while performing at the Castaways Lounge in Miami Beach, Florida in May 1966. Ward suffered a series of strokes prior to her death. The first occurred in August 1967 which was listed as "massive". Two more strokes followed: one listed as "minor" during a recording session at her home in December 1972; another on January 9, 1973, which left Ward in a coma. Ward died on January 16, 1973 at age 48 as a result of the strokes. Aretha Franklin and Rev. C. L. Franklin sang at her funeral in Philadelphia; Marion Williams sang at her second memorial service held days later in Los Angeles. Clara Ward is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. In 1977, Ward was honored posthumously at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City and her surviving sister, Willa, accepted the award in her honor. In July 1998, in recognition of her status, the United States Postal Service issued a 32-cent stamp with her image. The stamp can still be purchased with a CD and other gospel singers' stamps online. Ward's alto (with a distinctly nasal tone) in gospel songs and the Methodist hymns of the 18th century had a marked influence on later singers, such as her protegee Aretha Franklin, who adopted her moan for secular songs and who saluted Ward in Amazing Grace, the gospel album she made with James Cleveland in the early 1970s. Discography Soul & Inspiration, Digital download released by Stateside Records Clara Ward and Her Gospel Singers at the Village Gate (1963) Vanguard VRS-9135 (m) VSD-2151 (s) References Further reading Boyer, Horace Clarence, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, . Heilbut, Tony The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions, 1997, . Salvatore, Nick, Singing in a Strange Land: C. L. Franklin, the Black Church, and the Transformation of America, Little Brown, 2005, Hardcover . Ward-Royster, Willa, How I Got Over: Clara Ward and the World-Famous Ward Singers, Temple University Press, 1997, Paper Interview with Willa Ward, Philadelphia Inquirer, July 2, 2006, Zolten, Jerry, Great