- Tina Turner died at age 83 on May 24, 2023.
- According to her longtime assistant, Tina reportedly wanted a ‘small, private affair.’
- The date of the funeral is currently unknown. It will likely be for her close friends and her manager.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” read the May 24 statement confirming the death of the music icon. Tina, 83, passed away in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, after battling a “long illness,” according to an additional statement released by Tina. The loss of such an icon resulted in grief, tributes, and sadness, feelings that will reach a pinnacle at Tina Turner’s funeral.
“There will be a private funeral ceremony attended by close friends and family,” a spokesperson for Tina’s family told Daily Mail. The date of the funeral was not made public following Tina’s death. As for the funeral details – who will attend, and such – Eddy Hampton Armani, her personal assistant for more than twenty years, spoke with the Mirror about what might go down. “She did not want a big public funeral,” said Hampton.
“She wanted to be cremated, and I expect it to be a small, very private affair. I am sure there will be some kind of memorial concert and tribute later,” added Hampton, 65. “It will be for her very close friends in Switzerland and her manager. It will not be a big family occasion.”
Tina’s death was due to “natural causes,” according to her rep. Turner had battled numerous health issues in the years before her death. She suffered a stroke and kidney disease. She was also diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016, three years after her stroke.
Eddy kept in touch with Tina after she settled in Switzerland in 1994. The former assistant also said that Tina “left the past behind” after she lost her two sons. Raymond Turner, 59, took his own life in 2018. In 2022, Ronnie Turner, 62, passed away from cancer. Tina also adopted two of Ike Turner’s sons from his previous relationships – Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner – but had little contact with them after her move to Switzerland.
“We were best friends,” Eddy told The Morning Show. “She was my mentor, my heroine, my teacher, my aunt – I’m not going to say mother because she would kill me. Most of the things I know today is because of Tina. And she didn’t lead you by the hand – she didn’t baby you. She told you, she taught you and you were supposed to listen and learn, and then you were supposed to get it. And I got it.”