Mother of Elvis Presley. She was born in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Her parents were Robert Lee Smith and Octavia Luvenia "Doll" Mansell. Gladys' mother Doll, gave birth to nine children. Octavia was bedridden most of her life, dying at 59 from tuberculosis. Her father Robert, was a cotton farmer and would occasionally pick up odd jobs to support his large family. In his fifties, he died suddenly of pneumonia, leaving Gladys then 19 to work in Tupelo as a seamstress to help support the family. She married Vernon Elvis Presley on June 17, 1933. The family rented a house on the edge of Shakerag, an area of Tupelo. She gave birth to twin boys and named them Elvis and Jessie. Jessie was stillborn. In 1948, the Presley's moved to Memphis, Tennessee. They lived in public housing or low rent homes in the poor neighborhoods of north Memphis. The family attended the Assembly of God Church. Elvis worked at various jobs to help support himself and his parents. They were a very close knit family. She had a very special relationship with her son, Elvis. Gladys Presley died of a heart attack brought on by acute hepatitis.