The Hearse That Carried a Dream
The Historic Journey of the 1966 Cadillac Superior Royale Hearse
Delivered new in 1966 to R.S. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home in Memphis, Tennessee, this 1966 Cadillac Superior Coach-built hearse would go on to carry not just the departed, but history itself. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel. That night, this very Cadillac hearse became the vessel that carried him—from the hospital, through the streets of Memphis, to the airport where a plane arranged by Robert F. Kennedy awaited to fly Dr. King home. After that fateful night, the hearse quietly returned to service at the same funeral home. No fanfare, no spotlight. Just another call, another ride.
By spring of 1969, the hearse had been traded back to Zane Smith—the man who originally delivered it—who kept it out of the public eye, tucked away in storage for nearly 40 years. In the early 2000s, Chad DeRamus began working to acquire the hearse, planning a restoration to return it to its exact 1968 appearance. Tragically, Chad died in a plane crash in 2006 before the deal was completed. A year later, his father, Jimmie DeRamus, picked up where his son left off and purchased the hearse on December 1, 2007.
The restoration took place in Alexandria, Louisiana, with Zane Smith—still sharp, still involved—lending his firsthand knowledge to ensure every detail matched the hearse’s appearance on those April days. On November 12, 2010, something came full circle: Zane Smith and R.S. Lewis, the only two men who had ever owned the hearse, stood beside it again. It was whole. It was home. In January 2011, the Cadillac made its first public appearance in Alexandria on Dr. King’s birthday, drawing visitors who came not just to see a car, but to feel something—to remember, to connect.
Following Jimmie “Big Daddy” DeRamus’s passing on July 13, 2023, Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry permanently closed its doors. The hearse is now on display at Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it continues to tell its story—a piece of American history that transcends its function as a funeral vehicle.
Specifications
- Year: 1966
- Make/Model: Cadillac
- Coach Builder: Superior
- Casket Load: Endloader
- Location: Alexandria, Louisiana
Status: ARCHIVED via eBay — last seen listed at $100,000