The Historic Journey of the 1966 Cadillac Superior Royale Hearse
The Hearse That Carried a Dream
At first glance, it’s just another classic Cadillac hearse—sleek lines, long silhouette, unmistakable presence. But this one has a past. A deep, powerful, history-changing past.
Delivered new in 1966 to R.S. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home in Memphis, Tennessee, this Superior Coach-built hearse would go on to carry not just bodies, but legacy.
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. It was the one that took him from the hospital. The one that moved through the streets of Memphis. The one that brought him to the airport, where a plane—arranged by Robert F. Kennedy—awaited to fly MLK Jr. home.
After that moment, the hearse quietly returned to service at the same funeral home. Just another day. Another call. Another ride. No fanfare, no spotlight. By spring of ’69, it had been traded back to the man who originally delivered it—Zane Smith—who kept it out of the public eye, tucked away in storage for nearly 40 years.
Then came Chad DeRamus. In the early 2000s, he began working on acquiring the hearse, planning a restoration to bring it back to how it looked on those fateful April days. But tragedy struck—Chad died in a plane crash in 2006 before the deal was done. A year later, his father, Jimmie DeRamus, picked up where his son left off and bought the hearse on December 1, 2007.
The restoration started in Alexandria, Louisiana. Zane Smith, still around, still sharp, lent his knowledge to bring the hearse back to the exact look it had in 1968. Every detail mattered. Every part of the process was about respect.
On November 12, 2010, something full circle happened—Zane Smith and R.S. Lewis, the only two men who ever owned the hearse, stood beside it again. It was whole. It was home.
In January 2011, the Cadillac hearse made its first public appearance in Alexandria on Dr. King’s birthday. People came not just to see a car—but to feel something. To remember. To connect.
Today, the hearse lives at Silver Dollar Pawn and Jewelry Center in Alexandria, Louisiana. It still goes on tour. Still tells its story. Still carries the weight of a nation’s grief and a dream not yet fully realized.
And yes—it was last listed for sale at $100,000. But really, how do you price something like this?