by Josh Grossberg Family, friends and hundreds of fans gathered in New York Wednesday to say goodbye to Grammy-winning R&B star Luther Vandross, who died last Friday at the age of 54. Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, Roberta Flack and Cicely Tyson were among the celebrity mourners attending a private viewing with Vandross' family at Manhattan's Frank E. Campbell funeral chapel. The chapel then opened for a two-day public viewing, with a block-long throng of fans waiting outside to pay their last respects to their beloved idol. Flower bouquets surrounded the closed casket. It rested in an alcove that was also decorated with pictures of the supremely smooth soulster in his heyday, as well as gold and platinum plaques celebrating his album sales and eight sequined jackets that he once donned onstage. The balladeer, who sold millions of albums on the strength of such sultry hits as "Power of Love/Love Power," "Your Secret Love" "Here and Now" and "Always and Forever," battled several health problems in his adult life, including diabetes, hypertension and obesity. On April 16, 2003, the entertainer suffered a near-fatal stroke at his Manhattan apartment and never fully recovered. His final studio album, Dance with My Father, was released two months later and featured contributions from Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, and Queen Latifah. The album became his biggest ever, instantly topping the charts and winning four Grammy Awards in 2004, including Song of the Year for the title cut. Vandross did manage to make a surprise appearance via videotape at that year's ceremonies and later guested on The Oprah Winfrey Show; but despite intensive physical therapy, he was never able to resume his recording and performing career. A memorial service will be held on Friday at the Riverside Church in Manhattan. Wonder, Eddie Murphy and Aretha Franklin are among those expected to attend. Following the service, Vandross will be interred at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey. Reprinted from yahoo.com