Joan Rivers's daughter Melissa honours her late mother as she attends event with her son at opening of new building for AIDs charity which the comedienne supported 

By Bobbie Whiteman for MailOnline

Published: 15:25 EST, 9 June 2015 | Updated: 15:58 EST, 9 June 2015

She famously won $250,00 on Celebrity Apprentice in 2009 and donated it to God's Love We Deliver, a charity delivering meals to housebound AIDS sufferers.

And on Tuesday Joan Rivers's daughter Melissa took her son Cooper Endicott to the dedication of the charity's brand new, six-story Michael Kors building, named for the designer and patron, in New York's Soho district.

The couple represented the late comedienne, who would have celebrated her 82nd birthday on Monday. Joan also left the charity money from her estimated $150 million fortune in her will.

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Banding together: Joan Rivers's daughter Melissa took her son Cooper Endicott to the dedication of God's Love We Deliver's new HQ, one of the late comedienne's favourite charities in New York on Tuesday

Banding together: Joan Rivers's daughter Melissa took her son Cooper Endicott to the dedication of God's Love We Deliver's new HQ, one of the late comedienne's favourite charities in New York on Tuesday

Melissa looked fresh and beautiful in a white, sleeveless, broderie anglaise blouse, black skinny jeans and black pumps.

The 47-year-old Fashion Police producer's long blonde hair cascaded onto her shoulders as she smiled under a photo of Joan, who passed away last September.

Her 11-year-old son Cooper, who she shares with her ex-husband, horse trainer John Endicott, looked dapper in a dark jacket, a crisp white shirt, black and white tie and beige trousers. 

There on Joan's behalf: The 47-year-old, who looked beautiful in a broderie anglaise blouse, represented her mother who won $250,000 for the charity on Celebrity Apprentice and left the body money in her will

There on Joan's behalf: The 47-year-old, who looked beautiful in a broderie anglaise blouse, represented her mother who won $250,000 for the charity on Celebrity Apprentice and left the body money in her will

That's my boy: Cooper, 11, looked dapper at the event officially opening the Michael Kors building, named after the designer and sponsor of the charity that delivers thousands of meals to house-bound AIDS sufferers

That's my boy: Cooper, 11, looked dapper at the event officially opening the Michael Kors building, named after the designer and sponsor of the charity that delivers thousands of meals to house-bound AIDS sufferers

Meanwhile, the generous comedienne's friends and family took to social media to remember the bubbly blonde with the quick-fire wit on Monday.

Larry King posted a photo of himself with his arm around the Fashion Police host's shoulders on Twitter.

He captioned it: 'Remembering Joan Rivers on what would have been her 82nd birthday. You're dearly missed, friend.'

Remembering mum: Joan Rivers, who would have been 82 on Monday, with her daughter Melissa Rivers at an event in New York in April  2013

Remembering mum: Joan Rivers, who would have been 82 on Monday, with her daughter Melissa Rivers at an event in New York in April  2013

The Laugh Factory in Hollywood, where many comedians both new and established have entertained audiences, also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Joan. 

It posted a snap of her with one of her sayings: 'I wish I could tell you it gets better, but it doesn't get better. You get better.'

Melissa used the occasion to give fans a 'sneak peek' of the exhibition about her mother at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, that opened on Monday, together with an image of Joan's Grammy award for Best Spoken Album in 2014 on her WhoSay page and Twitter.

An old pal: Larry King took to Twitter to pay his respects, saying, 'Remembering Joan Rivers on what would have been her 82nd birthday. You're dearly missed, friend.' Joan passed away last September 14

An old pal: Larry King took to Twitter to pay his respects, saying, 'Remembering Joan Rivers on what would have been her 82nd birthday. You're dearly missed, friend.' Joan passed away last September 14

Comedy call out: Hollywood's Laugh Factory, where many comedians both new and established have entertained audiences, also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Joan who was born on June 8, 1933

Comedy call out: Hollywood's Laugh Factory, where many comedians both new and established have entertained audiences, also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Joan who was born on June 8, 1933

She captioned it: 'Hey everyone - here's a little 'sneak peek' of @TheGRAMMYmuseum exhibit opening today. @Joan_Rivers Can We Talk? @TheGRAMMYs @EnterMissThang @LALive #TeamRivers,' 

Joan passed away on September 14 after suffering complications following a throat operation in New York City on August 28.

Melissa released a statement at the time, saying: 'It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends.

On show: Daughter Melissa Rivers, 47,  proudly reminded fans about the Grammy Museum exhibition about her mother that opened on her birthday on Monday

On show: Daughter Melissa Rivers, 47,  proudly reminded fans about the Grammy Museum exhibition about her mother that opened on her birthday on Monday

'My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.

'Cooper (Melissa's son) and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated. 

'My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.'

Mother-daughter partners: Joan and Melissa at the Golden Globe Awards, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills in 2005. Melissa described herself as 'the straight man in the comedy team'

Mother-daughter partners: Joan and Melissa at the Golden Globe Awards, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills in 2005. Melissa described herself as 'the straight man in the comedy team'

Since then, she has filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against the clinic, Yorkville Endoscopy, and the doctors who performed surgery on Joan, to find out what went wrong during what should have been a routine procedure, according to Us Magazine. 

'We live in this weird time where to find out what really happened, you have to sue, otherwise nobody is going to turn over records,' Melissa told the magazine last month. 

'I want to find out what happened. I need to know, I need answers. You have no choice but to sue.' 

The Fashion Police Team: Giuliana Rancic, Joan, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulo in February just months before Joan's death in September

The Fashion Police Team: Giuliana Rancic, Joan, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulo in February just months before Joan's death in September

Following the loss of her mother, Melissa, who produces E!’s Fashion Police had to deal with the aftermath when Joan’s replacement Kathy Griffin quit along with co-host Kelly Osbourne.

And Melissa is still coming to terms to life without her mother.

She told the June issue of AARP Magazine: 'I was part of a comedy team. I was the straight man. And now I'm a solo act. That's the hard part. I'm trying to find my voice.'

Joan joke: Stand up comedian Jen Kirkman, 40, paid her own tribute by tweeting one of her gags

Joan joke: Stand up comedian Jen Kirkman, 40, paid her own tribute by tweeting one of her gags

 

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