Journey ‘home’ ends with Whitney Houston’s burial

Whitney Huston funeral: Heartfelt moments

  • Whitney Houston will be buried at Fairview Cemetery, the family says
  • She will be buried next to her father during a private service
  • The family-only burial comes after a star-studded memorial service

For complete coverage of Whitney Houston’s death, tune in to CNN and HLN.

Newark, New Jersey (CNN) — Whitney Houston’s journey “home” ends with a private burial in New Jersey on Sunday as questions persist about what caused the superstar’s death.

Houston will be buried next to her father at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, south of Newark.

Her burial brings an end to her “coming home,” as her family has dubbed the invitation-only memorial service held a day earlier at her childhood church in Newark.

The family-only burial is in contrast to the emotionally-charged, star-studded memorial service held at New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston, nicknamed “Nippy,” was soloing in the junior choir by age 11.

“Jesus Loves Me” was the last song Houston sang in public before her death on February 11 in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 48.

So it was fitting that the mourners — comforted and encouraged by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly — heard the simple, but powerful, “Jesus Loves Me,” this time performed by CeCe Winans.

The mourners inside the church represented an amalgamation of Houston’s life, from childhood friends to gospel singers, from music stars to movie stars.

Kevin Costner, who cast Houston in her first role alongside him in “The Bodyguard,” recalled how she questioned whether she was good enough, beautiful enough to be cast in the film.

“It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end,” he said.

For her closest friends inside the church, and strangers who continue to draw inspiration from her voice, Costner’s words hit a painfully honest note about human frailty.

Years after “The Bodyguard” hit theaters, reports of Houston’s struggles with drug addiction and a rocky marriage with Bobby Brown surfaced and her album sales declined.

“The inexplicable burden that comes with fame,” Costner said. “Call it doubt. Call it fear. I’ve had mine. I know the famous in the room have had theirs.”

Costner said Houston’s own story could help a new generation of young girls who dream big.

“Maybe they’re thinking they aren’t good enough,” he said. “I think Whitney would tell you: Guard your bodies. Guard the precious miracle of your life. Then sing your hearts out, knowing that there’s a lady in heaven who’s making God himself wonder how He created something so perfect.”

One of the most emotional moments in the service came when Keys recalled how Houston helped her and others achieve success.

“She reached back to so many people; she reached back to me, to Monica and Brandy … and just made us feel strong and capable and loved,” she said.

Keys ended her tribute to Houston by singing “Send Me an Angel,” her voice soaring into the rafters of the sanctuary.

Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Spike Lee, and Houston’s former husband, Bobby Brown, were among those in attendance.

Brown walked by Houston’s casket with his head down before the service began and then left. Brown accused security of treating his family badly and barring him from visiting with his daughter, an account that Houston’s family denied.

Brown was expected to attend with two guests but showed up with 10 people and sat in a section reserved for family, a close friend of the Houston family told CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

When Brown refused to reseat his entourage to make room for Houston’s mother, the family asked police to intervene, the family member said.

Mourners heard only a few indirect references to her personal battles.

A close family friend told CNN recently that Houston had not used “hard drugs” for several years. Investigators are examining prescription drugs found in her hotel room.

At the time of her death, Houston was in the Los Angeles area for the annual Grammy Awards and was to attend a party hosted by her longtime mentor and record producer, Clive Davis. She was discovered dead in her hotel suite at the upscale Beverly Hilton.

Investigators are contacting doctors and pharmacies across the country, seeking answers about prescriptions found in Houston’s hotel room and whether they played a role in her death, a source with knowledge of the investigation recently told CNN. The source spoke on condition of anonymity citing the ongoing investigation.

Houston’s death certificate is only fueling speculation after coroners deferred making a determination as to cause of death pending the outcome of toxicology tests.

The investigation also sparked questions on her behavior during her final days, with authorities examining video from her television appearances as well as other reports to determine her physical state leading up to her death on the eve of the Grammy Awards, the source said.

CNN’s Jason Carroll reported from Newark and Chelsea J. Carter from Atlanta. CNN’s Raelyn Johson, Denise Quan, Melissa Gray, K.J. Matthews, Don Lemon, Phil Gast, Cathy Straight and Eden Pontz contributed to this report.



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Stevie Wonder: The love will go on

Houston to have ‘home going service’

  • NEW: Aretha Franklin ill and won’t perform, rep says
  • NEW: “We lost a lot,” Rev. Jesse Jackson tells HLN
  • Aretha Franklin will sing “The Greatest Love of All”
  • Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, Kim Burrell, and BeBe Winans will also sing

For complete coverage of Whitney Houston’s death, tune in to CNN and HLN. On Saturday, watch Houston’s funeral live starting at 11 a.m. ET on CNN TV, CNN.com/live, and the CNN mobile apps.

Newark, New Jersey (CNN) — “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, who was scheduled to sing “The Greatest Love of All” at Whitney Houston’s funeral Saturday, is ill and will not perform, her representative said.

The service will feature performances by Stevie Wonder — singing one of his hits, “Ribbon in the Sky” — R&B star R. Kelly, Alicia Keys and gospel greats Kim Burrell and BeBe Winans.

The New Hope Baptist Church Mass Choir and the New Jersey Mass Choir will open the service. Pastor Marvin Winans will deliver the eulogy.

Bishop T.D. Jakes will deliver remarks, along with Kevin Costner, Houston’s co-star in the movie “The Bodyguard;” her mentor, music mogul Clive Davis; and director-producer Tyler Perry.

Patricia Houston, the singer’s sister-in-law and former manager, will speak at the end of the service, followed by Houston’s cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, according to the program.

A source close to the Houston family provided CNN with a program of the funeral, taking place at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where Houston got her start.

Never-seen photos of teenage Whitney Houston

Under bright sunshine, a golden hearse with a black-and-white picture of Houston carried the singer’s body to the red-brick church Saturday morning. She will be laid to rest Sunday at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, just south of Newark.

Balloons left in front of the church by adoring fans bobbed in a soft breeze. One of the choirs, dressed in white, had completed its rehearsal.

A cake in the fellowship hall, given by fans, read, “The Greatest Love of All,” the title of one of Houston’s many hits. The heart-shaped cake was adorned with red roses and lilies.

Guests at the invitation-only service arrived on a black carpet. Hundreds of relatives and friends were in the church fellowship hall by 10 a.m., awaiting an escort to their seats by ushers dressed in blacks suits and purple ties.

“There is a sense of sadness,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson told HLN, CNN’s sister network. “We lost a lot.”

Houston’s family will be comforted by neighbors and fellow church members in what the family is calling a “home going” service. The program features a photo of a smiling Houston.

Some 1,500 people were expected at the service, which may have to be delayed from its noon start because of the number of people. The service may last more than its scheduled three hours.

A perimeter was set up for four blocks in two directions, and two blocks in the other directions. The closest the public was able to get is a staging area two blocks away.

Police said the best way for fans to share the experience was through television and the Internet.

Houston, the six-time Grammy Award winner and only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 hits, died a week ago in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 48.

The fact that Houston’s funeral brought a coterie of A-listers together is hardly surprising. After all, she had worked for nearly 30 years with the best in the business.

Saturday, the story wasn’t about Houston’s reported drinking days before she died or about the prescription pills being tested as investigators seek a cause of her still-unexplained death at the Beverly Hilton.

In Newark, 2,700 miles away from Los Angeles, they are remembering the 11-year-old girl nicknamed “Nippy,” who followed in the footsteps of her mother, Cissy, by singing in the junior gospel choir. They are remembering Houston the superstar, returning for Easter Sunday services, never losing her roots after making it big.

They are remembering, through tears and joy, that incredible voice.

A belief in God and tradition will permeate the funeral. In the words of Marvin Winans, “Faith plays a great part in how we cope with uncertainties in life. It is not something that we run from in difficulty, it is something we run to.”

The Houston family opted to forgo a public memorial service.

They didn’t “want to have a parade,” Winans told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Their message, he said: “We want to do this with dignity.”

Houston leaves behind an 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown; her mother, Cissy; brothers; a cousin; and a host of relatives and friends.

Davis accompanied Cissy Houston and Bobbi Kristina to a private viewing Friday.

Pastor Winans’ brother, Benjamin “BeBe” Winans, said his sister, CeCe, plans to perform “Don’t Cry for Me” at Saturday’s service.

Houston performed the song in many countries, Winans told A.J. Hammer of HLN’s “Showbiz Tonight.”

The song is about life, loss and hope:

“No one is to blame

“My death was meant to be

“Don’t carry guilt or shame

“The reason why I came soon you’ll see.”

CNN’s Jason Carroll reported from Newark and Phil Gast, from Atlanta. CNN’s Raelyn Johson, Denise Quan, Melissa Gray, Chelsea J. Carter and Eden Pontz contributed to this report.



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Nearly 300 dead in Honduras prison fire

  • NEW: At least 272 were killed in the fire
  • The cause is under investigation

Tegucigalpa, Honduras (CNN) — At least 272 people were killed in a fire at a prison in central Honduras, a local fire department said Wednesday.

The blaze was under control, but the total number of fatalities remained unknown, said Jose Turcios, spokesman for the Comayagua, Honduras, fire department.

Some 35 prisoners were transported to a local hospital, he said, and some were then taken to a hospital in the capital.

Five of the prison’s units — or more than half of the prison — were affected by the fire, Turcios said. The prison holds 851 prisoners.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, he said.

The blaze broke out at 11 p.m. Tuesday (12 a.m. Friday ET).



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