Private funeral for Whitney set for Saturday
Published:Wednesday | February 15, 2012 | 12:00 AM
NEW JERSEY (AP):
Whitney Houston's funeral will be held on Saturday in the church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child, her family choosing to remember her in a private service rather than in a large event at an arena.
The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home disclosed yesterday that the funeral will be held at noon at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, which seats up to 1,500.
The family said no public memorial service is planned at this time. Officials had discussed the possibility of opening up the Prudential Centre, a major sports and entertainment venue, for a memorial, but the funeral home said it had been ruled out.
Funeral home owner Carolyn Whigham said the church service will be by invitation only, reflecting the family's decision to keep the memorial more personal.