Houston laid to rest next to her father

Whitney Houston was laid to rest yesterday at a private ceremony in New Jersey.

Fans and onlookers gathered along the route the motorcade took from the Newark funeral home to the cemetery about 30km away in Westfield, where Houston was buried next to her father, who died in 2003.

The 48-year-old died on Feb 11 in California, hours before she was to attend a pre-Grammy Awards party. No cause of death has been determined.

On Saturday, the singer was mourned at an invitation-only funeral at the church in Newark where she sang in the choir as a child.

She was remembered by the biggest names in the music: Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys sang, and industry mogul Clive Davis spoke, along with Kevin Costner, Houston’s co-star in ‘The Bodyguard’.

The funeral was closed to fans, who were not allowed within blocks of the church. Still, many came to Newark to pay their respects, some from as far as Miami and Washington.

Yesterday, some even ran alongside the hearse as it began the journey to Houston’s grave site.

Several yelled out “We love you, Whitney” as the hearse, which had a headshot of the star in a window, slowly drove away.

The burial came a day after an emotional, nearly four-hour service at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church that ended with the strains of Houston’s biggest record, ‘I Will Always Love You,’ filling the chapel.

Her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston wailed, “My baby! My baby!” as she was led out of the church behind the casket bearing her daughter’s body. A few steps behind her was the pop icon’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, also crying as she was comforted by Houston’s close friend, singer Ray J.

The funeral service was attended by about 300 mourners including Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, Diane Sawyer and Houston’s cousin, Dionne Warwick.

Fittingly, music played a major role in the send-off.

Stevie Wonder rewrote lyrics to “Ribbon in the Sky” for Houston.

R Kelly brought the church to its feet with a stirring version of ‘I Look to You.’