Whitney Houston Laid to Rest in Westfield
The hearse carrying the body of Whitney Houston, covered in roses tossed by fans as it passed by, reached its destination today and the singer was finally laid to rest after a brief, private ceremony.
The singer’s final internment marks the end of a tumultuous week for both the family of the late singer, as well as the various media outlets that have covered it tirelessly since Houston’s death last Saturday, February 11th, 2012. The funeral, initially meant to last only two hours, ran for over four as several celebrities shared memories and gave performances honoring the artist and mourning her tragically sudden passing.
Fans and onlookers gathered along the hearse’s route in several locations to watch the motorcade escort Houston’s body from the Newark funeral home to the cemetery about 20 miles away in Westfield. Closing a week of loss and mourning, Houston was laid to rest, buried next to her father, who passed in 2003.
Fans gathered first near the funeral home Sunday morning, some slowly jogging alongside the hearse as it departed on its journey toward Houston’s gravesite. Several fans shouted “We love you, Whitney” as the hearse, displaying a black and white photograph of the singer in one of its windows, slowly drove away.
One 53-year-old Newark woman said that she had waited outside the funeral home since 8:30 a.m., wanting to catch a glimpse of the hearse, and to be a part of Houston’s final trip: “To be here at her home-going is an honor and a blessing,” she said.
What do you think? Is it over?
