Whitney Houston funeral scheduled Saturday in NJ church

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The funeral for late singer Whitney Houston has been scheduled for Saturday at the New Jersey church where she sang as a child.

The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark said Tuesday that Houston's funeral would be held at noon Saturday at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark.

Officials said there won't be a wake, and a public memorial is not scheduled. Houston's family is opting for a private, invitation-only service- the church holding only about 300 people.

Detroit pastor and Grammy-winning gospel singer Marvin Winans is set to preside at the service. Winans knew Houston since the early 1980s.

Houston's body was flown from Los Angeles to N.J. late Monday night. The 48-year-old's body was taken to Newark, where the late singer was born.

Read celebrity reactions of Whitney Houston's death.

The singer was remembered by some of the biggest names in the music industry on Monday. Aretha Franklin paid tribute to Houston during a concert in Charlotte, N.C. The "Queen of Soul" said her goddaughter was one of the greatest singers to ever stand before a microphone.

Legendary singer-songwriter Chaka Khan talked about her concern for Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, on Monday. The 18-year-old was taken from the Beverly Hilton and admitted and released from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Sunday for anxiety and stress.

"I have a lot of resources to help children, you know her and I love her like she's a niece," said Khan. "I said the big thing we have to do now is make sure this whole scenario does not repeat itself and that Bobbi Kristina is handled and taken care of and happy."

As a teenager, Houston sang backup for Khan on "I'm Every Woman," a song Houston would re-record in 1992.

Meantime, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said it's open to discuss the possibility of giving Houston a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Houston was discovered underwater in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton on last Saturday afternoon, according to Beverly Hills police. She was declared dead a short time later.

Police are still investigating the cause of death.

The pop icon was scheduled to appear at longtime mentor Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards gala at the Beverly Hilton later that evening.

On Monday, the L.A. County coroner's office confirmed prescription pills were found in Houston's hotel room. They said there weren't an abnormal amount of bottles, and that the prescriptions themselves were "pretty normal."

Sources said that amoxicillin, a common antibiotic, was one of the prescription bottles found in the room. A beer and an empty glass of champagne were also found.

The pop icon had a public battle with drugs. In 2009, Houston admitted to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills.

Toxicology tests still need to be completed to look for illegal and prescription drugs in her system will be conducted. The tests could take weeks to complete, according to the coroner's office.

Houston's autopsy has been completed, but not released. The coroner's office is also looking into the singer's medical history.

See photos of Whitney Houston throughout the years.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Get more Entertainment »

celebrity, famous death, entertainment

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•