At the end Whitney Houston was Laid to Rest Away From All
At the end, she was laid to rest away from the cameras and fans, out of the limelight.
The troubled singer was buried on Sunday in a brief private ceremony at the Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, New Jersey.
Here, veteran TV star and music producer David Gest reflects on the moving funeral of one of his great friends.
I FLEW out to Whitney's home town of Newark on Friday to pay my respects at her memorial service the following day.
My good friend of over 40 years, Whitney's cousin Dionne Warwick, was Mistress of Ceremonies, presiding over the whole event. I have to say, no one could have done a better job.
Her style, class and dignity made the service something really special.
Somehow, this amazing woman managed to hold it together throughout four hours of moving tributes, songs and readings.
Afterwards she confided in me that she nearly broke down at one point. But she said: "I knew in my heart I had to hold it together."
I spoke to Dionne after she had laid to rest this wonderful woman she had known since the day Whitney was born 48 years ago.
She told me: "It was so sad to think this was the final note. I just could not watch that coffin being lowered to the ground."
Whitney's daughter Bobbi Kristina was crying and crying. And Whitney's mum Cissy was just overcome with emotion.
The grief was so overwhelming for Whitney's sister-in-law and manager Pat Houston that she started hyperventilating at the graveside and paramedics had to be called to assist her.
Pat was a brilliant manager and I remember Whitney telling me when we met in Copenhagen last March that Pat really kept her organisation running smoothly.
Family was important to Whitney and they have always been involved in the daily operations of her organisation.
Pat was not only a manager but a best friend, like another sister.
Whitney told me she could always confide in Pat and nothing was ever leaked to the Press.
For me, the most emotional part of the larger service on Saturday, at the New Hope Baptist church, in Newark, was when actor Kevin Costner took the stage.
He told how he stood up for Whitney when the film studio were reluctant to take her on for the part in The Bodyguard, and he postponed filming for a year so she would be available.
He revealed how they bonded over their involvement in the church. I don't think many people were aware of how close the pair became during that movie. I remember joking with her that I would be her bodyguard any time.
Like everyone else in the world I was in love with Whitney Houston.
Dionne told me that, after Kevin's speech, he said to her: "I hope that's what you wanted."
Dionne said to him: "No, it's what she would have wanted. Whitney would have been proud."
Unfortunately there was an unpleasant incident involving Whitney's ex-husband Bobby Brown, who kept getting moved by security.
Bobby was furious. I could see him getting mad and frustrated, and he had that "I'm getting ready for a fight look" about him. After the third time he was moved by security, he had had enough.
If Bobby had come with just the three invited guests he was told to, and not an entourage, he would have been made more welcome.
A lot of people felt he was responsible for Whitney's downfall. She didn't do drugs before she was with him.
At the time, I was producing the American Cinema Awards in LA and as Michael and I were driving to Disneyland in his Rolls-Royce, I said I would love to have Whitney receive the Distinguished Achievement in Music Award. He dialled and passed me the phone saying, "Okay, here she is, ask her."
I was like "Holy Focaccia, Michael, you've got Whitney Houston on the phone!"
I liked Whitney from the moment I spoke to her and she immediately said yes to the honour.
I produced eight shows with her, a number of them in aid of her Whitney Houston Foundation.
When I met with her last year, it was to interview her for my film Michael Jackson: Life Of An Icon.
She really loved Michael and he adored her. Michael told me they once shared a passionate kiss, and she told me she was at one time very much in love with him.
I think she really wanted to marry him but, although he had a crush on her, he was too shy.
Tears came to my eyes as she just couldn't hold her notes.
I actually walked out after four songs, had a sob then came back to watch the rest of the show. My heart was bleeding for her.
The woman who was possibly the greatest female vocalist of all time had given her only performance I'd ever seen that wasn't up to par. That night we talked until 4am.
We talked about bad marriages and mistakes we had both made in life. She talked to me about drugs and how she wished she had never done them.
That conversation was deeply personal, a real heart-to-heart.
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