Whitney Houston will be laid to rest in the same New Jersey church where she honed her singing skills as a child.
Houston's body was flown by private jet from California to her native New Jersey on Monday, confirming speculation that she would be buried in the state where she was born and raised.
A gold hearse under heavy police escort took the body to the Whigham Funeral home just blocks from the New Hope Baptist church where her mother, the Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, was music director for years.
On Tuesday, the funeral home's owner confirmed to The Associated Press that the late pop diva will be laid to rest in an invitation-only service at the church scheduled for noon on Saturday.
There had been speculation that a public memorial would also be held at Newark's Prudential Center, but Carolyn Whigham told AP that Houston's family has opted to keep things more private.
"They have shared her for 30 some years with the city, with the state, with the world. This is their time now for their farewell," Whigham said.
"The family thanks all the fans, the friends and the media, but this time is their private time."
Houston, 48, was found underwater and unconscious in a Beverly Hills hotel room bathtub on Saturday. She was pronounced dead a half-hour later.
After an autopsy Sunday, authorities said there was no evidence of foul play or trauma on Houston's body. The results of toxicology tests expected to establish the cause of death are not expected for weeks.
Given that Houston had struggled with substance abuse problems for years, there has been intense speculation surrounding the reported discovery of prescription medicine bottles in her room.
Los Angeles County coroner's assistant chief Ed Winter has downplayed their significance, however, telling reporters: "There weren't a lot of prescription bottles. You probably have just as many prescription bottles in your medicine cabinet."
