Cissy Houston, the mother of the late American singer Whitney Houston, has died.
She died at the age of 91.
Cissy was a Grammy-winning singer whose career dated back to the 1930s. The acclaimed gospel singer was surrounded by her family when she died – and the singer’s family announced her death in a statement on Monday.
Pat Houston, Cissy’s daughter-in-law, told the Associated Press: “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family. Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
She added: “We are touched by your generous support, and your outpouring of love during our profound time of grief. We respectfully request our privacy during this difficult time.”
Houston died on Monday morning in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. Born on 30 September 1933, Cissy was the youngest of eight children.
She married Freddie Garland in 1955 and they welcomed a son named Gary Garland in October 1957 – and he went on to an NBA basketball player and DePaul University Athletic Hall of Famer. Cissy and Freddie divorced in 1957.
She went on to marry John Houston Jr. in 1964 – with whom she welcomed daughter Whitney, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 48 – however, they divorced in 1991.
Source: Mirror UK
