Dionne Warwick is expressing her heartfelt sorrow following the death of her beloved aunt, Cissy Houston, who passed away on October 7 at the age of 91. Cissy, a Grammy-winning singer and the mother of the late Whitney Houston, died peacefully at her home in Newark, New Jersey, while receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on October 8, Warwick, 83, conveyed her sadness but also found comfort in knowing that her aunt is now in a “much better place.” She thanked fans for their messages of condolence, saying, “I’m so deeply saddened, however, knowing that my Aunt Cissy died peacefully and that she is in a much better place is a consolation and comfort to me. I have seen your messages of condolences. On behalf of my family, thank you. ❤️”
Both Cissy and Warwick began their musical journeys in the family gospel group, the Drinkard Singers, which was managed by Warwick’s mother, Lee, Cissy’s sister. Reflecting on their close relationship, Warwick shared, “I called her Aunt Cissy growing up. Because we were so close in age, I always looked at her as an older sister. It was heaven when we all sang together.”
Warwick remembered Cissy for her remarkable voice, which she noted was also a gift passed down to her daughter, Whitney. “Whitney came up exactly the way we all did, in the church choir. It was just preordained; she was going to sing,” Warwick explained. “Her destiny was as was the rest of the family. As if God pointed a finger at us and said, ‘Let them vocal cords do what they got to do.’”
In 2013, following Whitney’s untimely death, Cissy published the book Remembering Whitney, for which Warwick contributed the foreword. In it, Warwick described Cissy as a strong and loving presence in their lives, writing, “[Cissy] might have felt like an older sister to us, but she never let us forget she was our aunt. She was a strong young woman then, and she is a strong, loving woman now.”
Cissy’s passing was confirmed in a statement from her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, who described her as the “matriarch” of the family. The statement praised Cissy as a “strong and towering figure” who embodied deep faith and conviction, caring greatly about her family, ministry, and community. “Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts. Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled,” the statement read. “We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney, and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina, and other cherished family members.”
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