Nov 04 2008
Jennifer Hudson Says Goodbye To Her Murdered Relatives - Fantasia Barrino Sings - Hudson Funeral
The beautiful voice of Fantasia, winner of American Idol. rang through the the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago this morning at the funeral of Jennifer Hudson’s deceased relatives.
Fantasia Barrino sang ‘Your Grace and Mercy’, directly at Hudson, whilst holding her hand to comfort her. She also called the Hudson’s her Family as they mourned their murdered relatives.
Today was the private funeral for Darnell Donerson the mother of Jennifer Hudson, Jason Hudson, brother and young Julian King her nephew, aged just seven years old. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and the Reverend Jesse Jackson both gave a short speech.
There was a two hour wake, which at the end of, Jennifer kissed her mother goodbye. It was a very moving ceremony and a horse drawn carriage then led the mourners to the cemetery.
To keep the ceremony private, the police surrounded the church to keep the public and media well back and large plastic sheeting was erected on a fence to the rear of the church to block out the publics view.
In Chicago yesterday evening at the Pleasant Gift Memorial Baptist Church which was the childhood church of Jennifer Hudson, singer and Oscar winning actress, friends and relatives gathered for a memorial service to celebrate the lives of her slain family.
Spiritual songs were sung and classmates, friends and teachers of her deceased nephew, Julian, were silent as the second-grade teacher, Carmen Williams of Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy, read aloud from journals written by Julian’s classmates and friends.
One particular entry was from a friend who had written that he was sad that Julian didn’t live long enough to become President. Standing, flanked by three of Julian’s classmates by her side, Carmen reminisced how Julian liked to tell knock-knock jokes, and went on to say what a smart boy he was.
“When Julian raised his hand, he had that enthusiastic light in his eyes, and he always, always had the right answer,” Williams said, and his classmates recalled how he loved Spider-Man and was always very generous with his school supplies.
Large Placards of Julian King and Jason Hudson stood at the front of room inside the Baptist church and the attendees listened to Jennifer Hudson songs being played on the chapel speakers.
The Chicago police are still holding a “person of interest”, who is Julia Hudson’s estranged husband, 27-year-old William Balfour. They are holding him on a parole conviction relating to a conviction for attempted murder and vehicular hijacking.
The police are referring to the murders as a domestic related crime and they found the gun used in the killings in a vacant lot last week. At the moment the police are still processing the evidence.
The bodies of Donerson and Hudson were discovered Oct. 24 at the family home. Three days later the body of Julian was discovered in the boot of a white UV on the city’s West Side.
Let’s hope that Jennifer Hudson can now pick up the pieces of her life and move on safe in the knowledge that her family can now rest in peace. -
Christianna Garrett-Martin
Such a terrible event. It’s dreadful that they had to go to such lengths to keep the press and public out too; you’d think people would be more understanding of the importance of privacy at a funeral. I’m sure they wouldn’t be too happy if people turned up at their private family funerals staring and taking photos.
It’s horrible to think what the whole family must be feeling right now, it’s a dreadful thing to have happened. As you say; at least Jennifer Hudson and her family can sleep safe in the knowledge now that these family members will rest in peace.
An excellent emotively moving piece of writing from you there. Incredibly well written and clearly very passionately approached. An absolutely brilliant article.