SOMA Living June 2022

It’s hard to imagine John B Houston Funeral Home (Paterson) without the close friendship and business alliance with the George E Cushnie Funeral Home (East Orange). The special friendship between Delores Cushnie, wife of George Cushnie, and Mr. Houston planted the seeds that would bloom into three funeral home GET TO KNOW JOHN HOUSTON

locations caring for families in New Jersey and New York today. Recent changes include streamlined branding with a single name for all three locations and Mr. Houston’s daughter, Kyla Nicole Houston, joining the business. Started in 1958, the George E Cushnie Funeral Home served as official morgue for the city of East Orange (prior to medical examiner services being regionalized). The George E. Cushnie Funeral Home was known for providing excellent funeral service for the families of East Orange and surrounding areas. The founder was George E. Cushnie, a native of the city who knew he wanted to become a funeral director at an early age. He attended the Bordentown School, known as the “Tuskegee of the North”. The school stressed entrepreneurship among African American children who attended. It was a leader in African Education from Reconstruction until the 1950s. Houston explained, “I met Delores Cushnie, wife of George Cushnie, in 1995 after enrolling in mortuary school at American Academy McAllister Institute in Manhattan. As a result of shared interests including music and Black excellence, we became close friends. Unbeknownst to me, I became her prime candidate for succession planning for the George E, Cushnie Funeral Home. Mr. Cushnie died in 1999. Mrs. Cushnie and her daughter, Gail Cushnie Bell managed the funeral Home until the sale to me in January 2004.” Since then, Mr. Houston continues to innovate and offer professional services that further distinguish the John B Houston Funeral Homes from other local funeral companies operating in the area. Houston explained, “I attended the funeral services of Lena Horne in 2010 and witnessed pallbearers shoulder her casket from the church to the awaiting hearse. This influenced my decision to provide a similar service to our community. The John B. Houston Professional Pallbearers were born in the 2010. We have provided pallbearing services from coast to coast and recently participated in the homegoing services of Cicely Tyson.” Today all three funeral home locations are being managed by Houston, from the original George E Cushnie Funeral Home (East Orange). In 2016, the facility was renamed Cushinie-Houston and serves as headquarters as well as the operational center for the three locations. Triboro Funeral Home (New York) is also part of the group. For 2022 and beyond, all three locations (Patterson, East Orange, and Triboro) will be known as Johh B Houston Funeral Homes. Changes in the business are not limited to corporate branding. In 2022, Houston announced the addition of his daughter, Kyla Nicole Houston, to the leadership team. Kyla Nicole Houston was graduated from Spelman College in 2018 with a BS degree in Biology. She is currently enrolled at American McAllister Institute School of Funeral Service as a student of mortuary science. Miss Houston has been working at the funeral home full time since college. Houston added, “I am energized and excited by her new role. Kyla was key to the funeral home successfully maneuvering through 2020 during the height of the COVID Pandemic.” If you’re interested in getting to know the John B. Houston Funeral Homes team and learning more about personalized, compassionate, and professional Funeral planning please call to schedule an appointment. There are also public community events to get to know the team. John B Houston offers quarterly cultural events that are reminders of African American contributions to this country and African American history. Visit the East Orange location at noon on Saturday, June 18, 2022, and celebrate Junteenth with an open house complete with refreshments and live music. All are welcome.

John B. Houston Funeral Home, Inc. “When you want the best for your loved ones’’

• Professional Pallbearers On Demand • Honorary Casket Guards • White Glove Services • Superior Restorative Art

John B. Houston Executive Director

“Serving with Excellence”

Cushnie-Houston FUNERAL HOME 102 Sanford Street, East Orange, New Jersey 07018 Voice 973.678.1790 Fax 973.678.8023

JOHNB. HOUSTON FUNERAL HOME 236 Ellison Street, Paterson, New Jersey 07501 Voice 973.881.8200 Fax 973.881.8207

Triboro Funeral Home 2274 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd., New York, New York 10030 Phone: 718-335-5613 Fax: 973.678.8023

WWW. JOHNBHOUSTONFUNERALHOME .COM

JUNE 2022 | SOMA LIVING 23

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