The final chapter of Mindy McCready's life was closed today as her family laid her to rest in her hometown of Fort Myers, Florida. McCready passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Feb. 17.
According to People, there were about 400 friends and family members in attendance to pay their last respects to the country singer. A service was held at the Crossroads Baptist Church where a photo of McCready was placed at the altar.
Her family made sure to play many of her songs and display photos that showcased the joy, not the tragedy of her life. The music included her singles "Ten Thousand Angels" and "I'm Still Here," and the family even included a photo of her former fiancé, Dean Cain, even though he didn't have nice things to say about his former girlfriend.
He told People a few days after her death, "She was never abusive or addictive with me, but red flags were everywhere. I saw all the bad signs and told her to get out. Everything she did was a manipulation of sorts. She would just get combative."
He continued, "All her troubles were self-inflicted. She had everything. She was a tremendous talent but everything about it was a waste."
Mindy McCready's life started with so much promise>>
However, McCready's family made sure to honor her life on Tuesday with her mom, Gayle Inge, doing the eulogy and her stepfather, Michael Inge, playing guitar while singing the Bobby Helms song, "You Are My Special Angel." Her three brothers and several cousins stepped in as pallbearers.
Her mother told the mourners, "Mindy adored her two children. She wanted them to know that. Through much agony and pain, she went to heaven. She is no longer sick. She is healed. Thank you for all who are here. Please pray for those boys. No matter what, she will always be my little girl, sitting in her car seat, singing into a hairbrush. The world was her stage."
McCready will be buried in her hometown, but there will be another memorial service in Nashville in early March for her country music colleagues.
As McCready's mom said in an official statement on Tuesday, "Our family is devastated by the loss of our beautiful and talented daughter. Her life, no matter how brief, touched many, and she will forever be our special angel."