Mindy McCready Funeral Held in Florida

Mindy McCready was laid to rest today (Feb. 26) in her hometown of Ft. Myers, Fla. The Associated Press reports that about 200 people gathered at the Crossroads Baptist Church to say goodbye to the the troubled talent who once topped the country music charts.

The lily-adorned casket was joined on the church stage with a large portrait of McCready, while photos spanning her 37 years were displayed on video screens. The music played at the service included some of her own biggest hits, and her stepfather, Michael Inge, performed Bobby Helms' "You Are My Special Angel."

McCready's mother, Gayle Inge, had a rocky relationship with her daughter through the years, including a very public battle over custody of the singer's oldest child. Still, the grieving Inge told mourners her daughter was a loving parent. "Mindy adored her two children. She wanted them to know that," she said at the service (quote via People magazine). "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."

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Mindy McCready Children's Trust, c/o John Ammons, Edison National Bank, 13000 S. Cleveland Ave., Ft. Myers, FL 33907.

McCready died Feb. 17 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She leaves behind two sons, 6-year-old Zander and 10-month-old Zayne. A second memorial service for music industry friends will be held March 6 at Nashville's Cathedral of the Incarnation.

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