Mindy McCready

The funeral of the 37-year-old country singer - whose body was discovered on the porch of her home in Arkansas on February 17 after she allegedly shot herself - took place in Crossroads Baptist Church in her hometown of Ft. Myers on Tuesday.

Some 400 mourners, including her devastated family, looked on as a white hearse, escorted by two police cars, brought the singer's wooden casket and dozens of white roses to the service, during which her several of her hits such as 'I'm Still Here' and 'Ten Thousand Angels' were played.

According to People.com, the singer's mother Gayle Inge spoke through tears at the service and told 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."

Gayle, who arranged what she called "A Celebration of Life," also said in a statement: "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."

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to the Mindy McCready Children's Trust.
While Mindy - who was mother to sons Zander, six, and 10-month-old Zayne - shot to fame with the release of her debut album 'Ten Thousand Angels' in 1996, her music career was blighted by her personal problems, most recently the death of her long-term partner David Wilson, who shot himself in January.
A second memorial service for her professional colleagues to attend is to take place in Nashville in early March.