Several hundred of Naomi Judd’s friends and family gathered in Nashville on Saturday (May 7) to say goodbye to the country music legend who passed away a week before.
According to Country Insider, the private service was music-filled with performances from country, rock and gospel singers who sang songs Judd had chosen for them to sing. According to Naomi’s daughter Ashley, the late singer had planned her funeral ahead of time.
“This is very much the service she wanted. She had it all written down, and so she took the guesswork out of it for us, which we thank her for,” Ashley said of the funeral that had an underlying theme of “earthly pain, turmoil and uncertainty contrasted with the waiting mercies, peace and understanding of Heaven,” per the publication.
Dolly Parton welcomed the crowd saying, “We are family. And when it’s family, you forgive them for they know not what they do. When it’s family, you accept them because you have no choice but to. When it’s family, they’re a mirror of the worst and best in you. You’re always trying to do your best, and they always put you to the test, and you pray for God to do the rest.”
