Anna Nicole Smith's Funeral: Inside the Service

After three weeks of chaos, Anna Nicole Smith may now rest in peace. Smith was buried next to her son Daniel on Friday (March 2, 2007) in the Bahamas.

During the 90 minute service at Mount Horeb Baptist Church, the three people associated with the delay of burial spoke movingly about Smith. However, Howard K. Stern also showed anger against the family of Smith, especially her mother Virgie Arthur.

Howard K. Stern vowed to continue to protect and fight for Smith in death and made reference to Smith's "so-called family members" during his speech to the 300 mourners. After his speech, Stern stepped away from the podium while his supporters stood and clapped.

The reason for his anger? Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, was late to arrive at the service due to filing an emergency legal motion to halt the burial of her daughter. The appeal was denied prior to the funeral's 11:15pm start.

Larry Birkhead was also in attendance. Birkhead, who is currently battling Stern for custody of Smith's daughter Dannielynn, was seated directly behind Stern in the second row. He wore a dark suit with a pink tie, which was Smith's favorite color.

In honor of Smith's love for the color pink, her casket was draped with a pink velvet blanket with flowing pink ribbons.

Guests included John James, the All My Children actor who produced Smith's last movie as well as Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan.

Prior to the start of the service, attorney for Dannielynn, issued a statement to the awaiting media. In his statement, he described the Bahamas as "a beautiful, lush setting that was chosen by Vickie Lynn Marshall, known as Anna Nicole Smith."

"This she chose as her final resting place," Milstein said. "During her lifetime, Anna Nicole Smith became a larger than life persona. Her stars shown in the highest of zeniths, her pictures flashed, and her face was seen throughout the world. She luxuriated in that press, in that media, in that publicity."

"Unfortunately, at a time when life should have been reaching its highest peak for her, she received both a blessing and a curse. She joyously gave birth to her only daughter, Dannielynn, and devastatingly, three days later, she lost her only son, Danny. If one were to write a Greek tragedy, one could not write a script as sorrowful and as hurtful as this. How horrific is it for a mother to have to bury a son under 21 years?"

"With all of the publicity and all of the press of the past, Ms. Smith sought seclusion and solace here in the Bahamas, and decided to bury her son in private, in a quiet area of the world and from the public, and away from the media, so that she could have time and solitude with him in the sun. How much more tragic is that today that just five months later, we are coming here to bury Anna Nicole Smith, the mother who grieved so grievously for her son."

SOURCES:
People Magazine (http://www.people.com)