Ivana Trump was laid to rest in a gold casket on Wednesday at her Manhattan funeral, which was attended by the entire Trump family, including Melania, who was rumored to skip the ceremony over an ongoing feud with her husband’s first wife.
Ivana, the ex-wife of Donald Trump, passed away at the age of 73 last Thursday, The Shade Room previously reported. She was married to Donald Trump from 1977 until 1992 and she is the mother of Trump’s three oldest children, Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.
On Wednesday, she was remembered by family as “a force of nature” and “the embodiment of the American dream” at the service, which was held at the historic St. Vincent Ferrer Roman in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
“She had brains; she had beauty,” her son, Eric Trump, said in a speech at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Wednesday.
“She was the embodiment of the American dream… She was a force of nature,” he told mourners.
Roughly 100 mourners were in attendance to pay respect to Ivana, who reportedly died after suffering a fall last week.
Donald Trump, wife Melania and sons Barron and Don Jr. also honored the Czech-born New Yorker at the private celebration of life service. Daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, along with Tiffany Trump, were in attendance as well.
Meanwhile, Ivanka Trump, who spoke during Wednesday’s ceremony, described her mother as a trailblazer for men and women, and humorously added that she once told her “there was nothing she couldn’t do in heels.”
“Growing up, my mother didn’t tell me a woman could do anything she wanted to — she showed me,” Ivanka said. “She was a trail blazer by men and women alike.
My mother once told me there was nothing she couldn’t do in heels. She taught us how to spear fish and then cook what we caught.”
She added, “My mom expanded our minds.”
Former President Donald Trump was spotted amongst a throng of security, as dozens of mourners could be seen on the sidewalk outside of the historic church, which was decorated with red roses in honor of Ivana, according to the New York Post.
The outlet reports that the funeral service was billed a “Celebration of Life,” with invitations featuring a photo of Ivana, a one-time professional skier, on the slopes.
She had apparently been unsteady walking in recent weeks due to ailing hip, friends told The Post, and suffered “blunt impact injuries” due to her fall. Her death was ruled an accident by the Medical Examiner’s office.
Trump’s current wife Melania, 52, his third overall, was also in attendance for Wednesday’s funeral service after much speculation that she wouldn’t attend due to an ongoing rift between her and Ivana in the years preceding her death.
The two quietly feuded for years, with Ivana once declaring that was “the real first lady first lady” of the United States, prompting an infuriated Melania to call Ivana an “attention seeker” in response.
Following the news of her death last week, Ivana Trump’s family released an official statement.
“Our mother was an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country. Taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination. She will be dearly missed by her mother, her three children and ten grandchildren.”
Responding to a call regarding a cardiac arrest, Manhattan paramedics arrived at the scene and found Ivana Trump in her Upper East Side apartment just after 12:30 PM, according to reports from the New York City Fire Department.
Ivana Trump was born and raised in the former Czechoslovakia. Shortly after their marriage, she was employed at Donald Trump’s business empire as a senior executive.
She was eventually appointed as CEO of Trump’s Castle in Atlantic City, while also serving as an interior designer for Trump Tower and the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
