Quiet farewell to an icon: Mary Tyler Moore is laid to rest as a small congregation of close family and friends mourn beloved actress's death at 80
- Mary Tyler Moore was laid to rest in a private service at the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield, Connecticut on Sunday
- A group of about 50 close family members and friends entered a small white chapel at the cemetery for a brief service before her internment
- Moore's family purchased a 12-plot gravesite and spent roughly $200,000 on a huge granite five foot female angel statue that adorns her grave
- She is survived by her husband of more than 30 years Dr. Robert Levine
- Moore died last Wednesday aged 80 at a Greenwich hospital after 'being on a respirator for more than a week'
Television icon Mary Tyler Moore was laid to rest in Connecticut on Sunday in a quiet farewell attended by her close family and friends.
The 80-year-old beloved actress died last Wednesday at age 80 in Greenwich after after 'being on a respirator for more than a week'. She had suffered from a host of problems, including diabetes which she was diagnosed with at age 33.
The funeral service for the television legend was private and the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield was closed to the public as local police officers blocked the entrance on Sunday, according to the Connecticut Post.
A procession of cars, including a black hearse carrying Moore's remains, entered the cemetery just before 11am off Bronson Road.
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Television icon Mary Tyler Moore (left and right ) was laid to rest in Connecticut on Sunday in a quiet farewell attended by her close family and friends at the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield
The family held a small funeral for the TV icon at the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield, as about 50 people attended the private memorial on Sunday. Moore's husband, Dr. Robert Levine is pictured above
Prior to her death on last week at age 80, Moore and Levine had been married since 1983. He is pictured above during her funeral services on Sunday
Fairfield Police Lt. James Perez was on duty providing protection during the service and said 'it was a very quiet, small group'. He added that the only celebrity he recognized was Bernadette Peters (right center), Moore's co-star in the 1990 film, The Last Best Year
The small group of about 50 mourners entered a small white chapel for a brief service before her internment.
Fairfield Police Lt. James Perez was on duty providing protection during the service and witnessed the funeral proceedings.
He said 'it was a very quiet, small group', as he added that the only celebrity he recognized was Bernadette Peters, Moore's co-star in the 1990 film, The Last Best Year.
'There was a brief service,' Perez said. 'It's a beautiful site that she's at. It's nice what the family did. It was a nice little send off for her.'
Moore's family purchased a 12-plot gravesite at Fairfield's Oak Lawn Cemetery for her resting place, TMZ reported.
A procession of cars, including a black hearse carrying Moore's remains, entered the cemetery just before 11am off Bronson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut on Sunday (above)
The small group of about 50 mourners entered a small white chapel (above) for a brief service before her internment
Moore's family purchased a 12-plot gravesite at Fairfield's Oak Lawn Cemetery for her resting place (above)
Her family reportedly spent roughly $200,000 on a huge granite five foot female angel statue that adorns her grave, which is surrounded by a small wall also made of the stone.
After her services ended, the cemetery re-opened to the public early Sunday afternoon allowing dozens of people to come inside to pay tribute to Moore.
Photographs from her gravesite show the burial mound covered in roses and white orchids as newly planted White Birch trees were planted nearby.
The Emmy award-winning actress died surrounded by family members who quickly flocked to say their goodbyes at a Connecticut hospital last Wednesday.
Moore, whose comic realism helped revolutionize the depiction of women on the small screen, was first reported to be in 'grave condition' at the undisclosed hospital, TMZ first reported.
Photographs from her gravesite show the burial mound covered in roses and white orchids (above) after the funeral, as newly planted White Birch trees were planted nearby
Her family reportedly spent roughly $200,000 on a huge granite five foot female angel statue (above) that adorns her grave, which is surrounded by a small wall also made of the stone.
Her famed co-star Dick Van Dyke said: 'There are no words. She was THE BEST! We always said that we changed each other's lives for the better.'
Oprah Winfrey also led the celebrity tributes, saying she will 'love her forever' as she remembered her heroine, who moved her to tears when they met on her show in 1997.
She tweeted: 'Even now looking at this picture I want to cry.
'I still can't believe Mary Tyler Moore touched my face. Will love her 4 ever.'
And in a separate message posted on Instagram, she said: 'Dear Mary, You already know how you majorly influenced my life and career.
'I respected and admired your business acumen, your passion and compassion for all life, and most importantly, the values espoused through your storytelling.
'Thank you for being a Light that shined so brightly, it let me see myself in you.'
The actress, who is well known for her role on ' The Dick Van Dyke Show', had a long battle with diabetes after being diagnosed with disease at age 33. She is pictured above with Dick Van Dyke in 1961
Moore and Levine did not have any children together as a couple during their more than 30 year marriage
Moore suffered from a number of health problems and her condition 'had become critical' recently.
The actress, who won seven Emmy awards over the years and was nominated for an Oscar for her 1980 portrayal of an affluent mother whose son is accidentally killed in 'Ordinary People,' had a long battle with diabetes.
She was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1966 at the age of 33, which is the same year of the last season she played Laura Petrie on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show'.
The New York native went on to play the groundbreaking role as Mary Richards on 'The Mary Tyler Moore' show from 1970 to 1977, where she portrayed a single career woman working in a Minneapolis TV newsroom.
Moore truly made her mark on the series which aired at a time when women's liberation was catching on worldwide.
Her character brought TV audiences an independent, 1970s career woman.
In her lifetime, Moore was married a total of three times and is survived by her husband of more than 30 years, cardiologist Robert Levine.
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