PLAINS. Ga. — Before the family arrived for Rosalynn Carter’s funeral service on Wednesday, several busloads of friends arrived at Maranatha Baptist Church.

Included in those people was Joanna Maddox, who sang during the ceremony.

She said that she’s known the Carters for almost 20 years, so when she learned of Mrs. Carter’s passing, she dropped everything and flew to Plains from Argentina.

Maddox paid her respects to Carter by performing for her one more time. She sang the Lord’s Prayer to open up the service.

“I just hoped that you know, her spirit, that she would be pleased and somewhere she’s smiling down on me,” Maddox said.

Robert and Betty Moss have known the Carters since 1961. Rosalynn Carter’s mother attended their church down the road.

“It was wonderful. It was wonderful to hear,” Betty Moss said about Maddox’s singing during the funeral service.

Robert Moss said Jimmy Carter calls him every year on his birthday, and he does the same back.

“It was a real nice occasion. I remember when they built that church here years ago,” Robert Moss said.

Maddox said the one thing she took from Rosalynn Carter’s funeral is love.

“Seventy-seven years that they were together, sharing their lives together, beside each other. That, to me, it leaves me speechless because it lets me know that love is real and doesn’t die,” Maddox said.

Maddox said Mrs. Carter once asked her to write a play about her husband and she sat next to her when it was later performed in Plains.

WSB-TV’s Richard Elliot contributed to this report.