Forest Whitaker and Family Mourn His Ex-Wife Keisha Nash at Celebration of Life in L.A.: 'She Was Amazing'

Keisha Nash was remembered by friends and family in Los Angeles on Saturday

Keisha Nash is being remembered as an "amazing" person.

On Saturday, the ex-wife of Forest Whitaker was honored by friends and family at a celebration of life held at the Brickroom LA in Los Angeles, California.

The event for the actress, producer and model was attended by her daughters, Autumn, Sonnet and True; her father, Jeffery; and her ex-husband Whitaker, 62, as well as around 80 others, including friends John Travolta and Stevie Wonder.

Nash's memorial service saw guests greeted with a program and an orange butterfly clip — a touch that honored Nash's love of butterflies — while photographs of her with her children and loved ones lined the walls of the stairs, alongside a beautiful candle display.

Celebrity performance coach and neuropsychologist Joseph McClendon welcomed attendees to the event space, as guests took their seats at circular tables with white tablecloths, white candles and white flowers.

At the front of the room, Nash's porcelain urn sat on a mirrored stand surrounded by candles and flowers.

To begin proceedings, McClendon delivered a moving speech, where he acknowledged the loss the departure of a loved one leaves.

"At least for today, I'd like to submit and suggest something else that Keisha didn't leave something. She gave us a gift and the gift was her memories," he said.

McClendon then suggested that guests buy journals and engrave Nash's name across them. "And in it for the next 10 days at least write down your memories," he said, explaining that the gesture would "create a legacy on paper" and that "the memories that she gave us will become alive and that becomes her legacy that you go forward with as well."

A "Celebration of Life" video montage followed, showing photos and video of Nash with family and friends, set to the tune of Mariah Carey’s “Don’t Forget About Us."

True, Whitaker and Nash's father also gave moving speeches, along with many good friends of the late mother of four.

As she spoke to guests, True acknowledged that she was "angry and sad" that her mother was not physically with them.

However, she said that those feelings would "never equate to the amount of pride and honor that I feel to have been your daughter, to be your daughter, to have had the opportunity to learn from you, to watch you, to mirror you and to love you."

True then shared that she listens to her late mother's voice in her dreams and searches for the scent of her perfume, before she expressed her gratitude for Nash, telling her that with "every moment of success and every tear that I drop, I'll know that you'll be there guiding me."

Speaking directly to her mother, she added that she promises to be "the best version of who you raised me to be."

True ended her speech paying tribute to how "special" her mom had been and the positive effect she had on others. "You are unforgettable, Mom," she said. "I love you so deeply, and I miss you more than anything. Love your ladybug, your butterfly, your true berry, and baby Keisha, I love you forever, True."

Whitaker then spoke of his late ex-wife to guests, sharing memories of Halloween with Nash and "how cinnamon and all the smells [were] wild."

The actor — who married Nash in 1996 before they divorced in 2018 — told guests that his ex-wife "was trying to write a book about celebration of everyday glamour. She was like, 'This book going to show how you could make every moment of your life a glamorous one, a special one, a special moment to be cherished and to be held.' " he explained before thanking those in attendance for being part of a moment for Nash.

He ended his speech with a joyful, touching message: "And the celebration continues on. She was amazing. We all love her."

Nash's father began his speech by reminiscing about a time when the pair had eaten ice cream for breakfast when she was younger. "Keisha was ... special," he said, before sharing more memories.

Wonder, 73 — who sang, played keyboard and had backing musicians — later performed Steve Green’s “The Lord’s Prayer,” “Someday We'll All Be Free” — a 1973 song by Donny Hathaway from the album Extension of a Man — and his own song, “I’ll Be Loving You Always.”

Guests then stepped outside to watch a butterfly release with family and friends of Nash. After the ceremony, food including fried chicken, collard greens, sweet potato mash and mac and cheese was served to attendees.

Related: Forest Whitaker's 4 Kids: All About Ocean, Autumn, Sonnet and True

True confirmed her mother's death in an Instagram Story she shared on her account last month.

"Goodbye mommy. I love you 4ever and beyond," she wrote in a caption over a black-and-white photo of her mother. "The most beautiful woman in the world... thank you for teaching me every single thing I know. I'll see you in my dreams and I'll feel you in my heart."

Keisha’s daughter also wrote in a follow-up post, "I ask for respect and space and for those to not speculate and fabricate facts about her life… My mom DID NOT suffer from anorexia, although my heart goes out to those who do.”

She added, “To those who have been nothing [but] supportive to my family and I, thank you from the bottom of our heart.”

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