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Provo • Hundreds of people, including Utah's political elite, attended Becky Lockhart's funeral Friday, paying tribute to the first woman to serve as the state's House speaker. But this wasn't a venue to honor the state's "Iron Lady" ­— that was done in the public memorial held the day before at the state Capitol.

Instead, the service at the LDS stake center in Provo was an opportunity for her husband, Stan, and her closest family members to reflect on Becky Lockhart's personal life and to proclaim their fervent belief that they will see her again in heaven.

"Yesterday at the memorial, I kept hearing the term Iron Lady, Iron Lady and references to Margaret Thatcher and, if that is all you knew her as, I'm so sorry," said Max Britton, Lockhart's son-in-law. "It was just a small percentage of who she was. And even when she was an iron lady, it was with love. Whether she was butting heads with the governor or the Senate or her favorite punching bag, Stan, she didn't do it with hate; she loved the process and she loved to be able to serve."

Lockhart, 46, died Jan. 17 of a rare neurodegenerative disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob, which strikes fast, can't be treated and is always fatal.

She was born in Reno, Nev., attended high school in Idaho and received a nursing degree from Brigham Young University in 1991. That was three years after she married Stan Lockhart.

She worked for seven years as a nurse before winning an election to serve in the Utah House.

The speeches from Stan Lockhart and his daughters offered a few insights into her personal life. She loved spending time at the family cabin in Idaho and considered her sewing room in Provo her sanctuary. She had a love of quilting. She enjoyed golf, '80s rock music, particularly Journey, and fantasy novels, including Harry Potter.

"One of our most recent trips she and I took was to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where we rode the dragon roller coaster six times in a row because there was no line and we just loved the thrill," said daughter Hannah Lockhart. "It is true, my mom was busy and she found joy in her work, but I know that she found the most joy when she was with her family, just being a mom."

Emily Britton, Lockhart's other daughter, told the crowd about how she had a "freakout" with her mother, complaining that, at the age of 22, she was getting old; soon she'd be a mom and then a grandmother, and feeling that life was moving too fast.

"She just laughed and said 'you are weird,' " Britton said. "And she encouraged me to look forward to the precious moments to come."

Becky Lockhart looked forward to becoming a grandmother, and while she won't be around to see the birth of her grandchildren, Britton said she would make sure they know and love her.

"We have many documented articles and videos," Britton said. "They can watch the House floor and watch her pass her bills."

The audience chuckled and they chucked again when Britton said the family has been joking that when they see Lockhart in the afterlife "she'll probably be the governor of a clan or something. She'll be able to show us the ropes."

Stephen Lockhart, Becky's son, was not in attendance. He is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Virginia. He wrote down some thoughts that his father read to the crowd. He said he made the decision to stay on his mission to honor his mother's devotion to her church callings.

"I wish I could be there for your final moments, but you would want me here," he wrote.

Stan Lockhart said his wife would be "upset over all of this attention" but "would want us to do what is necessary to get back to what is important in life."

"My relationship with my wife has been rich and rewarding. It has been a great journey for these 26 and a half years, and it is not over because she is my eternal companion and families are forever," he said.

The governing First Presidency of the LDS Church sent a condolence letter, which was read by L. Whitney Clayton, a leading member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

Following the 90-minute service, Stan and Hannah Lockhart climbed aboard a horse-drawn carriage that led a processional to the cemetery in Provo.

Instead of flowers, the family has asked that people donate to an endowed scholarship set up in Lockhart's name at Utah Valley University. Donations can be received at http://www.donate.supportuvu.org/lockhart. They also suggested if people would like to share memories of Lockhart to email them to beckylockhartmemories@gmail.com.