Leonard Nimoy: Inside His Touching Funeral

As fans around the world mourned Leonard Nimoy‘s death, the Star Trek legend’s family, friends and former costars gathered to celebrate his life during an intimate funeral on Sunday.

Among the nearly 300 people who attended the ceremony were Star Trek director J.J. Abrams and actors Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine.

According to Rabbi John L. Rosove, who delivered the eulogy at the service and is a cousin of Nimoy’s widow, Susan Bay, “There was nobody there who didn’t mean something to Susan and Leonard or to their children and grandchildren.”

Quinto, 37, was a speaker and was “absolutely eloquent,” says Rosove. “He said he was very trepidatious about stepping into the role of young Spock, [but] that Leonard was always gracious and helpful to him to understand what he was doing.”

Rosove and his wife often traveled with the Nimoys, who were married for 26 years and “were meant to be,” he says. “They were on so many dimensions with each other. They were what each of them called each other’s ‘natural husband’ and ‘natural wife.’ ”

Nimoy “absolutely adored Susan,” says Rosove. “She brought him out of darkness. They would talk deeply about everything. They just opened each other’s hearts and were really there for each other.”

When the star died at the age of 83 on Friday morning after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, “he had everybody that he loved the most around him,” says Rosove. “When he passed, he was ready. [Susan] told him when he couldn’t respond, ‘Lenny, I love you. You can go. It’s okay.’ He smiled, and then he died. I think he saw light and he was beamed up.”