The final goodbye: Ivana Trump's remains are transported to ex-husband Donald's Bedminster golf club after emotional funeral which saw children Eric, Ivanka and Don Jr. remember their 'trailblazing' mom

Ivana Trump's remains were carried from New York City to ex-President Donald Trump's golf New Jersey golf club after the former couple's children paid tribute and said final goodbyes to their ‘trailblazing’ mother who served as an 'embodiment of the American dream' during her funeral mass.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show a hearse from Frank E. Campbell funeral home in Manhattan leading a procession of family and loved ones down 9th Avenue before entering the Lincoln Tunnel and heading towards the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster for a private reception.

Pictured: Ivana's hearse heading to Bedminster where final respects were paid at Trump National Golf Club.

Ivana's three children - Donald Trump Jr, Eric and Ivanka - all spoke at the service at St. Vincent Ferrer Church on the Upper East Side in front of 100 mourners, including Donald, his wife Melania and their 16-year-old son Barron. 'Growing up, my mother didn’t tell me a woman could do anything she wanted to — she showed me,' Ivanka said sincerely. 'She was a trailblazer to men and women alike. My mother once told me there was nothing she couldn’t do in heels. She taught us how to spear fish and then cook what we caught. My mom expanded our minds.' 

Don Jr. spoke next and delighted the congregation with fond memories and jokes. Before he returned to his seat, he said: 'I love you, mom.' Eric Trump, the youngest, spoke next: 'She had brains; she had beauty. She was the embodiment of the American dream … She was a force of nature, could beat any man down the slopes, any woman on the runway. She ruled the three of us [kids] with an iron fist but also a heart of gold,' said Eric.

After the service, Ivana's body was carried out of the building in a golden casket, past her family and dozens of VIP guests. A woman, who appeared to be Ivana's caregiver, cried on the church's steps as the pallbearers passed.

Ivana was also honored by her favorite New York City restaurant, Nello, which lit candles and displayed flowers at her favorite table while she was laid to rest. Ivana frequented Nello, which was on the same block as her Upper East Side townhouse, several nights a week and is said to have had a favorite spot in the restaurant. She dined at the popular Italian ristorante for many years, sometimes joined by her children, grandkids and former husbands.

Owner Thomas Makkos, who attended Ivana's funeral, said his staff are 'mourning the loss of a favorite patron.' 'Ivana was beloved by all who work here and will be sorely missed. Sometimes, members of the staff would escort Mrs. Trump back to her home just down the block,' he said. 'Tonight, we will pay tribute to her friendship by leaving her favorite table empty with a candle memorial display.' Photographs show a red teddy bear seated at the table Ivana frequented, which was set for as if prepared for diners to sit down. Red carnations were laid on the tabletop as candles burned in Ivana's honor.

'The Trumps spent much time here as a family over the years, and we offer our sincerest condolence as they grieve her tragic passing. We join millions of New Yorkers in mourning her loss,' Makkos added. A picture of Ivana is also on display in a photo collage at the restaurant.

Former President Donald Trump did not speak at the service but he appeared afterwards on the steps of the church with the rest of the family. Extravagant arrangements of red roses met mourners as they stepped into the church entrance which was lit by clusters of votive candles housed in glass holders.

The large floral displays - pom poms of red roses - were staged at the end of pews down the length of the aisle. Next to the casket was a blown up print-out of a Vanity Fair cover featuring Ivana. Earlier, he and Melanie slipped in through a side door with Barron, waving to supporters in the streets who yelled 'we love you!' before making his way inside.

Before the service, Don Jr. and his ex-wife Vanessa comforted their crying eight-year-old Chloe while Ivanka kept a protective hand over her youngest son, six-year-old Theo. Eric Trump and his wife Lara brought their two young children, Eric, four, and Carolina, two, who watched in silence as their grandmother's casket was brought past them. A glamorous woman with a penchant for younger men, skiing and dancing, Ivana's 'Celebration of Life' service on Wednesday attracted socialites from New York City, Palm Beach and Europe.

The well-heeled crowd gathered outside St Vincent Ferrer Church on Lexington Avenue in sweltering heat, clutching their funeral invitations to present to police officers and Secret Service agents at the doors. The church is a stone's throw from the townhouse on 64th Street where Ivana lived for 26 years and where she was discovered at the bottom of the stairs last week.

NYPD barricades wreathed round the block between Lexington Avenue and East 65th and 66th on Wednesday while trucks from Greenscape Designs unloaded by the side entrance. Officers and secret service agents consulted with each other and paced the sidewalk as members of the church choir began to arrive shortly after 11am. The first came bearing ID and printed-out forms that were carefully studied by a waiting agent before the barricades were opened just enough to let the two middle aged women in.

Two large police trucks were parked directly opposite the church’s imposing front doors to house the photographers who trained their lenses on the church entrance. Bit by bit, small groups of people gathered intrigued by the measures designed to keep at bay all but those who had received an invitation, featuring an image of Ivana in her heyday on the slopes. Still people stood and stared, sweating in the heat of the Manhattan sun.

Earlier in the day, Ivanka and Jared were spotted in Central Park, taking a break from their morning jog to admire Bethesda Fountain. Former President Donald Trump flew in to New York from Florida with former First Lady Melania earlier this week after announcing Ivana's death with a heartfelt statement on behalf of the family.

In another touching tribute to his former wife last night, he told long-term friend Cindy Adams, a columnist for The New York Post: 'She was outstanding. Beautiful inside and out. We began all of it, our lives together, with such a great relationship.' The funeral service was billed as a 'Celebration of Life' to honor Ivana, a Czechoslovakian skier turned model who moved to America at the dawn of the 70s and became one of New York's most iconic first wives. In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to Big and Small Dog Ranch Rescue.

Ivana and Donald were married from 1977 until 1992, during which time she says she raised their children almost single-handedly. He went on the marry Marla Maples and then Melania in 2005. The former President is said to be 'very upset' about the death of his first wife, with whom he remained close, according to family friends cited by The New York Post.

Ivana married four times in her life; Donald was her second husband. Her first was Austrian skier Alfred Winklmayr, whom she married for a ticket out of her native Czechoslovakia in 1971. Through Alfred, Ivana obtained an Austrian passport which she then used to emigrate to Canada with. She dissolved the marriage shortly afterwards. She met Donald Trump in 1976 while in New York City on a work trip. They married the following year, and she gave birth to their first child, Don. Jr., the same year. Ivanka was born next in 1981 and then Eric in 1984. Trump and Ivana divorced in 1992 after he met and fell in love with Marla Maples, his second wife and the mother of his fourth child, Tiffany.

Donald and Ivana's children have all publicly expressed their heartbreak over the loss of their mother. Eric, 38, shared a heartfelt tribute with Dailymail.com - penned by himself, Ivanka and Don Jr - hours after Ivana's passing, which remembered her as an 'incredible woman' who was 'a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend'. The joint statement recalled the businesswoman's tough upbringing behind the Iron Curtain and incredible journey to the US, having fled communism in Czechoslovakia before moving to Canada and then New York City. They said she 'taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination' and said she will be 'dearly missed'.

He has also been traveling to his mother’s home regularly since her death on Thursday and was spotted leaving the property on Monday with a black plastic bag. It is unclear if the family has removed any sentimental items belonging to Ivana from the property since her death, or what will become of the property now. Ivanka, 40, also paid tribute to their mother, calling her 'bold' and saying she was always prepared to do what was necessary. In comments to The New York Post this week, she said: 'Wicked. Vim. Vigor. She brought joy and self-confidence. Understand it stemmed from her birth and upbringing. She came from a communist country.

'From denial. Being nothing. Having nothing. The Czech Republic background was her rationale for loving the fine things. For what was rich. What spelled glamour. Seeing the best is what defined who she was.Yes, she was bold. But no matter what, where or who she was, she was always there for us. Always The Person to go to. If need be she’d act as the housekeeper. And did. Be the one to wash the dishes — and did.'