It was a day filled with sorrow and tears for Julia Roberts.

On Feb. 28, the actress — accompanied by her husband, Danny Moder, and their three children — bid a final farewell to her mother, Betty Lou, during a private memorial service at Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church in California.

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Julia and her late mother in March 1993.

“Everyone was in black except for Julia, who wore a colorful gentiana-and-daisy dress,” a friend of one of the mourners told ‘Closer.’ That’s because Betty — who died from lung cancer on Feb. 19 at age 80 — “loved daisies. It was a heartfelt tribute by Julia to her beloved mother.”

Related Story: Julia Roberts Faces ‘The Worst Year of Her Life’ After Her Mother Dies of Cancer

But an even greater testament to her mother’s life was the long-delayed reunion of her children.

Although Julia and her sister Lisa Gillan are close, due to personal differences, she and their brother, actor Eric Roberts, “hadn’t physically been together in ages. No one knew whether Eric would actually attend his mother’s memorial,” said the friend.

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Julia and her brother, Eric, in August 1986.

“He sat across the aisle from Julia and stared at her throughout much of the service,” the friend added. “When it was over, he surprised everyone by going over to Julia and Lisa and giving them a great big hug. The three of them put their heads together, with tears streaming down their faces.”

The emotional reunion at the funeral, friends feel, means real reconciliation is a possibility — something that would help the whole family heal.

To read the full story on Julia, pick up the new issue of ‘Closer Weekly,’ on newsstands now!