Eight thousand visitors came to Nancy Reagan’s public memorial to pay their respects on Thursday, March 10, according to Simi Valley Police Department Cmdr. Robert Arabian.

Many people from the area and out of the county traveled to Simi Valley to attend the memorial service. Among the many that traveled miles to attend the service was Greg Lowther, a commercial realtor, who traveled all the way from Orange Country.

“I felt it was important to take the time out of the day [to] come and pay my respects,” said Lowther. “It’s really part of history”

Lowther also attended former President Ronald Reagan’s memorial back in 2004. He found that experience to be very moving.

Nancy Reagan represented the last first lady who lived in Southern California, which Lowther feels is part of the reasons why so many people attended her memorial service as well as coming to her funeral.

“[She] is the last of some of the former president’s wives that are out in Southern California,” said Lowther. “It will be years if ever that we will have this situation again.”

According to a press release from the library, First Lady Michelle Obama and Governor Jerry Brown are some of the guests who will attend the private funeral. There will be a ceremony from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and the funeral starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 11.

“Nancy Reagan lived a remarkable life and will be remembered for her strength and grace,” said Brown in a press release on March 6. “On behalf of all Californians, Anne and I extend our deepest condolences to the Reagan family.”

Arabian expects the 1,000 invited guests will show up at the Bank of America parking lot at the same time to attend the funeral.

“It will be a little more of a challenge for us as a police agency to get them here orderly and get the buses flowing,” said Arabian.