BOSTON (AP) – All “politics and divisions” should be set aside so that the deadly Big Dig tunnel can be fixed, a pastor said at the memorial service Saturday for a motorist who was crushed to death when a tunnel ceiling panel collapsed.

“We should pray for the authorities so God could give them wisdom, so God could give them intelligence, so never again will we repeat what happened to our sister Milena,” the Rev. Cesar DePaz said during the service at the Inglesia Hispana de la Comunidad church in Boston’s Jamaica Plain section.

“Let’s not lose another life like Milena’s,” DePaz said, speaking in Spanish as his remarks were translated. “Putting aside all politics and divisions, I make a call that the right measures will be taken so that something like this won’t happen again.”

Milena Del Valle, 38, was killed Monday night when falling ceiling panels crushed the passenger side of the car being driven by her husband, Angel Del Valle, as they headed eastbound on Interstate 90 to Logan International Airport.

Angel Del Valle escaped with minor injuries.

At the service, Angel said through a translator that he “wants to pray, too … that no other life go through what he’s going through right now.”

He and members of his family plan to take a flight Sunday to Costa Rica to plan a funeral in Milena’s hometown of Coronado. Her body is expected to be flown there by Tuesday.

The eastbound and westbound tunnels remained closed Saturday as federal and state investigators probed potentially faulty ceiling bolts that are supposed to help hold up the three-ton concrete ceiling slabs. There’s no timetable for reopening.

Embattled Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew Amorello sat in the front row a few feet from Del Valle’s closed casket. Amorello, who left without commenting, is under pressure from Gov. Mitt Romney, and others, to resign. Romney assumed control of the tunnel inspection from Amorello after the Legislature passed an emergency bill on Thursday.

Attorney General Tom Reilly, who is conducting a criminal probe into the death, also attended.

Romney, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino paid their respects and left before the memorial service.

Earlier Saturday, Romney spent more than an hour touring the I-90 and Ted Williams tunnels, getting a close-up look at the testing of the bolts. He offered no timetable on when the tunnels would reopen, but sounded optimistic about finding an alternative to the concrete slabs.

“The design for a retrofit system is underway and is making good progress. That’s very encouraging,” the Republican governor said.

On Friday, Romney said there are 84 potential trouble spots in the eastbound connector tunnel where the fatality occurred. In two other adjoining sections of the tunnel, as well as traffic ramps, there are another 278 possible problems, Romney said.

In some cases, inspectors have found ceiling bolts pulled as much as three-eighths of an inch away from the tunnel’s concrete ceiling, he said. Investigators are focusing on the bolts and epoxy – or glue – used to secure them.

As workers removed the four inch thick, three-ton panels from the eastbound connector tunnel Saturday, Romney said he’s inviting the engineering “public at large” to weigh in on how to fix the problem.

“We’re going to be opening up a channel, if you will, a conduit for the public at large, for engineers, to offer suggestions and areas of inquiry,” he said without offering specifics.

Romney’s invitation came after the Federal Highway Administration asked a nationwide group of experts for information on similar tunnel ceiling systems.

Reilly also toured the tunnel on Saturday and said that the investigation is making progress. So far, 19 of the 20 bolts that held up the section of the ceiling that collapsed have been recovered and secured as evidence, he said. Sixteen were loose, while three were still attached to the ceiling plates, some had epoxy on them, some did not, he said.

The next phase of the investigation is testing of the bolts and the epoxy, he said.

On Thursday, FHA tunnel expert Jesus Rohena sent an e-mail to a group of 60 tunnel experts the agency routinely consults and asked for information on the epoxy anchor bolt system used in the I-90 connector’s ceiling and ventilation system. The group includes academics, researchers and engineers.

“The purpose was to gather all information that would be helpful, which may include information on problem areas,” FHA spokesman Brian Keeter said.

The FHA is among several state and federal agencies investigating the ceiling collapse.

Romney said he’ll be “as involved as I need to be” in the inspection oversight.

Any changes are too late for Del Valle, whom friends described as happy and a committed Catholic.

“All her dreams that she had were shattered last Monday night, trusting in the safety of the city, going through the tunnel and not thinking of any tragedy,” DePaz said.

AP-ES-07-15-06 1744EDT