Laughs slipped out around the room as a video of firefighter Wayne Gadsby singing along with Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline played on a screen in the Wanganui fire station yesterday.
The large crowd gathered to say their final farewell to Mr Gadsby, who died on February 23 at the age of 71 following a short illness.
In tributes, people spoke of a keen athlete and a man who, had he not been a fireman, might well have been a farmer.
With two brothers and one sister, Mr Gadsby spent parts of his life split between New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Wanganui, celebrant John Peill said.
He had been in the fire service for 44 years before retiring in 2009. In 1986 he received the Queen's Service Medal from the Queen herself, and in 1990 he received the gold star for 25 years of service.
Mr Gadsby met his wife Beti at the Gonville Bowling Club when she was looking for somebody to paint her house - she found a husband instead, Mr Peill said.
Ian Gundesen, a friend of 60 years, told the large turnout at yesterday's funeral how Mr Gadsby had "never changed" in that time.
"Wayne loved being in the fire service," Mr Gundesen said. "His fellow firemen have been like a second family to him."
He remembered waking at 5.30am one day to Mr Gadsby knocking on his door telling him to come up to Raglan and see the house he was going to buy upon his retirement.
Mr Gundesen said that within a few monthsof moving into the new house everyone knew him. "It didn't matter where we went in Raglan, everyone knew Wayne. He always made himself available to anyone who needed any help."
Fellow firefighter Doug Bennett spoke about how Mr Gadsby "enthusiastically embraced the camaraderie of the fire service".
Mr Gadsby was involved in rugby, refereed social rugby and representative rugby league, and was also a cricket umpire.
Ken Malcolm talked about how Mr Gadsby earned himself the nickname 'Grandma' after he was found knitting a black jersey. "He said to me, 'oh, my mother taught me that'," Mr Malcolm said.
Mr Gadsby's body was taken out in a procession of fire engines as two of his sons stood on the back on the truck with his coffin.