Ricky Houghton farewelled at Pāmāpuria's Te Paatu Marae

Ricky Houghton's whanau bearing his coffin out of Te Paatu Marae, onto Tarakaka Urupa/Saint Stephen's Church Cemetery. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

"You are my sunshine," was the poignant waiata sung for much-loved Far North housing and community advocate Ricky Houghton as he was laid to rest today.

Hundreds turned out for Houghton's final service held at Pāmāpuria's Te Paatu Marae, followed by a church service and burial at Tarakaka Urupa/Saint Stephen's Church Cemetery.

People travelled from far and wide to pay their respects to Houghton who died on Monday aged 62 following a long battle with illness.

For those not able to attend in person, they were able to live-stream the service, with some tuning in from Australia and beyond.

At his service, whānau and friends shared kōrero (stories) and laughed about the different ways he had conspired to fund his various community projects.

Houghton's oldest daughter Char Peeni recalled happy moments during her childhood when her dad built a makeshift bar at home to help raise funds to establish a marae in Auckland.

Peeni described how her father had always been of service to the people and up until his final moments was still making deals to secure funding for his projects.

Char Peeni, Ricky Houghton's oldest daughter, reflects on her dad's legacy after he was laid to rest at Tarakaka Urupa/Saint Stephen's Church Cemetery at Pamapuria on Friday. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

She said most importantly, her papa had taught her whānau the importance of kindness and treating everyone as equal.

"He always said, whether you're the cleaner or the king, you meet people on your way down," Peeni said.

"He would always say the meaning for hope was 'hold on, pain ends', so that's what we spoke about when he was dying and he was at peace."

Peeni explained how Houghton had felt the karanga (call) to come home to the Far North more than 20 years ago.

She said it was a chance encounter at a Kaitaia supermarket that had ignited the idea to start his housing not-for-profit, He Korowai Trust.

"He watched this guy in line at the old Pak'nSave and saw he couldn't afford to pay for his groceries," Peeni said.

Ricky Houghton, 62, was farewelled in an emotional final service at Pāmāpuria. Photo / File

"So he followed him out to the car and said, 'bro, what can I do to help you?' From the boot of his car, that was the conception of He Korowai."

Houghton leaves behind a gaping hole in the hearts and minds of those he touched through his housing and community work.

Hone Harawira, former MP and Tai Tokerau leader, said Houghton had been like a brother and a hero.

"His love for the things he did, I don't even know if his wife knew how many times he mortgaged their home to save others from mortgagee sales," Harawira said.

Te Taitokerau leader and former MP Hone Harawira speaks about his "brother and hero" Ricky Houghton. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

"The man was just an example to us all. He didn't rely on iwi or government departments - he just relied on his passion and his belief that if he did the right thing, others would follow."

He Korowai Trust chair Waitai Petera travelled with Houghton from Auckland's Te Piringatahi O Te Maungaarongo Marae where he lay earlier in the week, to the home of his tūpuna at Te Paatu Marae on Wednesday.

"For me personally, this journey caps off the great friendship I had with Ricky," Petera said.

"Being with him from Auckland, and then coming back here has been a huge pleasure and honour for me.

"In the very near future, we will meet as trustees and the whānau to sort out where He Korowai Trust will go from here.

"As chair, I believe we have enough collective experience to carry this on to the next stage of He Korowai's journey."

Former Far North District councillor Eric Wagener said he'd gotten to know Houghton a few years ago when they worked together on some housing projects.

Wagener said the two had formed a special friendship and he had huge respect for Houghton's kaupapa and now legacy.

Eric Wagener and Alan Norman said Ricky Houghton was someone they both admired tremendously. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

"I really found him to be a kindred soul, that he believed so strongly in what he was trying to do," Wagener said.

"I admired that hugely because it was the same ethos I had been brought up with in my family as well.

The haka performed for Ricky Houghton as he is brought into Tarakaka Urupa, his final resting place. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

"He was the sort of person in my mind that never did much for himself, he was more interested in doing everything he could to promote the wellbeing of others."

The procession from Saint Stephen's Church service to Tarakaka Urupa/Saint Stephen's Church Cemetery. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

Houghton leaves behind his wife Rosie, his children Shane, Char and Crystal and his beloved mokopuna (grandchildren).