WELLINGTON - Rebel captors took his life and his body, but they could never keep Stan Shaw from his home.
Yesterday, the murdered hostage's mutilated body made the final passage of its long journey into the loving embrace of his family.
Friends and relations gathered at the Congregational Christian Churchof Samoa in Newtown, Wellington, to farewell the father of four.
And there were prayers for the people of Chechnya, who live every day in fear of the sort of violence that ended Mr Shaw's life last month.
The Rev David Nimmo asked the 200 mourners to remember the people of the lawless breakaway Russian territory.
"Remember that our tragedy has brought about a link with others - the people of Chechnya and hostages everywhere."
Within the church, where Mr Shaw married his Samoan wife, Leleiga, in 1993, it all seemed so detached from the horrific events half a world away.
The 58-year-old and three fellow employees of Granger Telecom - which sent representatives from Britain to the funeral - were beheaded by kidnappers after local authorities botched and attempt to free them.
Mrs Shaw wept as she cuddled the couple's 4-year-old daughter, Priscilla.
"This is so hard for me to take," said Mrs Shaw. "He wasn't ill. Stan was a healthy man.
"These people, why did they do this awful thing?
"But I believe in God. He's in peace now and no one will hurt him again and one day we will meet again in a new life."
No one spoke of the allegations from Britain that the four men had been asked to spy while in Chechnya, or the devastating, macabre process of having Mr Shaw's remains returned to Wellington.
But family and former work colleagues described a man whose love and sense of humour touched many people.
Daughter Anne noted that in some ways her father's death had been a reflection of the full-on way he lived his life.
"It wasn't for Dad to go quietly in his sleep."
After the funeral service, which was led by the Rev Risatisone Ete in Samoan and English, Mr Shaw was buried at the Whenua Tapu Cemetery, north of Plimmerton.
