Former federal minister and Liberal stalwart Jim Carlton has been remembered as a great humanitarian whose passion and intellect touched many people beyond his political career.
The health minister with the Fraser government, who held the northern Sydney seat of Mackellar for almost two decades, died suddenly on Christmas Eve, aged 80.
He was farewelled on Thursday at a state memorial service at the University of Melbourne by hundreds of mourners including former prime ministers John Howard and Paul Keating.
Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg attended as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's representative.
The service was full of humour and fond memories as Mr Carlton's family shared personal anecdotes, while former Liberal deputy leader Fred Chaney and Ross Garnaut spoke about his political career.
His son, Logie-award winning actor Rob Carlton, said his dad had lived a life full of passion and humour.
"I don't know the meaning of life, but I can tell you my dad died happy. Surrounded by family, and loved by all who knew him," he told the service.
He died suddenly after he and his wife had travelled to the NSW central coast to spend Christmas with their children and grandchildren.
His eldest daughter says her father was in good spirits on Christmas Eve before falling ill.
"As we bundled him into the ambulance, he reminded mum and I not to forget to pick up the roll of beef he ordered from the butcher," Alex Ryan said.
"And that was that. He died on arrival to hospital. It was sudden, it was sad, and it was a shock."
On Christmas Day, during lunch, the family learned Mr Carlton's liver had successfully been transplanted.
"We couldn't have been more proud of dad at that moment," Ms Ryan said.
After leaving politics in 1994, Mr Carlton became general secretary of the Australian Red Cross, a post he held until 2001.
He was honoured with the Henry Durant Medal, the International Red Cross' highest award, for his work.
In 2001, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the community.
Vedran Drakulic, a Bosnian refugee and now CEO of a large philanthropic fund, worked under Mr Carlton at the Red Cross and says the older man helped him navigate his new life in Australia.
"For me, he gave me my first break," Mr Drakulic said.
"Often the most critical thing that a newly arrived refugee or asylum seeker needs is someone, somewhere, to give them a break and a first chance."
Professor Garnaut, who worked with Mr Carlton at the time of Papua New Guinea's independence, said his friend was a remarkable man.
"I remember Jim Carlton for many things, but above all I remember Jim for never losing sight of the humanity we share with people everywhere," he said.
Mr Carlton is survived by his wife Diana and their three children, and seven grandchildren.
