James Valentine’s fans joined his family, friends, colleagues, and the entertainment industry in a moving celebration of his life at the Sydney town hall on Friday afternoon.

The broadcaster and musician, who hosted ABC Sydney’s Afternoon show for 25 years, died last month at the age of 64.

The talented saxophonist had been a fixture on the public broadcaster since he joined as host of the Afternoon Show for kids on ABC TV in 1987 after a decade of playing in bands including the Models.

Former ABC managing directors Mark Scott and David Anderson, governor general Sam Mostyn, television personalities Julia Morris, Gretel Killeen, Tony Squires and ABC presenters Dom Knight and Hamish Macdonald joined members of the public at the packed event, which was broadcast live on ABC Radio.

The event was hosted by former ABC broadcaster and close friend Richard Glover.

ABC Sydney listener, texter and caller Jacqueline Brewer was invited to speak about Valentine who was a “familiar voice” in her life even though they never met in person.

“My status as an ABC Radio enthusiast, some might say ABC tragic, has brought me here today,” Brewer said.

“James said on his Australian Story that he knew us listeners were all his friends. That he told us everything that happened to him.

“I’m very sad I won’t get to ring him about our newborn baby arriving in a few weeks. James has accompanied me through so many stages of life.

Former ABC broadcaster Margaret Throsby read out some of the thousands of texts the ABC has received since Valentine’s death, saying it has been powerful to watch the “overwhelming tidal wave of love and sadness”.

“It’s no real surprise to those of us fortunate to have been in James’s orbit,” she said.

ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, said Valentine was a master of the art that was his chosen craft.

“In this room today you can feel the impact of his work … he was a huge contribution to the legacy that is the ABC,” Marks said.

Chef Matt Moran said when he was told Valentine’s cancer was terminal, it devastated him.

“None of us were ready to face it, he did and somehow he made us too,” he said.

“Some of my favourite memories of James is him playing saxophone to a room full of friends – they were the best.”

Opera tenor David Hobson, a childhood friend of Valentine’s growing up in Ballarat, said he structured his life to spend as much time as possible with his “adored” family: wife, Joanne Corrigan, and their two children, Ruby and Roy.

Ruby said while her dad was initially reluctant to have children he was a natural father and always “overjoyed” to be part of children’s lives.

“He embraced our interests, big or small, as if they were the most important thing in the world,” Ruby said.

“If there was something we enjoyed that he knew nothing about, he took the time to learn – simply because it was important to us.”

Roy, a musician like his father, wrapped up the celebration with a moving tribute.

“Time became this precious necessity that kept running through our hands, Roy said of his dad’s last days.

“As a family unit we’ve never been closer … we all slept in the same room on the final night.”

He said Valentine’s decision to use voluntary assisted dying was in step with how he lived his life.

“His death completely reflected his life – open and honest, kind and warm, family-focused.”

Musicians Jimmy Barnes and Mahalia Barnes performed You’ve Got a Friend and Paul Kelly sang Meet Me in the Middle of the Air.

When the Saints Go Marching In was played for the funeral procession, in the New Orleans jazz tradition.