The late Paul Connolly, 55, had a favourite saying: "Always be yourself. But if you can't be yourself, be a pirate!"

Mr Connolly's brother, Francis Connolly, travelled from Brisbane to Wangi Wangi at short notice for the funeral.

"I'm just so grateful that the people of Wangi Wangi made him part of their community," he told the Lakes Mail.

"I was so overwhelmed by their support.

"They just took him in, and all banded together to give him a fun service and send-off."

Mr Connolly said his brother was a lovely character, with an outgoing manner.

"He'd give all of himself to anyone he considered a friend," Mr Connolly said.

"I'm just so happy that in the end he found a place where his character was accepted. He'd found his tribe," Mr Connolly said.

Mr Connolly's family, including Paul's son Brian, were taken out onto Lake Macquarie in a former fishing boat so they could scatter Mr Connolly's ashes around his moored boat.

As a young man, Mr Connolly had been a panel beater and spray painter with a love of cars.

"When Paul moved to Wangi he transferred those skills to marine craft, and was often fixing outboards and things for locals," Francis Connolly said.