James Valentine has been remembered as a "wonderful human being", loving father and a "funny, inclusive, empathic" veteran ABC broadcaster at his public memorial in Sydney.Valentine died at 64 last month, two years after he was diagnosed with cancer.Master of ceremonies Richard Glover, who shared the airwaves with Valentine for years, said the service at Sydney Town Hall, attended by family, friends, celebrities, fellow musicians and his loyal audience, was a "celebration" to "give thanks".Glover said Valentine was a "friend to all of us"."Today, we are all, me included, so focused on what we have lost But I hope we can also think about what we gained through knowing him, hearing him, being part of his beautiful, whimsical, creative world," he said.Governor-General Sam Mostyn recalled appointing Valentine a member of the Order of Australia shortly before his death and paid tribute to his contribution to public life."He was always elevating kindness and community, and for that we owe him everything," she said."We've lost a truly great Australian, a wonderful human being."Valentine's daughter, Ruby, said while she was often told he did not want children, he was the "best dad anyone could ever imagine"."He was there in every moment I needed advice, a shoulder to cry on," she said."He embraced our interests, big or small, as if they were the most important thing in the world."If there was something we enjoyed that he knew nothing about, he took the time to learn — simply because it was important to us."Friend and celebrity chef Matt Moran said the moment he was told Valentine's cancer was terminal, he was devastated."None of us were ready to face it