MUSIC industry players, artistes and others were among those who turned out at the Hagley Park Road Seventh-day Adventist Church in St Andrew to pay their last respects to slain deejay Captain Barkey.

In most of the tributes the common thread was Captain Barkey's sense of humour and his unending supply of jokes.

Family friend Marcia Yanatatty described Barkey as "a man of God".

"He touched each and every one of us lives maybe in music, army or on Facebook," she told the gathering.

In spite of the circumstances under which he lost his life, she urged the congregation not to judge regarding the state of his soul.

"He was not just a man who sang dancehall music, but he was a man of God. Every day on Facebook he encouraged others. He had a heart for God," said Yanatatty, adding that Captain Barkey could have called out for God at the last minute and receive pardon.

It was laughter and nostalgic memories as Ottis Ellis, brother to the man born Joslyn Wayne Wainworth Hamilton shared some memories.

"Barkey never left his big mug. Mama gave him the biggest and he mostly want it full even though he couldn't manage it."

He described Barkey as a "chubby child" and that he would come home from school crying about being called Fats D (from Fats Domino). His mother would console him and tell him that he's not fat "but Barkey!"

Ellis said Barkey was not only his big brother, but also a father figure.

His wife Mavis Hamilton, reaffirmed her love for him as she said it didn't matter the circumstances she loved him as she had married him "for better or worse".

It was very emotional for Captain Barkey's musical partner Wickerman.

"Me neva know de day woulda come, a pray dat it wouldn't dat wi a guh bury Captain Barkey," he said amidst tears. Wickerman spoke of their friendship which began in 1984 and saw him riding his bike to Newcastle to "thief Barkey out of camp" just so they could perform on a stage show and return him back to base before he was discovered missing!

He said Barkey was a man who never liked violence, expressing the irony that it was the very thing that took his life.

Fellow artiste Stitchie described Barkey as "not just his deejay, but his friend and brother. He recalled fond memories and shared that Barkey had recorded some gospel songs that were really inspiring... those are yet to be released.

Among the musical tributes rendered at the thanksgiving service were from his son Shane who gave a touching rendition of Boyz II Men's It's So Hard To Say Good-bye To Yesterday, Lukie D's Gone Too Soon and Trilla U with I Look To You.