AT 32 he was a self-made entrepreneur. At 86 he had soared to dizzying heights as the titan behind household name Lasco Group of Companies. A helping hand to thousands of Jamaicans, even up to the time of his passing Lascelles Chin was still musing what else he could do to uplift Jamaica.

To the legendary strains of hits like Frank Sinatra’s I did it my way Jamaicans from all walks of life on Wednesday streamed to the iconic Holy Trinity Cathedral — one of the Caribbean’s most impressive landmarks — in Kingston to hail the measure of that man.

Amidst tasteful hues of pink — the signature colour of the Lasco brand — Chin’s five children, who took turns reading a tribute in his memory, recalled a father whose generosity knew no bounds and who loved to share, so much so that he would buy them each a popsicle and then ask to be gifted with a “taste” from each.

While the world might have seen the business mogul who “worked hard”, they saw the man who also “played hard” and who had “an infectious sense of humour, always cracking jokes and telling stories”.

Chin’s six grandchildren, in a moving tribute, said the essence of their beloved grandfather remained unchanged although he wore many hats. To them he was still the kind-hearted, generous, resilient man who imparted invaluable lessons to his offspring.

“We smile as we remember all the laughs in the kitchen, around the dining table. He taught us that with hard work and dedication we can achieve anything,” they said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in his tribute, said Chin was a true patriot and the embodiment of a Jamaican who gave back to his country his entire life.

He said Chin, who was an “extraordinary entrepreneur” from the start of his journey in 1956, never lost the common touch.

Noting that the business titan’s immense philanthropic footprint earned him numerous accolades, the prime minister said Chin’s passing has left a void in the hearts of all who knew him.

James E D Rawle, who succeeded Chin as chairman after his death, in eulogising the man he described as a “colossus among men”, said his life was a “model of responsibility, resilience and astuteness”.

“For him, fair was nothing more than necessary,” he said of the man employees said “did not make empty promises”.

Chin, he said, was optimistic, hardly ever down, infused with a sense of urgency, and “very impatient with excuses”.

Rawle said despite the heights he ascended to, Chin “never forgot his youth nor the hardships and deprivation he faced — and remained humble, grateful, and compassionate to the end”.

To the end Chin, who had his shirts custom-made so he could carry a notepad and pen to jot down ever-present ideas, and even slept with a notepad and pen by his bedside, was occupied with thoughts of other ways he could help Jamaicans.

“One of the last things I remember him saying to me was, “What can we do to help more?” Rawle told the sombre gathering.

Archbishop Kenneth Richards, in his homily, said Chin was “a man for others” and was the “consummate corporate citizen”, despite not being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as he worked hard to create the wealth he acquired.

“His living was not in vain,” Richards said.

Chin, who rose from humble beginnings in St Catherine, founded Lasco Manufacturing and Lasco Distributors in the 1980s, and subsequently Lasco Financial Services Limited, taking them public in 2010.

He died May 27 in the United States. The respected business mogul and philanthropist was 86 at the time of his death.