Family and friends have paid their respects to criminal Mark 'Chopper' Read in Fitzroy
DOZENS gathered at the quaint community room under the Fitzroy football ground grandstand to farewell Mark 'Chopper' Read.
There was no coffin. In its place, at the notorious Melbourne criminal's request, was a nondescript laundry basket filled with dirty clothes and brandishing the message: "Could someone take care of this for me please. Thank you very much. Chop."
It was one of a number of ways the 58-year-old's public service reflected his often colourful character.
About 80 mourners, some carrying flowers, turned up to farewell Read, who died in hospital last week after a battle with liver cancer.
Family and friend of the notorious criminal enforcer Mark 'Chopper' Read have said their final goodbyes, at a secret funeral
Mourners arrive to farewell Mark 'Chopper Read' at the Fitzroy football ground.
Among the mourners was Read's wife, Margaret Cassar, who arrived without the company of his two sons, Roy and Charlie, hurrying in with barely a glance at the throng of waiting media.
A gravely ill Mark 'Chopper' Read talks everything from cancer to his new show with Herald Sun's Nui Te Koha.
Despite the larger-than-life reputation of the notorious celebrity criminal, the memorial service itself was a basic set-up with just a couple of vases of flowers for decoration.
Nostalgic favourite "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger was played to the gathering in lieu of more solemn tunes.
It was expected attendees would be invited to sing along to Chopper's favourite song "Plastic Jesus".
Mourners arrive at the memorial service for Mark 'Chopper Read' at Fitzroy football ground.
The memorial service was originally planned for a chapel in Clifton Hill, but was moved to the football ground after an influx of calls from people who knew Read convinced his family to choose a larger venue.
Funeral director Nigel Davies told 3AW that he was not certain about how many people would attend the memorial.
Mr Davies opened the service by remarking that it would differ from Read's small private funeral and burial held at the Fawkner Memorial Park on Monday, which was attended only by family and close friends.
Mark Chopper Read in the back streets of Carlton. Source: News Limited
"He was always gonna have a private funeral for his family, that service was for Mark, and then we was gonna have a public service for the people who knew him as Chopper," Mr Davies said.
The celebrant spoke of Read's life as one with "ups and downs" and said the father of two had understood there would be people who "were glad he passed away".
"In his twenties, he was a bad boy," Mr Davies.
Read's wife Margaret was among the small crowd of mourners and former prison officer Peter Prideaux, who became friends with the crime figure after working at Pentridge Prison's H Division when Read did time there in the 1980s, spoke to the congregation.
Mark 'Chopper' Read. Mark Brandon Read. CHRISTOPHER TOVO, 2011. Source: Supplied
"In his last 20 years, he moved to be more a jovial uncle who played a bad boy for the media."
Mr Davies said Read never minded who would stand up and speak at his funeral, and accordingly invited any guest who wanted to to do so.
A colourful crew rose one by one to speak, among them a former prison worker, a fellow "older criminal", Read's pharmacist and a gallery owner who exhibited his paintings.
Former Prison Fellowship International worker Bill Sutcliffe remembered Read as a "great survivor, and a great character".
"He wasn't a great criminal," Mr Sutcliffe said.
Mark 'Chopper' Read. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited
A self-described fellow old crook simply said: "A lot of criminals used to bag him, but I give the bloke something - he never robbed old people and he never touched kids".
Read's pharmacist David Nolte described him as an intelligent and respectful man who had led a "miserable life", and lamented that Read had not been better looked after in his childhood.
Read was diagnosed with liver cancer in April last year.
The criminal-turned-author spent more than 23 years in jail for crimes including armed robbery, assault and kidnapping and bragged about killing dozens of criminals.
Mark 'Chopper' Read with his original paintings at The Hogan Gallery, Collingwood. Source: News Limited
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