The two children of Bert Newton have paid tribute to their father in emotional letters sharing the special moments and memories they hold closest to their hearts.
Long-time friend and colleague Pete Smith read the heartfelt letters aloud inside St Patrick's Cathedral at the state funeral service celebrating the life of the Australian TV legend.
Daughter Lauren Newton said saying goodbye to her father had been "heart-breaking" for all, especially for her mother, Patti Newton.
READ MORE: 'Pioneer, icon, legend': Bert Newton farewelled in state funeral
Her letter ended reflecting on the moment of her father's passing, which occurred at 7.22pm – 12 minutes after Patti had left the hospital and arrived home in Hawthorn.
"They loved one another so much, and I know how he waited until she left the room to take his last breath, because while she was with him, he couldn't have gone," she wrote.
"Forever in our hearts and memories. But life will never be the same without him. I love you, dad."
Ms Newton said did not know if she could ever put into words how much she loved her dad.
"From the love I felt as a child, to watching him laugh and play games with my own children, he made us feel so special, and always brought laughter and fun to everything we did," she said.
"When I was a little girl, I always felt I was so lucky. I had two dads, one on TV, and one at home.
"He was the same funny, warm, wonderful person everyone watched on TV, but at home, he was even better."
She reminisced of one of her favourite games she played with her dad growing up which they called 'Donald Duck'.
"He would put me on his shoulders, and run around the house, yelling "Donald", every time we came to a doorway and I'd drop down and yell back "duck".
"It always involved squealing and hysterical laughter and was so much fun, until one day, he got distracted and forgot to yell "Donald". Obviously, mum never let us play this game again.
READ EDDIE MCGUIRE'S FULL EULOGY HERE
"But it is a memory I'll have forever, and I can still hear the laughter from us both."
Son Matthew Newton, who is based in the US and could not attend the funeral in person, also wrote a touching letter reflecting on his treasured moments with his dad.
Mr Newton said over the past 10 years while he lived abroad, he looked forward to playing songs over Zoom and FaceTime together.
"Everyone knows he was a great entertainer, but what a lot of people don't know about dad is that he wouldn't just be around for the laughs," he said.
"Those close to him experienced how he'd show up in the tough times too. No one more than me."
Mr Newton said he had one final conversation with his father a few days before he died and it had been "different from the usual" and they both knew it.
"The change was never directly stated, but we eschewed the stories and the laughs and just said how much we loved each other," he said.
"During that wonderful chat, my mother was pottering around in the background, adding her two cents every now and again, and doing lovely things for dad, as usual.
READ MORE: Patti Newton speaks of heartbreak at losing 'the most wonderful man'
"At one point, she took something into another room, and the second she left, dad leaned into the phone camera and whispered, "I think she's poisoning my food, Matthew.
"Well, we both laughed and laughed until we cried."
He said there was not a person in the world who cherished their love as much as Bert cherished Patti.
"You two were a team, are a team, and even though your partner isn't on stage anymore, the show goes on, and you'll be OK.
"I'm gonna really miss jamming with you, mate. Here's looking at you, kid."
