An oversized gold casket, as loud and as brash as Carl Williams himself, is the last Melbourne will see of its most notorious gangland killer.
PHOTOS: Gangster's golden goodbye
But that, and the black stretch Hummer which took his ex-wife Roberta, father George and family to St Therese's Catholic church in Essendon was about as audacious as Williams' funeral got.
There was no pointed message at his criminal rivals, no barb for the cops.
And no recognisable underworld characters.
The only sign of defiance came from Williams' stepdaughter Danielle.
"Everything Carl done was for his family, Carl kept us safe," she told the mourners on Friday.
"You can judge us all you want but only God will judge us at the end of the day."
The only person to bring up Williams' brutal past was Father Bill Attard, presiding over the funeral of Melbourne's one-time drugs kingpin who was bashed to death in Barwon Prison last week, three years into a life sentence for four murders.
Fr Attard called him a lost sheep, but "each sheep is valued". He noted it was appropriate the service was in St Therese's, the saint who prayed for a murderer.
It was the funeral of a loving husband, father, stepfather and son. Like so many funerals every day of the week.
Despite being convicted of four murders and suspected of at least six others, Williams was remembered by Roberta as a loving and kind man; daughter Dhakota said he was the "best dad ever"; and his stepdaughters Danielle and Bree spoke of his generosity and sense of fun.
Fr Attard told the 200 or so mourners - most in black, many with shaved heads, tattoos and gold earrings - that Carl Williams had dignity.
A woman outside the church impersonating Judy Moran, the wife and mother of two of his victims - Lewis Moran and Jason Moran - had other thoughts.
She said if the real Judy Moran was there, she would have called Williams "a filthy murderer".
The hour-long service started with Tina Turner's anthem Simply the Best and ended with eight pall bearers struggling under the weight of the $30,000 gold casket to Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's One Sweet Day.
Dressed in a black shift dress and leggings with a small crucifix pinned to her left breast, Roberta clutched George's hand as they followed the coffin out of the church. Dhakota, Danielle and Bree behind, holding photographs of Williams and carrying massive bouquets of white roses, followed.
Roberta had earlier paid tribute to the man who saved her.
"Carlos you came into my life when I was broken and needed some repair," she told the mourners.
"You took me and the kids and loved and cared for us.
"We had this special bond that's unbreakable.
"You instilled in me confidence and self respect, something which had been ripped away from me so many years before.
"One thing I'll never forget is that you taught me to stand my ground ... 'Lift your head, Bert'', you'd say ... Be proud of who you are.
"Carlos, you're the amazing one.
"Carlos, I'll always love you."
George Williams could not speak, instead giving Bree, 16, his eulogy to read.
"You were my best friend not just my son," she read.
"I wish I'd been there with you but it's too late now for regrets, what's done is done.
"Give my love to mum and Shane."
George has lost eldest son Shane and wife Barbara to drug overdoses and now Carl to a drugs war.
Carl won't be far from his mother Barbara now.
As the family climbed back into the Hummer, a black hearse led the way to Keilor Cemetery where Williams was buried in a plot near Barbara and his henchman and best friend Andrew Veniamin.
At the cemetery, Roberta and her girls visited Veniamin's grave.
And as the mourners stood in the church to make their way out, Fr Attard warned them about the 100-strong media pack and curious onlookers waiting outside, some of whom had been there since 6am (AEST) on Friday.
"Like Carl told Roberta: hold your head up."
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