Hundreds at funeral for Shropshire teacher Gareth Utting, 37

Mourners at St Mary's Parish Church in Ellesmere were not all dressed in black for the funeral of Gareth Utting, the English teacher at Wem's Thomas Adams School who died on April 2, instead honouring his family's request for people dress in cheerful colours.

The service was led by Tracy Day, pastor at Penycae Neighbourhood Church of the Nazarene, of which Mr Utting was an active member.

Those gathered heard eulogies and poems from family, friends and colleagues that described a "gentle, modest and brave" man with a quirky sense of humour, who was never satisfied with his achievements.

Mr Utting, a father of three, was taken ill while exercising at his home at Cherry Drive, Ellesmere, and died of a heart attack later that same day at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Wife Alison Utting said she had kept a diary of blessings every day for the last year and a half.

"But on April 2 my heart sank, I thought how was I ever going to find something now?" she said.

But she said that in the end it was not as difficult as she feared: "Being surrounded by such love and support that it feels like being in a fortress and having these three amazing children carrying his name and his physical characteristics."

She said everyone had struggled to understand why her husband was taken so soon but one pupil of his had said "God thought heaven was getting boring and needed a star like Sir to brighten it up."

She added: "Don't define him by his short life, but by how much light he brought into the world while he was here."

Mr Utting was always impatient with himself and what he saw has his many failings, she said, "but his one failing was not appreciating how much he had achieved in so many areas."

Pastor Day said Mr Utting was an "honest and adventurous" man of many interests and talents.

Aside from his being a martial arts instructor in Eskrima – what Mrs Utting called his "Bruce Lee stuff" – he was also a qualified scuba diving instructor, played the banjo and harmonica and even tried his hand at bee-keeping.

He was a leader of St Martin's Beaver Scouts, stepping in when the group was set to close due to lack of leaders.

One of the mourners said: "He was kind, caring and funny. It didn't matter what kind of day he'd had, he always had a smile for the children."

Those gathered also heard how he used to read poetry to his sisters when he was as young as 12, and showed good grace in putting up with gentle teasing about his pride in being Welsh.

The mourners exited the church to That's Entertainment by The Jam, which was Mr Utting's "jump around the living room" music, Pastor Day said. Born in Wrexham in 1976, Mr Utting was brought up in Llandudno but returned to Wrexham to study at NEWI (now Glyndwr University).

He became a teacher at Thomas Adams School 10 years ago. He married Mrs Utting in 2011 and leaves children Sam, 14, Ioan, four, and Catrin, aged one. A memorial service was held for Mr Utting at Thomas Adams School last week and sixth formers are organising a students versus staff football match in his memory on May 7, on Wem Town Football Club's pitch at 4.15pm.