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NORTH ATTLEBORO -- Hundreds gathered Tuesday to remember retired Fire Chief Lester Caldwell whose commitment to community service was eclipsed only by his love and dedication for his family.

Caldwell, who was the town's fire chief for 11 of his 34 years working for the North Attleboro Fire Department, then served as a selectman, died Nov. 24 at age 81 after a lengthy illness, during which his wife, Janet, cared for him.

The Rev. David Costa said Caldwell was "a great figure in the town's history" who was dedicated to helping others.

"The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Chief Caldwell is service - service and leadership," Costa said during the service at St. Mary's Church.

"It is not about the title. It is not about the position. It's certainly not the salary. It's not about the honor - it's about caring for each other." Town Administrator Mark Fisher walked through Caldwell's career and accomplishments in his eulogy.

Fisher described how at age 17, with the attack on Pearl Harbor still fresh on everyone's mind, Caldwell chose to drop out of high school to enlist in the Navy.

One of Caldwell's proudest moments was the receipt of his diploma from North Attleboro High School along with a number of World War II veterans in June 2000, said his daughter, Nancy Berry.

Berry said her father once told her, "There wasn't one day in his whole life that he didn't look forward to going to work at the fire department."

Caldwell progressed through the ranks of the North Attleboro Fire Department, first serving as call man from 1953 to 1955, then as a permanent firefighter from 1955 to 1961. He was the department's superintendent of fire alarms from 1972 until 1976, when he was promoted to fire chief. Caldwell retired after 34 years of service in 1987.

The Elm Street Central Fire Station was named in his honor in September 1987.

Caldwell was also well known for his sense of humor and his sense of responsibility, Fisher said.

Fisher told a humorous story about Caldwell offering to store donated ice cream in his freezer at home for use at a future children's event. When a firefighter claimed the ice cream was being eaten rather than stored, Caldwell drove up and dropped all of the ice cream on the Falls Fire Station ramp to prove the allegation wrong.

"It must have been quite a sight to see all the ice cream on the ramp on such a hot and humid day," Fisher said.

Under Caldwell's tenure, the Kelley Boulevard Fire Station was opened, the town's first fire dispatchers were hired and new recruits were sent to the fire academy for the first time. When Caldwell started serving as fire chief, the department had about 2,300 runs per year; by his retirement in 1987, the number had grown to 3,300, Fisher said. Caldwell also served the town in many other ways, including as a selectman, personnel board member and forest warden.

But many said they would remember the so-called "Champ of Hoppin Hill" - where Caldwell grew up and excelled at many things including yo-yo tricks - for his devotion to his family and friends.

In addition to his wife, Janet, to whom he was married for more than 20 years, Caldwell is survived by three daughters, two stepchildren, a brother, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Lawrence Kubulis, a longtime friend and former town moderator, recalled that Caldwell would greet any issue with his trademark phrase, "No problem."

"If you look up the word pal in a slang dictionary, you'll find the definition is a person who is always loving or a person who is always listening. I'm pleased to tell you Lester Caldwell was always loving and listening," he said.