Sgt. Harry Coelho Jr. will be remembered for his pearls of wisdom left on scraps of paper, his bear hugs and his smile, friends said yesterday.

An overflow crowd packed a downtown mortuary to pay their respects to Coelho, the 42nd Honolulu police officer to die in the line of duty. Coelho had a fatal heart attack May 20 while breaking up a fight between two men. He was off-duty at the time, attending church in Hale'iwa, but his actions were in the line of duty, the department said.

Yesterday, friends and family repeatedly said that stepping into a fray as he did was typical of Coelho. He always would do for others first, friends and co-workers said.

"He was a very warm, helpful and open guy," said Mitch Dudoit, a Kane'ohe resident who worked with Coelho in the church ministry. "He's always the first guy to put his arm around you and offer to help. His faith was the driving force in his life. For those of us who knew Harry, this is not a time of sadness, but a time to celebrate all the aspects of his life."

More than 100 police officers at Borthwick Mortuary filed past the casket of Coelho, a 21-year police veteran, in a "pass and review," a formal movement in which the officers saluted their fallen comrade.

Many well-wishers waited through passing showers to comfort the family of the man who was a father, a husband, a police officer, a pastor and an athlete.

Pastor Roy Ogasawara, a fellow member of the Promise Keepers at Mililani Baptist Church, met Coelho when the officer was assigned to the Wahiawa police station. They struck up a lasting friendship.

"Harry was real in every aspect of his life," Ogasawara said yesterday in his eulogy. "His warm handshakes and bear hugs were his trademarks."

Daughter Maya Coelho spoke of how her father, not one to favor e-mail or even the telephone, would write her notes weekly on whatever piece of paper was handy while she was in her freshman year at the University of Southern California. Co-workers and friends, too, remembered Coelho's handwritten notes that appeared around the office or wherever he was, Ogasawara said.

It was only of late that Coelho had experienced health issues, but the bodybuilder and former McKinley High football captain was such a fitness buff that many were stunned by his fatal heart attack, said Capt. Frank Fujii, HPD spokesman.

"He faced each of his obstacles with dignity, respect and honor and with a smile on his face," Fujii said. "He never dwelled on what he didn't have. Sgt. Coelho will be remembered as an officer, a gentleman and a gentle man."

"What these guys do is so unique," Circuit Judge Steve Alm said of police officers. "I feel so bad. He was off duty. I am here today to show that I respect the fact that he truly was a police officer 24/7."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.