COEUR d’ALENE — Not many people get to attend their own funeral, but Kenny Ashby serenaded his family and friends Sunday afternoon one final time.

The 40 or so people gathered at the Cherished Ones Ministries either sang along or swayed back and forth as the video of their friend played on the wall.

Kevin Kram, director of Cherished Ones Ministries, knew Ashby for 13 years. He said Ashby would come to the lunch programs and play music for everyone. He also helped a lot of people who were getting out of jail get into transitional housing.

“Like all of us he carried problems around in his life, but more than anything he was a good hearted-man,” Kram said of his friend. “He always went for what was right.”

Ashby, who died Sept. 8 at age 63, was known for his music and the care he gave to the people he loved, and even the people he had just met.

After the songs, friends and family shared their memories of their beloved friend.

Patty McGruder worked with Ashby for a long time, both doing anything they could to help Coeur d’Alene’s homeless population.

“Some people are lucky enough in life to come across people who have your back, and Kenny was one of those people,” she said through tears. “He helped hundreds of people: he took in strangers who needed food or a warm place to sleep so they wouldn’t die that night.”

Jason Parker, who led the celebration, was a good friend of Ashby’s and often accompanied the guitarist’s songs with his harmonica.

As integrated as he was in the homeless community, not many people knew of Ashby’s accomplishments. He was an aeronautical engineer for a long time.

“That’s what we love about this corner,” Parker said, referring to Cherished Ones Ministries. “You meet people here at the soup kitchen, and half of us come from the bar. But we don’t put on hats, we just get to be who we are and everyone is accepted the same.”

Unfortunately, Ashby was in a work accident where a plane engine crushed him, breaking his back. The rest of his life he was in a lot of pain from his injury, but he pushed through it to help his friends.

Parker remembers when he wanted to go to a music festival in southern Idaho but his car’s brakes didn’t work. Ashby insisted he go. So, he got down on the ground and fixed Parker’s brakes.

“I knew he was in a lot of pain, but he was so stubborn, too,” Parker said. “He had a heart of gold, that was his thing.”