Just 10 people, the maximum allowed under the restrictions, will be attending the service at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newcastle West at 12.30pm, to honour Dr Bernard Francis Curran, who died suddenly on July 30. He was aged 76.

"He would have packed out that cathedral twice over," said James Curran, the youngest of Dr Curran's three children.

While Bernie Curran came from a large family, being the third child of 12, only two of his surviving nine siblings will be at the service, because of the COVID restrictions.

The service is to be live streamed, but there are so many who would want to be in the cathedral to say "farewell".

There are the colleagues and students, past and present, from the University of Newcastle, who Dr Curran helped during his quarter of a century as a lecturer in classics, and as a leader on campus.

There are those from the city's sporting community, particularly from rugby union circles. From player to mentor, Bernie Curran had fulfilled just about every role at his beloved university rugby club. His name even adorns the club's home ground: Bernie Curran Oval.

And there are the legions from all walks of Newcastle life, who came into contact with, and were enchanted by, Bernie Curran.

As James Curran said of his father, he had a "magnetic charisma; people were just drawn to him".

Col Whitehead, a close friend and former colleague of Dr Curran, is one of the 10 invited to the service.

"There are hundreds who would have wanted to be there to pay their respects and thanks to Bernie," said Mr Whitehead.

Not that Bernie himself would have minded the small farewell, said his son.

"I think Dad wouldn't be wanting much of a fuss made," said James Curran. "He'd think, 'This will save everybody a lot of bother'."

James Curran and his eldest sister, Penny Curran-Peters, will deliver the eulogy. James Curran has shared a draft of the eulogy with the Newcastle Herald. Through their words, the Curran siblings evoke their father's love of the bush and the sea, including the hilly terrain bordering Burwood Beach, where Bernie was walking on the day he died.

As James Curran will say in the eulogy, Bernie loved climbing, not just physically, but in his approach to life as he was "always looking ahead, ever upwards".

"Always striving to be better, always striving to get the best out of himself, and to help others believe that they could not only climb with him but reach for their own stars as well," Professor Curran will say in honour of his father.

"That was his truest gift to each of us. The belief that we could be better, that we could all get there."

"Bernie was a friend to so many," Penny Curran-Peters will say. "A mentor to students. An inspiration to his colleagues. A leader of people, and a guide to all of us."

Like his father, James Curran teaches and writes about history. Only he doesn't delve into the ancient worlds like Bernie did, instead exploring modern history. Professor Curran has inherited from his father not just a passion for the past, but also a love of rugby, of the Australian landscape, and of ideas.

"He just had an indefatigable generosity of heart and spirit," Professor Curran told the Herald. "He's the finest human being I know."

"He just invested a lot of time in us as kids, and time is the biggest commodity you can invest. And he gave that time to everything and everybody."

Col Whitehead said he hoped when the COVID restrictions had eased, there could be a public memorial service for Bernie Curran.

Until then, Col Whitehead offered a simple but heartfelt tribute to his mate and long-time fishing buddy: "Thanks for the wonderful time, Bernie, that we spent together.

"He can't be replaced," Mr Whitehead added.

James Curran said his father was not an "ivory tower academic" but an "active citizen".

"Newcastle was deeply lodged in his soul," Professor Curran said. "He loved the place."

"We've all lost a beautiful man. And we've lost a man who epitomised the engaged, active citizen."

Live stream of the funeral service at 12.30pm: https://www.pettigrew.com.au/curran.bernard/

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