Early in his stint as Victorian governor, John Landy was walking through the door into the dining room at Government House when he was stopped by an alarmed aide.
Mr Landy had heard the MC for the function asking everyone to move into the room for the arrival of the official party. It had not occurred to the governor that everybody was moving inside to prepare to greet him.
One of Mr Landy's successors, current governor Linda Dessau, recounted the anecdote at a state memorial service for Mr Landy as an example of his humility and down to earth nature.
"The truth is that John Landy the man, John Landy the famous athlete, John Landy the scientist and John Landy the governor are one and the same. And I think that's the beauty of him, there was no artifice at all," Ms Dessau said.
"At this state memorial today we remember an upright man, a straight shooter, a man of his word, a man renowned for his integrity and someone who spoke the truth."
Mr Landy's son Matthew spoke of the "privilege" of being his father's child, and recounted how Mr Landy drove through the gates of Government House on his first day in the role in an old Ford Falcon with "chipped paint, coathanger for an aerial and mud-covered tyres".
Former premiers, governors past and present and greats of the athletics world gathered at the MCG to remember Mr Landy and celebrate his contributions to the state, sports and the community.
Unsurprisingly, one moment of astonishing and legendary sportsmanship featured prominently in the service. It was an act that, as MC Steve Moneghetti put it, elevated Mr Landy to a place in sporting immortality.
"But for all his athletics pursuits, it's the person that he was that we most admire about John," Mr Moneghetti said.
"What I will always remember about John is that when you left his company, you always felt better about yourself."
Mr Landy died surrounded by his family in February at the age of 91 after a long battle with Parkinson's.
He was appointed governor of Victoria in 2001, serving five years in the role with his trademark humility and dedication.
Prior to his appointment, he spent decades working in the field of agricultural science, championed environmental and conservation causes and wrote two books about natural history.
Mr Landy was also a keen lepidopterist — a collector of butterflies and moths — donating a collection he spent decades acquiring to the Australian Museum.
But it was Mr Landy's achievements on the sporting field that have fixed him most firmly in the affections of Australians over the last 70 years.
Mr Landy was involved in one of sporting history's most legendary battles, going head to head with Englishman Roger Bannister in the race to run the first sub-four minute mile. Bannister ultimately triumphed in May 1954, recording a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.
Less than two months later, at a meet in Finland, Mr Landy became the second man in history to achieve the feat, eclipsing Bannister's time and setting a new world record in the process.
Mr Landy was also responsible for an act of sportsmanship that earned him a place in Australia's sporting folklore.
Competing in the Australian national athletics championships, just prior to the 1956 Olympic Games, Mr Landy came up against fellow great Ron Clarke in the final of the mile race.
Mr Landy was in a promising position when Clarke tripped and fell in front of him with about a lap and a half of the race to go. Mr Landy stopped, went back and checked to see if Clarke was OK. Urged on by Clarke, Mr Landy rejoined the race and went on to win it.
The incident is immortalised in a bronze statue, titled 'Sportsmanship', that sits on Olympic Boulevard, across the road from the site of the old Olympic Park stadium. It was also declared the finest sporting moment of the century by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
In an interview in 2004, nearly half a century later, Mr Landy admitted that he was still conflicted about his actions on that day.
"I was very embarrassed and upset about the whole thing. I still am. I wish it had never happened," he said.
"I think sport's about winning and about records. It's not about those sort of things. That was very personal business and I think it unfortunate that such a lot is made of it."
Mr Landy went on to win a bronze medal at the Melbourne Olympics later that year.
His son, Matthew, summed up his father's character and legacy.
"Growing up as the child of a famous person can be hard. Growing up the child of John Landy, wasn't. It was a privilege."
Mr Landy is survived by his wife, Lynne, two children and three grandchildren.
