WATCH: Public memorial service for late Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) An "end of watch" call rang for long-time police officer and Salinas Mayor, Joe Gunter, at a memorial service, Friday.

Hundreds who gathered at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas took part in a moment of silence. To the Salinas community, Gunter was a dedicated mentor, but to Jodi Bennett, he was dad.

"My dad was one of a kind. He was kind. He was gentle. He was brave. He was respectful," said Bennett.

Bennett said serving as mayor was her dad's dream and he lived it until his last days. "He loved moving the city forward in the direction of the people. He loved everyone in the community, no matter which part of town you lived in or who you were or what you did. He loved everyone," said Bennett.

Gunter was Mayor of Salinas for eight years, but his career in civil service started long before. He served in the U.S. Marines and spent 32 years as a detective with the Salinas Police Department.

"He didnt pause. He immediately came back and kept giving to this wonderful community," said Salinas Police Chief, Adele Frese.

Bennett wants to see her dad's legacy continue in Salinas. "Whatever it is that you learned from dad, take a piece of that and put it in a shoe. If we all contribute and put a little piece of dad into some shoes we can keep moving in a forward direction," said Bennett.

A fund to support the Salinas Veterans Day Parade was created in memory of Gunter.