Charlotte Kimelman with well-wishers outside the St. Thomas Synagogue.

Family and friends gathered at the St. Thomas Synagogue on Tuesday morning to bid a final farewell to Virgin Islands businessman and philanthropist Ambassador Henry Kimelman before his body was laid to rest in the Jewish Cemetery on St. Thomas.

In his 88 years, Kimelman, who was referred to throughout the service as "larger than life," enjoyed a varied career, from serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II to running the largest hotel in the Virgin Islands to working for friend U.S. Sen George McGovern in his campaign for the presidency to serving as a U.S. Ambassador to becoming one of the greatest philanthropists the Virgin Islands has ever known.

Rabbi Stephen Moch opened the service stating, "Death has taken from us someone who has made a true mark on our lives and the community."

He spoke of Kimelman's exterior toughness and of his generosity, both of which were mentioned several times by both family and friends during the service.

Kimelman's older son, Donald Kimelman, spoke of his father's "larger than life" legacy as a businessman in the Virgin Islands, from his time as general manager at father-in-law Sidney Kessler's Virgin Isle Hotel, to his time in national politics and after, when he became the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, and to his later years when investing and philanthropy became his father's main focus.

Daily News Photos by CHRIS WALSH Former U.S. Senator George McGovern attends a memorial service for Ambassador Henry Kimelman on Tuesday at the St. Thomas Synagogue.

"He made a lot of money, he was a very shrewd investor, and he gave a lot away, and much of it here on St. Thomas - philanthropy will be dad's primary legacy," Donald Kimelman said.

Kimelman's daughter, Suzi Edwards, spoke about her father's elegance and charm and about how he always was perfectly put together. She said he had a taste for the finer things in life, from fine wines to gourmet meals to five-star hotels and luxury automobiles, of which he was known to be quite a fast driver.

But, above all, she said, he was "a devoted father, grandfather, American and Virgin Islander."

John Kimelman, Kimelman's younger son, recalled his father's ability to talk more than any man he's ever known and he described his father's tendency toward neatness and his wry, unconventional sense of humor.

He also remarked on Kimelman's financial savvy, stating, "If my father had run every household in America, there would never have been a mortgage crisis and America's savings would match that of China's."

Grandson Sam Kimelman spoke on behalf of all seven Kimelman grandchildren, noting several things his grandfather had taught him, from his desire that his grandson cultivate his own smell - his grandfather's being a mix of citrus cologne and coconut oil - to other advice such as "one must always ask oneself 'is the price right?'" to "penne is so good, it could be consumed at every meal" to "CNN and MSNBC are best viewed at top volume."

Other family members who spoke included cousins Robert Fishman and Lesley Kessler Margin. Friends Penny and Henry Feuerzeig, Yankel Ginzburg and Senator McGovern also delivered eulogies.

Fishman spoke of how his godfather was always genuinely interested in what he was doing.

Margin spoke of her Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Henry's unfailing generosity and love.

Henry Feuerzeig remarked on his friend's continuing generosity to the Virgin Islands, through the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Center, one of Kimelman's proudest accomplishments, to founding the Community Center of the Virgin Islands and building the Kimelman Library at the Antilles School.

Senator McGovern talked about his friend's ability to know the intrinsic value of people and things, from his wife, Charlotte, to McGovern himself as a presidential candidate. He also spoke of Kimelman's great respect and love for the people who worked for him, along with his unfailing friendship.

Senator McGovern said the last time he saw Kimelman, they made a pledge that they would both live to be 100.

"It's the only time he's ever broken a pledge," said McGovern, "but even then he did not break it, because he lived so big in his years he really lived to be 150."