LINCOLN – One of Laura Jordan’s fondest memories of her friend John Weatherbee is his opening the doors at Ella P. Burr School’s gymnasium every Sunday morning to allow town youth to play basketball. Jordan couldn’t count the thousands, if not tens of thousands, of boys and girls who profited from the presence of Weatherbee.

“He gave his life to the town of Lincoln, he really did,” Jordan said Thursday of Weatherbee, her friend for more than 50 years. “He was just a nice man. I don’t think you could find anyone who could say anything against John.”

The Burr school gym was renamed in Weatherbee’s honor during town Homecoming celebrations on Thursday night. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today at Clay Funeral Home, with interment in Lincoln Cemetery to follow, for Weatherbee, 76, who died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer.

Friends and colleagues on Thursday recalled Weatherbee’s crusty exterior and warmth, his tenure as a Lincoln Town Council member, his coaching and love of sports, especially junior high basketball, and his generosity.

They described him as a quiet but forceful, plain-spoken man who loved farms and his tractors and who could always be counted upon to help others who needed it.

“John had a way of becoming part of everybody’s life,” Town Manager Glenn Aho recalled. “Whether it was coaching you or your children, mowing your lawn, sharing a coffee with you at the Timberhouse Restaurant or helping you out when you were in need, John was there.

“He was very kind and involved in the community and that was what made him such a good councilor,” Aho added.

It was an open secret on the council that Weatherbee was ailing, council Chairman Steve Clay said, and councilors paid tribute to Weatherbee’s service on the council by presenting him with a special plaque on July 10.

Weatherbee resigned the council on July 7, citing as reasons for his resignation his need for chemotherapy and his desire to serve the town as well as it deserves. He had served the council for more than 15 years.

He was the council’s leading vote-getter during the last election. Weatherbee was re-elected with 653 votes, 127 more than his closest rival, Samuel Clay, in November. They were among eight candidates for two open three-year council seats.

The next-closest competitors, Addison H. Furrow Jr. and incumbent James Libby, received 362 and 309 votes.

Weatherbee had been in the hospital in and around the election and his ballot performance was seen by many as a tribute to his past service and as recognition of his constant drive for fiscal responsibility in town government.

“John really liked having accountability,” Aho said. “John spearheaded that effort by being a frequent, diligent member of the finance committee so that every dollar spent was spent wisely.”

Donations in Weatherbee’s memory to purchase a trophy display case at the Ella P. Burr School may be left at the funeral home. For an online register book, please visit clayfuneralhome.com.