Hundreds remember Tom Sheather in funeral service at Corryong

Tom Sheather was on Thursday remembered as an extraordinary young man who packed as much into his 18 years as possible.

He passed away on April 13 after an aviation accident which also claimed the life of his friend, Hayden Bruce.

Mr Sheather had a lifelong passion for planes, knew he wanted a career in aviation by age 10, and was flying solo at age 15.

The hundreds of mourners gathered at Thursday's funeral were told planes were a huge part of his identity, but family was his real passion.

He had met his newborn niece Magnolia two days before the crash, and managed to get in a cuddle before heading to Wodonga for his job.

Mr Sheather moved for work after completing Year 12 and his brother Nick said "you would hear him bubble with excitement over the phone".

"You knew what you wanted and you got it," he said.

"Forever a better man than this world deserved.

"You are now where you are happiest - flying high."

He was born on January 23, 2003, one of three boys to parents Pete and Trudy.

Mourners were told after being held in his father's arms, they shared an unbreakable bond.

His brother, Cameron, said Tom didn't follow the crowd and was passionate about learning.

He scored in the top four per cent of the state in engineering and top eight per cent of the state in English during last year's VCE.

"As smart as Tom was, he still managed to do some pretty silly things," Cameron joked.

"Like running a bath too hot for himself and having to get out and lay on the cold tiles."

Mourners were told the late teenager became a man overnight after fighting the recent Upper Murray fires.

Oberon Aviation director Stirling Preston remembered him as a man with a "grin like a Cheshire Cat".

His job as a power line observer - which Mr Preston compared to a rally car navigator - was highly skilled and helped identify faults which could cause fires.

The 18-year-old wanted to be a commercial pilot.

"We believe Tom had the potential to reach any level he desired in the aviation industry," Mr Preston said.

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"All of us in the industry are poorer for the loss of this wonderful young man."

Priest Mitch Porter said many were trying to make sense of a life being cut far too short.

"Each of us who will miss him, who will mourn his passing and his going away should be comforted in knowing that in 18 short years Tom managed to fit in more passion and more bravery than many will in a lifetime," he said.

"Let Tom's memory and inspiration be a driving force in your life."

The Border Mail attended Mr Sheather's funeral with permission from the family.

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