ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Generations of family and community gathered Saturday to celebrate a life cut short by gang violence in Vancouver with a promise to honour Ed Schellenberg's legacy.

Schellenberg, 55, was killed last Friday during what police are calling a targeted gang hit.

He was in the Surrey, B.C. apartment building to fix gas fireplaces, one of two innocent bystanders killed along with four other men known to police to have criminal associations.

But his brother-in-law said Saturday that the family's faith gives them the strength to be able to say Schellenberg wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"He loved his work, he needed to be there,'' said Neil Wieler after a moving hour and a half long ceremony at Schellenberg's church in Abbotsford, B.C.

"If we say that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, we tacitly give control of our lives to the criminal element and that's not what we want to do.''

Around 800 people filled the pews and lined the walls at Immanuel Baptist Church, tears mingling with smiles as his family and pastor shared their memories of the father of two.

"The impact of Ed's life is enormous -- bigger than we can fathom at this time,'' his nephew Joel Defries said in a eulogy.

"He would be amazed and unbelieving at the outpouring of love and compassion that has been heaped upon his family because of his story.''

At the front of the church rested a picture of Schellenberg, a wide smile on his face as he hoisted a newly-caught fish in the area.

A similar smile played on his daughter Rachel's face as she remember her father as a man with a heart full of love for his family, faith and the world around him.

"He didn't discriminate against age, you could be two or 92 and he'd be interested in you and you knew he was sincere about it,'' she said.

"In his hundreds of service calls, he made every effort to not only give full value to his customers but to also make them smile or feel just that little bit better after he had gone.''

Pastor Jim Penner likened Schellenberg's life to that of the biblical figure Joseph, saying that both left a legacy that came from their close relationship to God.

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant,'' Penner said.

"Enter into the joy of your master.''

Schellenberg is survived by his wife Lois, daughter Rachel and son Kevin.

Emergency officials called to the scene of the apartment building last Friday initially believed that the six men inside had been overcome by gas fumes.

Details of how the men died have not been released.

Police said, however, that both Schellenberg and Chris Mohan, 22, had no connection to the other four men found at the scene.

A funeral for Mohan is being held later next week.

The other four men -- Edward Narong, 22, Corey Lal, 21, his 26-year-old brother Michael and 19-year-old Ryan Bartolomeo, all of Surrey, B.C. -- were described by police to have engaged in criminal lifestyles.

A criminal records check showed the four convicted of offences ranging from resisting a police officer and driving while prohibited to spending jail time for breach of an undertaking and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

While dozens of charges were stayed against the group, both Bartolomeo and Michael Lal were convicted of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

A memorial group for Bartolomeo on the social networking website Facebook lambasted the focus on his connections to crime.

None of the members of that group responded to inquires from the media to talk about their friend, but he was remembered online as having a love for sports and making people laugh.

Narong was still on probation for a conviction of wilful obstruction of a police officer and driving without a licence.

The apartment's residents were using the top-floor suite for some form of drug activity, police said, adding the person who rented the suite was not among the dead and has not been co-operating with police.

"These murders are an outrageous act of violence perpetrated on individuals, at least two of whom were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,'' RCMP Assistant Commissioner Peter German said in announcing the names of the victims earlier this week.

"The loss of any life is of great regret, but when persons unconnected to anything which may be occurring are murdered, it is indeed a sad day. Our condolences are extended to the next of kin and families of all the deceased.''