Family and friends gathered at Chico’s Seventh Day Adventist Church on Monday to honor Marc Thompson, a former Chico State student who died last month in a burning vehicle.

Thompson’s family filled up the front four rows of the church’s sanctuary. The ceremony lasted for two hours and about 80 people showed up.

There was a eulogy and obituary reading and a slideshow at the funeral that celebrated Thompson’s life through photos.

Pastor Cubie Finley, a family friend, followed with a sermon in memory of Thompson.

“Instead of preparing yourself for something that is not positive, prepare yourself for something that is positive,” Finely said. “Learn as much as you can about as much as you can and it’s obvious that this young man was trying to learn as much as he could about as much as he could.”

LaWanda Thompson, Marc Thompson’s mother, said she remembers the last time she spoke to her son.

“It was just an everyday conversation with my son – always pushing him to do something,” she said.

She said her son was kind, generous and always made a difference.

“Even as a child, he made a difference with his friends and he was loyal, very loyal,” his mother said.

Thompson’s burial site was in Oroville. There will be a campus memorial for Thompson 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 at the Chico Performing Arts Center.

Jovanna Garcia can be reached at [email protected] or @Jo_garcia19 on Twitter.