CALHOUN, GA. -- If John Blair had had his way, friends say, the devoted family man probably would have chosen to die only after he'd had the chance to grow old, sit back on a porch somewhere and tell his life's story to grandchildren bouncing on his knees.

But he at least got his second choice, fellow soldiers at 1st Sgt. Blair's memorial service said Wednesday: to die in the service of his country.

"John literally died with his finger on the trigger, engaging the enemy," Georgia National Guard Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt announced proudly to the hundreds of mourners gathered at Trinity Baptist Church. "He got off around 85 rounds before he was hit."

According to Maj. Gen. Nesbitt -- who was relaying information sent to him from 1st Sgt. Blair's unit in Afghanistan -- the 38-year-old citizen soldier had volunteered to deploy with the 1/121st Infantry out of Lawrenceville just under a month ago. He had told the men he was leading that, if something were to happen to him, they should pull him out of the way and continue to fight.

As a testament to the training they received from 1st Sgt. Blair, that's exactly what they did, Maj. Gen. Nesbitt said. The first sergeant had taken the gunner's position in his vehicle to survey his surroundings during a convoy mission with Afghan forces near Mado Zayi on June 20. The group was ambushed and 1st Sgt. Blair was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade, but the fighting continued as the soldiers held off enemy forces.

Military officials have awarded him a bronze star and Purple Heart, the latest in a string of awards the first sergeant received over his career.

The longtime Guardsman and former Gordon County Sheriff's Department deputy was selfless and service-oriented, said Senior Master Sgt. William Thompson, who worked with 1st Sgt. Blair on the Guard's counter-drug task force.

"In the more than 10 years I worked with him, I never knew him to put himself above anyone else," Senior Master Sgt. Thompson said outside the church Wednesday afternoon.

Other friends and family at the service talked about 1st Sgt. Blair's drive and passion, whether he was debating politics, planning a karaoke party for Special Olympics athletes or talking about the catfish pond he was going to dig on his Calhoun property so he could take his grandson fishing.

He was a natural leader, Maj. Gen. Nesbitt said, eliciting knowing smiles from fellow soldiers as he described 1st Sgt. Blair's interaction with coworkers and underlings.

"'I can't make you do anything,'" he quoted 1st Sgt. Blair as saying, "'but I can sure make you wish you had.'"

The first sergeant's popularity was evidenced by hundreds upon hundreds of supporters swarming the sanctuary and spectators spilling out into the lobby during the service. Lawmen from a dozen different police agencies in North Georgia turned out, as did numerous military personnel.

Meanwhile, about 150 members of the Patriot Guard stood watch silently in the parking lot, their support conveyed by large American flags.

First Sgt. Blair's wife Donna, two adult stepchildren, Dallas and Georgia, and 4-year-old grandson Nolyn remained stonefaced as they were escorted into the sanctuary to bagpipe music. Family members declined to speak directly to the media, but conveyed their thoughts through a prepared statement read by longtime friend Gordon County Sheriff's Detective Shane Parrott.

"We're so grateful of the outpouring of support," Detective Parrott read. "While we mourn now, we believe John would encourage us to move forward with the love and support of friends and family."

Jan Johnson of Lyerly, whose son, Army Spc. Justin Johnson was killed in Iraq in 2004, explained that support from the community is essential right now for the family's healing. But that support shouldn't end after 1st Sgt. Blair's funeral and burial, she said.

Following the funeral Wednesday, a procession traveled to the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton for traditional military honors and interment.

Loved ones "feel it now," Mrs. Johnson said, "but when it really, really hits home is going to be when his guys come home from Afghanistan without him. That's when it sinks in."

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