Several Hundred Mourn Matthew Denice

Several hundred people attended funeral services for Matthew Denice Tuesday, a 23-year-old who was remembered for his open, friendly manner and an ability to connect with people across many different social groups.

Matthew was a non-conformist, who had a wide circle of friends, said his older brother, Michael Denice, who delivered the eulogy in services at. His brother, he said, will be remembered for his dependability, a wide, contagious smile, and a positive perspective.

"Children were attracted to him because of his openness, his personality," Michael Denice, 25, said. "He had a love for children. I knew he would make a great father some day, when he had children."

Denice was struck and killed Aug. 20, while riding his motorcycle home, in a collision with an alleged drunken driver, who was driving without a license, and who police say is living in the United States illegally.

His funeral and burial, opened to the public by his family, drew several hundred people. Attendees included state Rep. John Fernandes (D-Milford) and state Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge). On Friday, an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people attended a candlelight vigil for Denice at , a peaceful, that included young and old.

The funeral services were conducted by priests from three Catholic parishes: , Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Anthony's Shrine, in Boston.

The Rev. Barry Langley, OFM, of St. Anthony's Shrine, delivered the homily. He was asked to do so by Michael Denice, who attends services at the church, at Downtown Crossing in Boston.

The Rev. Langley spoke of loss in the death of a 23-year-old, someone at a young age, "snatched away from us." But he said by any measure of quality, Matthew Denice lived a full life.

He was voted "most dependable" senior in 2006 by his classmates at , something that spoke to his qualities, his maturity, the Rev. Langley said. Matthew demonstrated his commitment to others, and had friends from many circles, scaling over divisions that might have stopped others, he continued.

"Matthew, although he was only 23-years-old, had wisdom within him," the Rev. Langley said.