Funeral for Te Papa chief Seddon Bennington

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Cabinet ministers Chris Finlayson and Nathan Guy and Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast were among the steady stream of mourners arriving at Te Papa this afternoon to mark the passing of chief executive Seddon Bennington.

The 61-year-old and Marcella Jackson, 54, died of hypothermia during a tramp in the Tararuas. Their bodies were recovered last Wednesday.

Ms Jackson's funeral took place yesterday at St Andrew's on The Terrace in Wellington.

Dr Bennington's funeral began at 1pm today at the Te Papa marae, which is believed to hold about 300 people.

A memorial dedicated to Dr Bennington paid tribute to a much loved boss, adventurer and lover of the arts.

"Seddon will be remembered by friends and colleagues for his intellect and physical energy, his outgoing personality and his love for his family," it read.

The funeral was expected to last for several hours.