An off-duty police officer who was hit and killed by a ute while cycling with his daughter in Melbourne's south-east on Good Friday has been remembered as a "real personality" and highly regarded veteran sergeant.

The pair was riding east on the Princes Highway, near Dore Road, at Pakenham when the officer, Sergeant Ken Rich, was hit by a Toyota Hilux ute about 8.50am.

Mr Rich's daughter cared for him at the scene until an ambulance arrived.

Paramedics worked on him for about an hour, but he died at the scene.