Dallas knows how to memorialize its leaders and fallen heroes in meaningful fashion.

But there’s never been anything quite like the send-off Herb Kelleher got Tuesday when more than 5,000 employees, retirees and invited guests packed the arena of Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center to say happy trails to the beloved co-founder of Southwest Airlines.

But then again, as speaker after speaker told the crowd, there’s never been anyone quite like Herb Kelleher, nor is anyone likely to replicate the late CEO and chairman emeritus of Southwest, who died earlier this month at 87.

His family — led by Joan, his wife of 64 years — held a private funeral in San Antonio and promised a more public gathering later.

Family members, including wife Joan Kelleher, seated at center, of the late Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher raise bottles of Wild Turkey in tribute on Tuesday. (Ryan Michalesko / Staff Photographer)

But Southwest realized that a public ceremony would be seriously overbooked, so it limited the final Herb salute to the extended Southwest family and guests.

"This is so fun. It's like a high school reunion," someone said as groups huddled, took selfies and schmoozed happily. "Herb would love it."

The convention center was the largest venue Southwest could book for the event. Yet the gathering had an intimate feel, clearly meant for the airline's family.

By the time the doors opened at 9 a.m., the line to get into the convention arena stretched more than a football field long.

But Southwest knows how to operate an orderly queue.

At the head of the line were some Dallas-based flight attendants who’ve flown with Southwest for at least 38 years.

“All of us are boots-and-hotpants girls,” said Kay Hogan, who joined Southwest in 1978. “We wanted a good seat, for sure. We have to be on time. Check-in for us is an hour before departure. So check-in today is an hour before the doors open. It's in our DNA.”

As instructed, the throng of celebrants came in Southwest uniforms, logowear, bright company colors or Herb-esque attire. Blue jeans far outnumbered ties.

Guests were handed programs and small Kleenex packs labeled “Summon Your Strength.” But this wasn’t a time for tears.

The two-hour memorial, which began promptly at 10 a.m., lived up to its billing as the Herb Kelleher Celebration of Life.

To set the tone, a drum corps led a group of original Southwest employees into the arena.

People first

“Herb described Southwest as a mosaic of a thousand little things,” Gary Kelly, chairman and CEO, told the arena. ”Separately they might not seem like much, but put them together and they create a culture and a work environment that is the envy of corporate America.

“All of our Southwest people are a beautiful piece of that mosaic. He inspires us now to laugh more, work harder, serve better and love truer. He inspires us to perpetuate the stellar success for 48 years in the shining exemplar that is Southwest Airlines.”

Kelly described Kelleher's business philosophy as: "Put your people first. Empower them. Love them. Respect them and take very good care of them. And then, and only then, can you deliver on your promise to deliver to your customer really good products."

Kelly described Kelleher as a master raconteur. "It didn’t matter if you’d heard the story before. He often said, ‘You don’t understand. I tell these stories for my enjoyment, not yours.' "

Kelly recalled when Kelleher was being treated for prostate cancer in the 1990s and a shareholder at the company's annual meeting expressed his concern. "He said, ‘Herb, we need you. We worry about the fact that you have cancer. Would you please stop smoking?’ Herb replied, ‘First of all, it’s the people of Southwest Airlines who deserve all of the credit. And as for the prostate cancer, I’m being successfully treated. I’m fine. And as for the cigarettes, don’t worry, I keep them away from my prostate.’

"You can’t make that up,” Kelly said with a laugh.

Kelleher' s son-in-law, John Agather, spoke for the family as they gathered on stage.

"It’s been incredibly touching and overwhelming to see how many loved Herb as much as the family does," he said. "So today, the Kelleher family would like to toast all of you at Southwest and lift a bit of Wild Turkey to you. Thanks!"

The audience cheered, but some could be seen looking around to see if little liquor bottles were being handed out.

Herb's plan

Colleen Barrett, the airline's president emeritus who's considered the heart of the Southwest culture, received two sustained standing ovations.

Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher photographed sitting on an engine in 1991. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News)

Barrett said she and Kelleher were "perfectly matched ... even though we were total opposites in so many ways." She told tales of their early years when she was Kelleher's secretary at a San Antonio law firm.

New at her job 51 years ago, she learned that Kelleher kept two offices. One had nice furniture where he met with clients. The only thing in the second office was a wastebasket and papers on every square inch of the floor.

The first time he went on vacation, she decided to straighten up his office and put everything into folders.

Little did she know that the most important papers were on top of the wastebasket.

The relationship survived after Kelleher asked her for something she’d filed and she quickly retrieved it.

Tuesday's event would have meant so much to Kelleher, she said, but she also said it wasn't what he had in mind.

"The one thing that he begged me to do, and of course, being the good little Catholic girl that I am, I promised that when we honored him, we would have an open casket. Everyone would be able to smoke and drink. He didn’t care if the ashes went into the casket and the booze spilled on him," she said. "That is what he wanted. And literally until the night before he died, he believed that that’s what he was going to have."

Fort Worth native, Broadway star and country musician Gary Morris performed his 1983 rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings" and led the audience in "America the Beautiful."

Morris said Kelleher had a major impact on the music industry because Southwest was the first carrier to allow musicians to put their instruments in overhead bins.

Ron Ricks, Southwest's board vice chairman and retired chief legal and regulatory officer, told about his job interview with Kelleher in 1980 that lasted for six and a half hours over cigarettes and Samoan Fogcutters — "whatever the hell those were" — at the Tiki Bar at Trader Vic's on Mockingbird Lane near SMU.

"My first assignment was to read a massive file, masterfully organized by Colleen, on the entire history of Southwest Airlines. It read like a TV show. In this case, multiple seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Ricks recalled.

Ricks said Kelleher fought a 12-year battle to democratize air flight and get Southwest into the air.

"For 12 consecutive years, there would not be one year, one month, one week, one day, or one minute when Southwest’s very existence was not at stake. ... For over 4,000 consecutive days, Herb suffered relentless tests and trials, crushing pressure and never-ending toil.

"One night after a series of meetings, I asked Herb why he didn’t give up, why he didn’t cease, why he didn’t compromise. Herb said, 'I just decided that what they were doing to destroy Southwest Airlines was wrong. And I was not going to let them do it.’ "