Chris Tye had black and yellow in his blood to the end.

The Hurricanes long time caretaker and life-long fan passed away on Monday after three-year battle with cancer.

He will be dearly missed by the Hurricanes club where his passion, positivity and work ethic left a lasting impression.

“He was a valued member of staff and the boys appreciated what he did for them and at the base, to the extent that last year the squad chipped in and paid for him to travel to Brisbane as part of the team when they played the Reds,” Hurricanes manager Tony Ward said.

“Chris had such a positive effect on everyone.  We all saw a man determined to beat the adversity he faced.  He was always positive and never asked, ‘why me?’ He always asked how you were and how your family was.

“The Hurricanes have been a part of Chris’ fight over the past three years and sadly his fight ended on Monday morning – a fight he won by leaving a lasting impression on many. He taught us how to be positive in the face of adversity, how to be polite and to treat others with respect and he was a proud member of the Hurricane family. He leaves us for a better place.”

Tye’s passion for the Hurricanes was evident throughout his illness.

He told The Dominion Post last year he had started out working for the Hurricanes, but considered himself a member of the team.

"The Hurricanes team, they are in my blood, that's what keeps me going every morning when I wake up," he said. "As far as being a fan, I've been a loyal fan since I started playing rugby. I grew up in Wellington, but the thing I feel is when they're here, I don't feel as though I'm a fan, I'm part of the team. It's like second nature to do things for them, it's something I love doing."

Over more than a decade Tye had become a fixture around the Hurricanes' training facility at Rugby League Park. And in between cleaning floors, fixing lights and drains and even eradicating pests, he took on a wider role for a generation of players.

"Because my job involves me being around them its natural I'll say hello to them and then you form those little friendships and bonds," he said. "I put myself out there for them, I make myself available for whatever."

In his final weeks the former St Pat's College fullback shared his love of the Hurricanes with those around him, watching the team’s matches from his hospice bed and insisting on being moved to a window where he could look toward the training base.

The father of five was remembered by wife Liz, his extended family and close friends at a funeral in Wellington on Thursday.

The Hurricanes players will wear black armbands during their match against the Western Force in Palmerston North tonight as a mark of their respect for Chris.