Don Getty will be most remembered, say those who knew him best and worked with him most closely, as a humble man who remained focused on the importance of family and improving Alberta's economy.

Getty appointed Shirley McLellan to her first post as cabinet minister in 1992, when he named her minister responsible for rural development. Working under a man she called a "great leader" was a transformative period in her career, McLellan said on Friday.

"I remember him, as rookie MLA, being kind, thoughtful," she said. "How much he impressed on me the importance of family and the rigours of political life and their effects on families."

Part of Getty's legacy will be his government's work to create Family Day. He drew great strength from his wife, Margaret, McLellan said. His tender demeanour towards his family and consideration of how his political life affected them commanded great respect from his colleagues, she said.

Despite his past as a football star, she said he remained modest in his political life, steering Alberta through an energy crisis of the 1980s.

"I think he will be remembered as a leader who came in at very difficult times and tried to steer the ship in the right direction," McLellan said.

Former Alberta deputy premier Jim Horsman worked with Getty for years and remained close with his family in recent years, which he said have been difficult for Margaret Getty and the rest of the family.

Getty faced many challenges when he became premier in 1985, Horsman said. He highlighted how the former premier soldiered through the province's last big oil crisis, and worked hard to ensure Quebec remained an integral part of Canada, and how he played a major role in achieving Alberta's Fair Trade Agreement with the United States.

Both personally and professionally, Getty was a great man, Horsman said.

"All in all, I think he was a good Canadian and I think he was a gentleman," he said. "Actually, my wife put it another way. She said, 'He was a gentle man.' And I think that's very true of him."

Reform party founder Preston Manning said Friday morning Getty's humility almost got in the way of him becoming premier.

"I don't think Don actually wanted to be premier, because he was personally ambitious," Manning said. "I think he was premier because a lot of the other guys said, 'You should be the premier.' So I respect him for that.

"He succeeded at a difficult time for the government. I think in some respects, he wasn't given credit for how well he did."