Cornwall County Council has said farewell to Geoff Aver - "Mr Education in Cornwall " - who has retired as the county's Director of Education, Arts and Libraries.

Friends and colleagues, including Doris Ansari,Chairman of the County Council; Terry Lello, the County Council's Lead Member for Children, Young People and Families; Dean Ashton, Director of Education, Arts and Libraries, Julian Pykett, Director of the Diocesan Board of Education and Headteachers and Governors from primary and secondary schools across Cornwall gathered at County Hall for a special ceremony.

Also at the ceremony were former Chairs of the County Council's Education Committee, including Val Cox and Meg Breckon; Jonathan Harris, former Director of Education, Arts and Libraries, Andrew Earle, Chair of the Cornwall School Governors Council, Tony Jeavons, Chair of the Cornwall Association of Secondary Headteachers and Richard Mudge, Chair of the Cornwall Association of Primary Headteachers.

Guests were welcomed by Dean Ashton who told a series of humorous anecdotes about Geoff, including a memorable visit by the Princess Royal to open a Cornish primary school, resulting in a security alert during a car journey to the Royal Cornwall Show; and a crisis involving a shortage of wagon wheels at the tuck shop at Chacewater Primary School which concluded with a comment from a former Secretary for Education that "there was a young arrogant pup called Aver who needed watching !!!".

Commenting on his caring attitude and sense of fun, Dean recounted that when Geoff came to County Hall he told staff: "I want to hear laughter from every part of this service."

Dean praised Geoff's role in strengthening the partnership between the LEA and schools in Cornwall and said he was a man who cared passionately about education. "This is a man who can act on a stage the size of Cornwall while taking care of the needs of the individual, " he said.

Adding that Geoff had received hundreds of letters from Headteachers, teachers, Governors and other people involved in education over the past few weeks thanking him for his support, Dean read extracts from one letter which described his " great and good influence over education in Cornwall" and said: "We all mattered to you and we knew we mattered. You were all about people both children and adults."

Dean concluded his tribute by telling Geoff: "You are a consummate professional who is genuinely loved by so many people. It has been a real privilege to work and laugh with you ."

Terry Lello thanked everyone who had attended the ceremony. "The large numbers here today are a huge mark of the respect and love commanded by Geoff, " she said. "He is a warm and compassionate man who is a true gentleman in every sense of the word. We are here to say goodbye to Mr Education in Cornwall and we will miss him hugely."

Tributes were also paid by Doris Ansari, the Chairman of the County Council and a former Executive Member for Education. "Geoff Aver believes passionately in the relationship between the County Council and its schools, and in the highest standards of education for children in Cornwall," she said.

"He brought to County Hall a detailed knowledge of art and science education, and an unswerving belief in our children as the best investment for the future of this county."

"We shall miss his easy-going manner, his friendly concern for colleagues and Members, and his belief that the working day should be a pleasure not a task. Geoff Aver, as the last of Cornwall County Council's Directors of Education, this Council salutes you and thanks you for your decades of service to Cornwall."

Responding to the tributes Geoff said that he had had a wonderful career and had been lucky enough to do the best job in the world. In a witty and entertaining speech he outlined his background in education and said "There is nothing more rewarding than working with young people and children and I have also been surrounded by wonderful colleagues ."

He also stressed the importance of the partnership between the Local Authority and schools, and told Headteachers it was vital that they used the support available from the Local Authority to help them in what was both the hardest and loneliest and the best job in the world. "I think what's truly unique about Cornwall and it's something we must never lose is the spirit of partnership. There's really no limit to what we can achieve when we work together."

He thanked everyone who had supported him during his career, with particular thanks to former County Councillors Val Cox, and Meg Breckon and Doris Ansari who, he said, had won the respect and affection of all Cornwall's schools. He also thanked Terry Lello and Dean Ashton who were now responsible for leading the new Children's Services Authority.

Geoff attended Warwick University, has twice been Headteacher of local schools (Shortlanesend and Threemilestone) and was also Head of the County Council's Education Advisory Service. Promoted to Deputy Secretary for Education, Geoff then became Deputy Director of the newly expanded Education, Arts and Libraries department in 1998. A glowing OFSTED report in 2001 for Cornwall Local Education Authority reflected Geoff Aver's stewardship of pastoral and school improvement issues across the LEA.

In November 2002 he was appointed as the Director of Education, Arts and Libraries, a post he then held until the merging of the former LEA into the County Council's new Children's Services Authority over the last year.

He lives in Devoran with his wife Liz, Deputy Headteacher of Devoran School. They have two adult daughters, Rebecca and Rachel. An accomplished pianist, he has sung with the Duchy Opera, and is Master of Ceremonies at the annual Save the Children concert at Truro Cathedral. of Scilly.