Liberal stalwart Kevin Andrews was a "man of honour in the bear pit of public life", hundreds of mourners have been told at the Menzies MP's state funeral in Melbourne today.

"Kevin was a man of character, conviction and courage, a man of honour in the bear pit of public life, for whom politics was a calling, not a career," former prime minister Tony Abbott said in his eulogy.

Liberal Party luminaries including former prime minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, have joined family and friends — including Mr Andrews's 99-year-old mother Sheila — at St Patrick's Cathedral to pay tribute to Mr Andrews.

Mr Andrews represented the blue-ribbon seat of Menzies in Melbourne's east for three decades from 1991, also holding prominent cabinet positions in the Howard and Abbott Coalition governments.

He died on December 14 aged 69, after a year-long battle with cancer. 

Mr Abbott today described him as "a gentleman who never stooped to the dark arts of politics", who was universally admired for being a decent human being.

Mr Andrews was a senior figure in the Liberal party's right wing who championed conservative causes and served at various times as minister for defence, social services, immigration, ageing and workplace relations.

The former PM said Mr Andrews wanted to make life better for ordinary people, by encouraging and enabling them to be their best selves.

But his legacy was by no means limited to politics.

"For all his achievements on the national stage, it's the family that Kevin and Margaret have built inside their home with five wonderful children and their spouses, and seven adored grandchildren that will stand as his legacy as much as anything he did in Canberra," Mr Abbott said. 

In a statement today, the Andrews family said it would "like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers and those who honoured Kevin's memory today at the state funeral".

The statement said Mr Andrews's legacy was "one of proud service to his family, but also to his country and Catholic faith, which sustained him in life".

"Indeed, it was his faith that urged him to make a positive difference in public life, driven by the belief that every human being deserves dignity and respect as being made in the image and likeness of God.

"Margaret counts it a privilege to have shared 45 years of marriage with Kevin and will miss him deeply."

Among the many tributes at the time of his death, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Mr Andrews as a strong advocate who was always personable to deal with.

"Kevin Andrews was old-school, he could have strong views, but always put them forward in a polite and appropriate way, and he's someone who was respected for that across the parliament," he said.