The 27th Governor of Tasmania will be remembered as a skilled trial lawyer before spending two decades as a Supreme Court judge and then chief justice of Tasmania.

He became Governor in April 2008. Together with wife Frances, Tasmania was blessed with a dedicated team that did everything possible to promote their home state.

While perfectly at home representing Tasmania at vice-regal functions, the Underwoods loved nothing better than travelling the state to meet and hear stories from Tasmanians from all walks of life.

As a 13-year-old immigrant from the UK, Mr Underwood committed himself to his new country and served in the Australian navy.

His experience of being welcomed into a new country also shaped his life, and he took particular interest and pleasure in welcoming other "new" Australians.

His legal and constitutional expertise steered Tasmania through a hung Parliament and four premiers since 2008.

The fact that he was quite happy to discuss that advice publicly later showed a governor keen to remove some of the secrecy and mystique from his role.

He said on many occasions that it was not for him to pick political winners but rather guide the competing interests though a complicated constitutional process.

He caused some ripples in his final Anzac Day address in Hobart, but making bland speeches was hardly his style.

He called for the centenary of World War I to also be declared a "year of peace" and for the establishment of a centre for the study of "peace, conflict and war".

This was not to demean those who served in previous conflicts, but to better understand the impact of conflict and war.

Tasmanians thank Governor Underwood and his family for their dedication and humility in service to this state.