Cancer has silenced the humor and generosity of auctioneer Marty McClain, owner of McClain's Auctions, his friends said.

McClain, 58, died on Friday from complications from cancer. Diagnosed about a year ago, McClain often was quoted as saying he was going to "kick cancer's butt" and not let it kick his.

McClain made his mark in local business as an auctioneer for bankruptcy cases and for family estate sales.

For 30 years, his auction company was a fixture in the community. Many knew him from his estate sale advertisements selling everything from large local estates to jewelry, fine art, antiques and Hawaiiana.

"He was a great guy," said Don Murphy, owner of Murphy's Bar & Grill. "We've been good friends for about 20 years."

McClain has been in the auction business for 30 years and was best known for donating his auctioneering skills to charities. Last year he raised $705,000 for the Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island.

He also raised more than $100,000 to support programs at the Hawaiian Humane Society, the Honolulu Boy Choir, American Liver Foundation, the March of Dimes, the Waikiki Community Center and the Assistance League of Hawai'i.

Murphy estimated that McClain has raised more than $20 million for charities over the years.

"Many organizations owe their fundraising efforts to Marty," Murphy said. "He wasn't that kind of rapid-fire auctioneer. It was more like having a friend up there who knew how to get money out of a crowd."

Even after he was diagnosed with cancer, McClain continued to work and help groups like the Adult Friends for Youth, his friends said.

He worked at reaching larger audiences through video and was in the process of training another auctioneer to take over.

"He was very generous with the things he gave to different charities," said Russell Chun, Miramar Waikiki Hotel general manager and a close friend of McClain.

"Things that he couldn't sell or didn't want to he'd link to others who needed them. Not many people knew he did these kind of things," Chun said.

McClain is survived by his wife, Wendy McClain; their daughter, Nicole; and three brothers. A celebration of his life will be from 1 to 4 p.m. March 7 at Murphy's Bar & Grill at 2 Merchant St.