WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Chris Berman’s distinctive and raspy voice could be heard, just barely, on parts of North Elm Street Wednesday afternoon.

The windows at Seymour St. John Chapel, on the campus of Choate Rosemary Hall, were open as Berman spent 15 minutes or so addressing a crowd of family, friends and colleagues on hand to honor the memory of his wife.

Katherine Ann Berman died May 9 in a two-car crash on Sherman Hill Road in Woodbury. The other driver, Edward Bertulis of Waterbury, also died.

At least 500 people attended Wednesday’s memorial service for Katherine Berman.

Chris Berman was the last to speak, describing Katherine’s life journey and their life together. Media were not allowed into the chapel but several people in attendance described the service as a touching remembrance of the people, places and activities that Katherine, a longtime educator and lover of botany, was so passionate about.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly were among those in attendance. Numerous well-known ESPN personalities were also on hand, including Scott Van Pelt, Barry Melrose, Sal Paolantonio, Karl Ravech, Bob Ley, Herman Edwards, Chris Mortensen and Tom Jackson, Berman’s longtime partner on “NFL Countdown” and one of his closest friends.

Katherine Berman was 67. News of her death shook up a sports world so connected to Chris Berman, whose unique personality and delivery became the defining sights and sounds of the network over the decades and even changed the way sports highlights are delivered and viewed.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of sports figures publicly shared sympathy and support for Chris Berman online shortly after Katherine Berman’s death.

On Wednesday, there was a steady flow of guests arriving at the chapel for about a half hour in advance of the service, which began at 1 p.m. There was a media staging area at a nearby lot, and a small gathering of media members were stationed across the street from the chapel. Friends and family members spoke during the service, which lasted about an hour.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation or to Brown University, where the family is establishing a scholarship in her honor, the obituary said.

Chris and Katherine Berman married in 1983 and have two children, Meredith and Doug, who attended Choate and, like their father, Brown. The obituary noted Katherine’s love of two places in particular, West Maui in Hawaii and Captiva Island on the Florida Gulf Coast.

Chris Berman wore a Hawaiian lei Wednesday.

Chris Berman, 62, is a six-time national sportscaster of the year who began at ESPN a month after its 1979 launch. In January, the network announced a new role for the semi-retired Berman, who has transitioned from being the face of ESPN’s NFL coverage.

He is scheduled to remain involved in several sports, including TV appearances surrounding the Super Bowl and a radio play-by-play role for the MLB playoffs. Berman is also scheduled to make appearances on behalf of ESPN and participate in the annual ESPY Awards ceremony.

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(Staff writer Christine Dempsey contributed to this story)