LAVAL, Que. — Pop superstar Celine Dion personally greeted hundreds of people Wednesday who came to pay their respects to her father, who died over the weekend.

Dion, her family and husband Rene Angelil formed a receiving line near Adhemar Dion's casket at a funeral home near Montreal.

The family patriarch died in his sleep Sunday after a lengthy illness. He was 80.

The pop star and her family shook hands and accepted cards of condolence from family friends as well as strangers.

Several dozen fans had lined up in the bone-chilling cold outside the funeral home, some for several hours. A number of them brought flowers.

Police directed traffic and blocked off streets outside the home. A long black limousine was parked in front.

Some fans, such as Mona Boulay, said she was surprised Celine showed up at the viewing.

"I was sure she wouldn't be here," added Boulay, who was thanked by Dion before leaving the funeral home.

"I was happy to have seen her."

Norman Hayes, who said he's a close friend of Dion's father, said he wasn't surprised Dion came to greet visitors.

"What we saw was that she is simple, she was there with her dad and with the public," said Hayes.

"She opened the doors for the public. It's not everyone who would do that."

Dion fan Mary-Anne Nugent 36, came from nearby Ste-Rose to pay her respects.

"I'm a big fan of Celine Dion," said Nugent, one of the first in line to enter the home for the two-hour visitation.

"I wanted to see her and tell her I'm sorry about her father. My father is gone too and I know how she feels."

Lorette Mongeau lined up with her husband, her two daughters, her son and his two friends.

"I came to see Celine to pay tribute to her father," said Mongeau. "I've followed Celine Dion for a long time."

Dion, 35, was reported to have arrived several hours early at the funeral home just north of Montreal.

Dion - the youngest of Adhemar's 14 children - returned to Quebec on Monday from Las Vegas, where she had gone ahead with her show after learning of her father's death.

Security precautions were also evident during a private family visitation Tuesday and were expected again for Thursday's private funeral.

The Dion patriarch is credited for passing on his dreams of musical success to all his children and he has been described as his popstar daughter's No. 1 fan.

Michel Jasmin, a well-known television host in Quebec who was one of the first to feature the young Celine Dion on TV, described Adhemar as a quiet, simple man who loved watching his daughter perform.

"He was transformed when Celine stepped on the stage," Jasmin said earlier this week. "He went from her father to a fan. It was incredible to watch. I saw it time and again."

Adhemar Dion and his wife Therese Tanguay-Dion were both musicians and often played weekend gigs at a cabaret they owned in nearby Charlemagne.

From the age of five, Celine was brought to the club to sing along with her siblings.

Her father worked at a slew of different jobs - from forestry worker to general labourer - as he struggled to support his young family before buying an inn in Charlemagne.

He reportedly worked 18-hour factory shifts in the early days to support his growing family, walking to work every day to save 40 cents.

Celine Dion became best known for her Oscar-winning hit My Heart Will Go On from the Titanic soundtrack. She is currently in the midst of a long-term contract to perform the Las Vegas show.