Janice Mirikitani died on July 29 at the age of 80. She co-founded the Glide Foundation, which has helped San Franciscans in need for decades.
She was married to Glide minister Cecil Williams.
Sunday's memorial was private for members of Glide's congregation, who say Janice's legacy will live on.
"She's done so much for women, and minorities, and people that are challenged lives, in the Tenderloin. I can't even recount how many people's lives she substantially changed by herself," said Del Seymour of Glide Memorial Church.
Mirikitani also published several collections of poetry and was the city's poet laureate from 2000 to 2002.
Glide is planning a public memorial, which it hopes to hold in the coming weeks.
On its website, the Church said, "Our hearts are full with both grief and the tremendous love that she embodied. Janice brought fierce courage and spirit to everything she did. She spoke her truth and inspired others to accept and celebrate themselves, each other, and all our differences. "