Bill Strang cut men’s hair in Albury since the 1960s and in that time many of his loyal clients became his friends.

He described his profession in his own way to The Border Mail in 1988: “Don’t you call me a barber — I’m a tonsorial artist.”

He came from a long line of footballers, with his brother Geoff, father Doug and cousin Gordon all playing for Richmond.

His love for the Tigers extended to Albury where he was a handy player and later a long serving committee member.

It was through the footy club where Commercial Club board member Barry Edmunds first met Bill, who was on the selection committee at the time.

“He could talk the leg off a chair, a haircut should have taken 15 minutes, but it took 40 he always talked so much,” Mr Edmunds said.

“If you wanted to know anything that was going on in Albury, whether you needed a haircut or not, you’d go and get a haircut from Bill.

“He was an outstanding gardener, no matter how big the tomatoes were that you took in to show him at the shop, he always had one bigger.

“It used to get frustrating that you couldn’t beat him with the size of your veggies.”

Aside from his career, footy and gardening, Bill loved his family and his bowls which he played at the Albury Bowls Club until it folded, and then at Lavington.

Born on December 10 1941, Bill was one of four children.

He attended Albury Public School and Albury High School before doing his hairdressing apprenticeship through Gordon White in Wodonga.

Bill was a barber his whole career, starting in Townsend Street before moving to David Street across from Sodens.

He opened a shop in the Village Centre where he stayed for 28 years, then worked from home for 10 years until he retired in October 2013.

In 1965 he married his wife Irene at St Augustine’s in Wodonga.

He is survived by his wife, children Adam and Jodie, sister Robin and five grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at 11.30am Monday at St Matthew’s Church.