The grandfather, 75, died on Wednesday after a six-month fight with illness.

Friends have lauded his contribution to his hometown, which included four years as president of the former Shire of Myrtleford, serving on the cemetery trust and water board and promoting the history of the community.

Mr Rayner's love of images saw him operate Myrtleford's cinema, take photographs for newspapers across the region and film for AMV-4/Prime television.

"I have enjoyed all the work I have done – whether it is taking pictures, writing stories, shooting films or doing voiceovers for radio – it has all been challenging and rewarding,” Mr Rayner told The Border Mail in 1996.

Mate Kevin Dineen first mate Mr Rayner in a barber's shop where he was an apprentice and the future councillor was a customer.

"He was an absolutely fun-loving guy, the life of the party,” Mr Dineen said.

"He was always very interested in promoting Myrtleford and Tiff was the heartbeat of Myrtleford as far as promoting the town.

"He was very patriotic, if he ever saw an opportunity to kick the town along he would use his influence and personality."

Schoolmate Don Ardern said a councillor at Bright described Mr Rayner as a "parochial bastard" because of his passion for Myrtleford.

Mr Rayner successfully fought to have a statue of Victoria Cross winner and his great uncle Albert Lowerson erected in Myrtleford.

Born on August 6, 1940, in Wangaratta, William Henry Rayner grew up at Myrtleford and went to the state school before working in a grocery ran by his grandparents.

His mother nicknamed him Little Tiff, but the meaning of the moniker has been lost in time.

Mr Rayner wed Barbara Blackwell, who worked at radio station 3NE, in 1964 and they had three sons Leigh, Jack and Reece.

He bought the Myrtleford cinema in 1965 and later became a stringer for AMV 4, covering news such as car crashes and floods.

Mr Rayner also supplied pool tables to hotels across the North East and was part of the Jaycees service club.

His period on the Myrtleford Council coincided with its final years before it was replaced by the Alpine Shire.

In 2009 he created Tiff Rayner's World of Light Music, a community radio program which began at his Myrtleford station and was then aired on 27 stations.

Mr Rayner is survived by his wife, children and four grandchildren.

His funeral will be at the Myrtleford Uniting Church from 11am on Wednesday.