Paul Mackay is the eldest son of Donald Mackay, an anti-drugs campaigner who was murdered by the mafia in 1977. His family announced on the weekend that he had died after a short battle with cancer at the age of 61.

Terry Jones, former editor of The Area News at the time of Don's death, said the incident continued to have a profound impact on the Griffith community today, with Paul playing a significant role in upholding his father's legacy.

A young adult at the time, he took over the family furniture store, Mackay's Furniture One, which he ran until it was sold last year.

For more than four decades, the Mackay family has been unable to properly put Don to rest, with no body ever recovered and constant speculation about who pulled the trigger.

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As investigations into Don's death continue to this day, Paul was often called on to represent his family.

"Paul being the eldest was always being thrust into the limelight or being asked to comment on this and that, because so much has happened," Mr Jones said.

He said during his time at the paper and documenting the investigations, he found Paul to be "a very private man" who had accepted a responsibility as the last of his siblings to remain in Griffith.

Mr Jones gave the example of the unveiling of a monument to Don in 2008, where Paul delivered a speech naming the six individuals identified by the 1979 Woodward Royal Commission as being involved in his father's death.

"Paul actually stood up in the main street and read off the names of those that Woodward had said were responsible for killing Don, and the very fact was they were still walking around and nothing had happened," Mr Jones said. "He was very courageous in that regard."

Mr Jones said Paul always spoke well about his father's campaign, which was aimed at investigating those who were profiting from the Australian drug trade and highlighting the impact criminal activity had on the local economy.

He said one of the major legacies the Mackay family had created was that of the Donald Mackay Churchill Fellowship, which awards individuals in the field of countering organised crime to this day.

Griffith councillor Mike Neville told The Area News Paul would be remembered as a man of integrity who was focused on being a good father and grandfather.

"Paul believed in the good things in the community, believed in the people he worked with," he said.