Elkington died last week, aged 90, with Martin Park the place he made his senior debut in 1949 and then devoted years of service in volunteer roles at the end of his playing days.

But his preparation of training night soups for players is the lasting memory for most.

"The banter, the smell of liniment and being with the players kept him young of mind," son Dave Elkington said.

"But his biggest fear was he would poison the whole club.

"Good management ensured it didn't happen.

"His old saying was 'if you boiled something for long enough you can eat it'."

Elkington was a life member and club Hall of Fame inductee and has the Martin Park changerooms named in his honour.

His brother Frank is one of Wodonga's greatest ever players and his older brother Bert served in World War II.

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He also played a pivotal role in the creation of the Wodonga and District juniors and midgets competitions, which guaranteed a succession of talented players filtering into the Bulldogs senior ranks.

Elkington also coached Kergunyah to a Tallangatta and District league flag in 1955.

Greyhound racing was Elkington's summer time sporting passion and trained winners In Melbourne at Olympic and Sandown parks with the victories celebrated with fish and chips on the long trip home with scallops added to the order if there was a big win.

"He had no time for non-chasers, slow dogs or howling dogs," Dave said.

One of Elkington's first jobs was selling newspapers at the Bandiana army camp with other stints as an apprentice builder, firewood seller and operating an ice delivery business.

Elkington and Tony Conway also established the original Wodonga Sports Store.

He also worked at the Wodonga abattoir with another stint as onsite security and maintenance man at the Albury Myer store before retiring at the age of 63.

Another of his footy volunteer roles was interchange bench steward and Elkington would be joined on match days by other Bulldogs club legends, Jack Eames and Dr Bill Grant.

Elkington married Betty, his wife of 67 years, in 1954 with Mitchell Street their longtime address.

They have three children, Lea, Dave and Bob, and seven grandchildren including Stawell Gift winner Jarrem Pearce and Paralympian Jodie Elkington.

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