Tributes paid to Gary Paxton who operated 13 hotels across the Border and Victoria over five decades

Most recently he had been operating the Hotel Granya on a pop-up basis after having a trying time through COVID lockdowns.

Mr Paxton, 64, died on Monday last week and will be farewelled at a funeral this Wednesday.

A mate since their teenage years, Grant Torney, said Mr Paxton was naturally outgoing which made him an ideal hotelier.

"He was very friendly, he could make friends very easily; obviously being a publican that just came naturally to him," Mr Torney said.

"He was born for that industry, that was his forte.

"He loved talking to people and socialising and having a beer."

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Before launching himself into the hospitality sector, Mr Paxton had a successful football period, playing juniors for St Patrick's and seniors for Albury on the Border before he and Mr Torney represented Brisbane team Kedron which won the QAFL flag in 1980.

A wingman, Mr Paxton finished runner-up by a vote in the QAFL best and fairest, the Grogan Medal, that year.

Along with his former Albury coach Jack Clancy and Mr Torney and his brother Gus, Mr Paxton bought Albury's Globe Hotel.

The freehold of Wodonga's Murray River Hotel, since demolished, was purchased by Mr Clancy and Mr Paxton before being sold in 1998.

Mr Paxton then ran the general store at Mount Hotham, the Settlers Tavern at Tawonga South and hotels in Melbourne and surrounds for brewing giant CUB.

With children Niall and Elle, he revived a rundown hotel in Kyneton in 2009 before they shifted to the Ellen Frances Hotel at Violet Town in 2012.

After a stint with a cafe on the Gold Coast named Mervyn Roy's for his father, Mr Paxton returned to the Border in 2018 and bought the Bethanga Hotel in 2019.

He sold that pub to his sister Kate Middleton in 2020 and moved to Granya where he also ran a farmstay with partner Bridget Bowe, who he met at Kyneton.

Hotel broker Doug May said Mr Paxton was a "bigger than life type of character".

"He could get on with anybody, probably because of his sporting background," Mr May said.

"He had a reputation through sport and that stood him in pretty good stead in having a subject to talk to customers about."

Mr Paxton is survived by his children, their partners, his sister and a grandchild.

His funeral will be at the Bellbridge Boat Club from 11.30am on Wednesday with mourners advised to wear crazy socks in tribute to Mr Paxton who would don lairy pairs inside his sandals.

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