That's how John's loved ones will remember the 56-year-old Wycheproof resident, who died suddenly at the weekend.

John - or Bucket, as some knew him - grew up in Wycheproof as the eldest of the seven children of Graeme and Anne; following him were twins Neil and Craig, Claire, Elizabeth, and a second set of twins, Kathryn and Colin.

Colin said his older brother had spent just about his whole life in the town, aside from a couple of years in Western Australia when he was younger.

He described John as "a family man, a community man", someone who was always around to lend a hand.

"He was a person who was always willing to help anyone when they needed it," Colin said.

Colin remembers how his big brother, 13 years his senior, took him along to his football and cricket games when he was a child, and feels grateful for all he did for him.

"You couldn't ask for a better big brother, to be honest," he said.

John and his wife Janette had two children, Rhiannon and Ashley, and more recently welcomed granddaughters Grace and Georgie to the family.

Rhiannon said her dad was a "hardworking, selfless man" who would chop wood for the pubs and footy clubs, and could even be found after a late night out on the header at 6am every Saturday, rolling the cricket pitch.

Rhiannon said her father made sure she and her brother inherited his love of cricket and Carlton.

Ashley remembers his father as a great man, someone who sacrificed a lot for his family.

"Dad would always be the first to offer help to anyone who needed it and was the last to leave," Ashley said.

"He loved his beloved Carlton Blues no matter if they were winning or losing. Bar a few cheeky slurs, obviously.

"He absolutely adored his two granddaughters and they adored him."

John was well-known in the region's sporting community as both a football player and a cricket player.

As a young man he played for the Wycheproof-Narapoort Football Club and was then recruited to Berri-Culgoa where he stayed from 1985 to 1993

He then returned to Wycheproof-Narapoort.

In a tribute to John, the Berri-Culgoa Football Club said he was "a fierce competitor on the field and was just as accomplished off it".

John was named the club's best player in its 1992 grand final and it said he was very proud to have played with Colin, whom he brought to the club.

"John will be remembered as a loveable larrikin, great family man and loyal friend," the club said.

"He will be sadly missed by us all."

Wycheproof-Narapoort treasurer Ian Harvey said John was a "character".

"He's always hooked in, helped - part of the furniture, so to speak," he said.

John was also an "absolute gun cricketer", Wycheproof/Narapoort Cricket Club president Bryce Gaylor said.

Bryce said John bowled like Glenn McGrath, had a room full of trophies and was the club president for 10 years.

He said John would be terribly missed.

"He was the life of the cricket club, really," Bryce said.

"He was at every training, every function, every game."

He said the club had been planning on making John a life member at some point in the not-too-distant future anyway, but would now give him the honour as soon as possible.

Colin said John's sudden passing came as a shock and represented a huge loss.

"We're going to miss out on another 20 to 30 years of a really good fella," Colin said.