“Griffith has lost a very, very special person,” said long time friend Michael Stratton.

Mr Ryan is remembered as a kind hearted and genuine man who had an immense love for his family.

“There’s nothing he wouldn’t have done for you, he would go out of his way to help you – anything he could he would,” Mr Stratton said.

“He always had a lot on his plate but as far as helping the community went it was always anything he could do.”

“I’ve  never heard anyone say a bad word about him and I’ve known him for close to 40 years. 

“If the world was filled with Tubby Ryans it would be a much better place.”

Mr Stratton said Mr Ryan had a terrific sense of humour.

“We would always have a laugh,” he said.

“At the back of the old The Area News building where we used to work, we would play cricket inside, and one day when Tubby was batting he absolutely smashed the ball over the top of the printing press and took out three fluorescent lights and all the glass fell down into the press.

“We all looked at him and he just shrugged his shoulders and said ‘who’s bowling next?’”

Mr Ryan previously was the production manager at The Area News.

“I have never seen a bloke so devoted in his job as Tubby,” Mr Stratton said.

“He loved it, any maintenance to be done to the printing press he did it himself.

“Even after he became practice manager he would come down to the printing press and make sure everything was perfect.

“He took a great deal of pride in his work.”

Mr Stratton said Mr Ryan’s love for his work was eclipsed only by his love for his family.

“He was so wrapped up in his grandkids, he loved them and he loved his wife and children dearly, he said.

“He just adored his family, they were the apple of his eye and he loved them with a passion

He will be laid to rest at St Albans at 1pm on Friday.