Leo Payne, the former butcher known as the sausage king of Sutherland Shire, has died aged 87.
Mr Payne was believed to be the shire's oldest butcher until he retired at age 82.
He was famous for his homemade sausages, selling up to 2000 a week with customers coming from as far as the South Coast to stock up.
Many customers remained loyal for the more than 40 years he ran his business in Cronulla, with some still returning weekly to his shop even after they had moved away from the area.
Mr Payne was born in Junee and grew up in Erskineville. He left school at around age 14 to become an apprentice butcher.
He worked as a butcher as Miranda Westfield when it first opened and then at Clout's butcher shop at Gymea and Caringbah before opening his famous shop in Ewos Parade, Cronulla in 1971.
His butcher shop became a community hub, decorated with gifts, toys and children's drawnings.
Fellow butcher, Barry Lonsdale worked with him for 30 years on weekends and looked after the shop when Mr Payne went on holidays.
"I know of one customer who was dealing with him for 41 years and another 46 years," Barry said.
"He was very popular. Sometimes people were very hard up and he would help them through. He would lend people money and they always made sure they paid him back the next week. He was a very generous person and liked by everyone who came into the shop.
"He was very reputable and sold a good product and that's why people kept coming back."
Mr Payne ran his butchershop for 43 years before retiring on June 28, 2014 at age 82.
More than 250 people turned up to his retirement party at South Cronulla Bowling Club.
"We served more than 600 sausages that day," Barry said. "It was the ultimate sausage sizzle."
Mr Payne and his partner Jill continued to live above the shop until about two years ago when they moved to a nursing home at Jannali.
Mr Payne passed away on June 22.
His daughter, Vicki Vining said her father was a local legend.
"He was quite beloved in south Cronulla," Vicki said.
"At Christmas time he would get around 50 bottles of wine and hampers.
"He loved his family completely. He owned 100 acres at Bungonia near Goulburn where he had a hobby farm and every weekend and holiday he would go there.
"We had many family holidays there over the years. He was last there at Easter.
"That place was his absolute love and that's where his ashes will go."
Mr Payne is survived by Jill, who turns 90 on July 17, and by children Daryl and Vicki and their families including five granddaughters, five great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
His funeral will be held at Woronora Memorial Park at 2pm today followed by a wake at South Cronulla Bowling Club.
