Orange CYMS legend Max McBride has tributes paid by Bill Kelly and Troy McBride

A fixture of the Orange CYMS rugby league and cricket clubs for decades, the 86-year-old died on July 24 following a short battle with lung cancer.

Bill Kelly was a life-long friend of Mr McBride and said the showing at Tuesday's funeral confirmed just how much he meant to the community.

"It was a mark of respect for a man who contributed in his own way over about 60 years. He made so many friendships through the hotel and his association with the CYMS club, " Mr Kelly said.

"It was quite a large crowd at the funeral, which when you think about it for a man of his age, for so many people to be there, it showed that he was held in such a high regard by a large section of the community."

As well as being a staple around the sports clubs, Mr McBride was a regular face at Kelly's Rugby Hotel, run by Mr Kelly for many years.

"During the 1980s, he operated what was known as Maxy's Kitchen," Mr Kelly added.

"In those days, the hotel was a different configuration and he operated the kitchen and provided food like hamburgers and toasted sandwiches for footballers and cricketers after training and games.

"He was a fixture at the hotel and was greatly respected. He had many friends over many years."

The youngest of six children, Mr McBride grew up in March Street and worked at places such as the Orange abattoir and as a fruit packer.

His nephew, Troy McBride, said he was a CYMS man "through and through."

"He was a knock-about, genuine, kind-hearted bloke who was willing to help anybody out," Mr McBride said of his uncle.

"Up until Christmas just gone, he was still walking down to the pub twice a week to have beers with his mates."

The late Mr McBride never married, nor did he have any children, but his nephew said his uncle took great delight in caring for his garden and the animals that would visit.

"He had his garden that he loved tinkering around in and grew all sorts of native flowers," Mr McBride said.

"Because it was such a good garden, it attracted a lot of native birds and he loved feeding them.

"He never married, never had children but he was never alone, he always had friends around."

To underscore his commitment to the CYMS clubs, Mr McBride was named as the cricket club's clubman of the year in 2003/04.