Roy Tanner , 80, of Church Street, Sible Hedingham, organised the annual raffle raising funds for Sible Hedingham village hall, which was drawn a day before his death.

The raffle was a huge success, raising a record total.

Daughter Ann Tanner said: "He was determined to see the draw made and he died a happy man."

Born in Shalford, Roy Tanner moved to Sible Hedingham after securing his first milk round in 1940.

He married his first wife, Margaret, in 1941, just before he was called up into the RAF police force.

Returning to Sible Hedingham after the war, he collected, bottled and distributed milk at Alderford Farm, Alderford Street, Sible Hedingham.

In 1949 Tanner's Dairy moved to its current premises in Church Street, Sible Hedingham, where it is still run and owned by the Tanner family.

The business grew and at one stage included 12 milk depots and five frozen food warehouses across East Anglia, which were sold to Dairy Crest, with the family keeping the dairy at Sible Hedingham.

Roy Tanner served as chairman of Sible Hedingham Parish Council and for 27 years he was district councillor for Hedingham ward in Halstead Rural District Council and Braintree District Council.

As chairman and member of the parish council, Mr Tanner worked to raise funds for the building of Sible Hedingham village hall in 1953.

Well-known in the racing world, Mr Tanner held the number one member's badge at Great Yarmouth race course, and his death was publicly announced at the last meeting.

Mr Tanner is survived by his second wife, Joan, his daughter, Ann, two grandchildren, Mark and Bridge, and two great grandchildren.