GERARD Judd was the sort of bloke small communities depend on.
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A loving husband and father, a good mate, a hard worker and a man with a knock-about sense of humour who is prepared to pitch in and help whenever and wherever it is needed.
Ariah Park is in mourning today over the death of 42-year-old Mr Judd in a car crash at Wyalong on Tuesday morning.
He was on his way to work at Millers Metals at West Wyalong when the Ford Falcon station wagon he was driving collided with a utility at the intersection of the Newell Highway and Copeland Street just before 7am.
Mr Judd - Juddy to his family and friends - was married to Jamie.
They are the parents of eight-year-old twin boys Riley and Harrison.
Mr Judd is the son of Robert and Jan Judd and brother of Darlene and Rochelle.
Life-long friend and best man at Gerard and Jamie's wedding, Andrew Delaney, described his mate as larger than life.
"He was loved and respected in this town," Mr Delaney said.
"There is not a person in this town that did not know of him."
Born and raised in Ariah Park, Mr Judd grew up enjoying fishing, camping, motocross and sport.
"He was an amazing motocross rider," Mr Delaney said.
"He put his heart and soul into it."
Mr Delaney said Mr Judd happily passed on his knowledge and experience to young riders.
"They all looked to Juddy for tuition and training and he was quick to hop off his bike and give tips to the kids," Mr Delaney said.
"He was an amazing father"
- Andrew Delaney
Mr Delaney spoke of his friend's love for Jamie and his boys.
"He was an amazing father," Mr Delaney said.
Mr Judd played Australian football for Ariah Park-Mirrool as a younger man and was keen to support Riley and Harrison's interest in the game.
Co-president of the Northern Jets Juniors John McLean said that after helping out with the Auskick program in recent years, Mr Judd this year took on coaching of the under 13s team because coaches had already been appointed for the under 11s team in which Riley and Harrison are playing.
"He was wonderful with the kids," Mr McLean said.
"He had that easygoing, affable nature and talked to the kids in a way they understood.
"They really warmed to him."
Mr McLean described Mr Judd's death as terribly tragic.
"He was part of everything in this town," he said.
"He was a good man taken too early.
"This has stunned us all."
Mr Judd drove the 65 kilometres from Ariah Park to West Wyalong for more than nine years to work at Millers Metals as a loader/dump truck operator at the business's quarry.
Owner of the business, Peter Miller, estimated Mr Judd would probably have loaded 2.25 million tonnes of rock for him during that time.
"He was a top operator, you could not meet a better operator," Mr Miller said.
"He was a happy-go-lucky guy and got on well with everybody."
Mr Miller said Mr Judd was also well known in West Wyalong through his "smoko" purchases at various service stations and cafes.
"The whole town knew him here," he said.
Mr Delaney said before working at Millers, Mr Judd worked as a stock and station agent at Ariah Park and before then as a car salesman in Wagga and Melbourne.
"He had the gift of the gab, he could get on with everyone," Mr Delaney said.
Funeral arrangements for Mr Judd have not been finalised.