The former Wagga deputy mayor died at the weekend, aged 78, with his family around him.

He had been married to wife Dawn for 54 years and the couple have a son Nicholas, who has described his father simply as "awesome".

Mr Georgiou came to Australia after World War II had ravaged Europe and people were looking for a fresh start.

In an "open letter" to Wagga's migrants and new arrivals, Mr Georgiou told his own story.

"Back in 1947 I was a seven-year-old boy living in the coastal fishing village of Ayia Napa in Cyprus, when my father came back from the neighbouring port city of Famagusta and told us that he was going to Australia. With tears rolling down my face he lifted me up and sat me on his knees and said 'Son, we are going to Australia for a better life'," Mr Georgiou wrote.

Two years later, Mr Georgiou, his mother and brother, arrived in Wagga after first coming into Melbourne Wharf.

"None of us could speak a word of English. When I began my school education at Gurwood Street Public School, for about four months I sat at the back of the class room just drawing on pieces of paper, as in those days there was no special help for migrant school children," Mr Georgiou wrote.

"After school I would work in a cafe and on the weekends for the grand sum of ten shillings a week.

"As time passed we slowly began to learn and fit into the new Australian way of life around us, with all its subtleties and colloquial language and the people of Wagga Wagga grew to accept us, I believe, through our hard work, friendliness and willingness to have a go.

"We continued to stay true to our own customs, language and faith practices in our own home to keep a little bit of ‘home’ alive in this new land, but we embraced the new world around us with open arms, forever thankful of the new opportunities that abounded in this safe, young new country away from the ravages of war in the old Europe we had loved but had to leave for our own safety."

After he and Dawn married, the couple opened Michael's Delicatessen, a business they ran for 35 years.

Long-time friend, Wagga solicitor Graham Burmeister, has particularly fond memories of that Baylis Street business.

"At the time, my practice was in Peter Street and it backed on to Michael's," Mr Burmeister said.

"Every afternoon, I would open my back door and walk through to Michael's back door, where Dawn and Michael would serve me coffee and something to eat.

"Michael would always have a joke or a story to tell me."

Mary Kidson, who served with Mr Georgiou on Wagga City Council also remembers his sense of humour.

"There are a couple of his jokes that I still share with people," Mrs Kidson said.

"I found him thoughtful, admirable and very committed to Wagga."

Both Mrs Kidson and Mr Burmeister have paid tribute to Mr Georgiou's devotion to his community.

He was a pillar of Wagga's Greek community and one of the founders of the 2AAA-FM radio station.

He took an active interest in all of son Nicholas's school and community groups and was a member of both South Wagga Apex and Rotary.

Just last week, Mr and Mrs Georgiou were recognised at the Wagga Local Achievement Awards.

Mr Georgiou had previously been awarded a Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary's highest honour.

"Even when he was sick, he still came to help at Rotary events," Mr Burmeister said.

"He used to say that he had a debt to the Wagga community, but I would say he repaid that debt many times over."

Wagga mayor Greg Conkey's links with Mr Georgiou go back to South Wagga Apex and Wollundry Rotary.

"He certainly was devoted to the community," Councillor Conkey said.

"Michael never forgot his links to Cyprus, but he was also loved Wagga."

Nicholas said his father "always wanted to share his story with all new arrivals and liked to remind people that this country was built by convicts, migrants and refugees from every corner of the earth; from Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere".

Mr Georgiou was a proud grandfather of Elizabeth and Isabella, the children of Nicholas and daughter-in-law Maria.

A funeral service will be held in Wagga's Greek Orthodox Church in Tompson Street, on Thursday at 11am.