The death of the newspaper’s 10th editor, Cameron Thompson, stunned everyone.

He was, of course, a colleague and a mate, a leader and a motivator, and his wife, Kristy, is also a valued colleague of us all.

Fairfax Media chief executive officer David Kirk paid tribute to Mr Thompson last night.

“Cameron was a giant of Australian journalism and part and parcel of the Albury-Wodonga community,” he said.

“He built a great paper and we will miss him very much.”

Deputy editor Heath Harrison put it like this:

“His nickname was Jack as in the tenacious and loyal little terrier, the Jack Russell,” Mr Harrison said.

“That tenacity was one of the things that made him one of the best golfers in the region and one of the best journalists The Border Mail has produced. That loyalty made him a great mate.

“When things were low in the past couple of months, Kristy would tell me that she had told him ‘to let Jack Russell off the leash’ and keep fighting and he always would.

“He loved newspapers, but especially The Border Mail.

“Even when he was having his treatment in Melbourne, he had each edition express posted down, he had the daily newslists emailed and had his laptop set up so he could log into the newsroom’s system and see what was going on.

“When he was feeling OK, he’d call or email every couple of days and we’d have these great long chats about what he liked or didn’t like in the paper, how this story needed to be written and his plans for once he got back on his feet.

“Kristy has lost a husband that loved her so, Ava has lost a dad who looked like he’d burst every time he looked at her, so proud was he.

“The Border Mail has lost a brilliant journalist and leader and many of us have lost a great mate,” Mr Harrison said.

“A wonderful man taken far too young, the courage Cameron showed throughout this battle should inspire all those lucky to who’ve known him.”

General manager David Bowring said Mr Thompson’s passing had devastated the staff.

“Words cannot describe the sense of loss we are feeling nor can they adequately sum up a life that touched us all,” Mr Bowring said.

“By day Cameron was a great newspaper man, passionate, fearless and courageous but outside of work he was a gentle, caring and doting husband, father and friend.

“In time we will reflect on the enormous contribution that Cameron has made to The Border Mail but today is about dealing with shock and sadness of a life cut tragically short.’’

Simon Dulhunty, former Border Mail editor and now editor of Sydney’s Sun-Herald newspaper described Mr Thompson as a very loyal person.

“Cameron saw his job as a privilege, and his family and friends as a blessing,’’ Mr Dulhunty said.

“He achieved in everything he did, personally and professionally.’’

Albury Mayor Stuart Baker referred to Mr Thompson’s passing and offered sympathy to his family at the opening of the monthly council meeting last night.

Wodonga Mayor Rodney Wangman said he had known Mr Thompson for almost 20 years and his loss at such a young age was a tragedy.

“On behalf of the council, I sympathise with his family,’’ he said.

“Cameron was an excellent journalist and a good representative of Albury and Wodonga.”

Bernie Bell, who often partnered Mr Thompson at golf, said he was not just a talented player, but a great promoter of the sport.

He was a stalwart of the Hume club in the early 1990s and more recently had played at Wodonga where he co-captained its pennant team last season.

Mr Thompson was also a top-class cricketer and served in administrative roles in that sport, Mr Bell said.