Former NHL player and restaurateur Doug "Romby" Rombough is remembered by his daughter as a man who was "larger than life".

Rombough, 64, died peacefully at his Plantation, Fla. home. on June 20.

Rombough, who was born in Fergus, Ont., had a successful hockey career first in Fort Erie, then junior hockey with the St. Catharines Black Hawks.

His 1970's career included teams with the American Hockey League, National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and finally the Fort Worth Texans in 1977-78 with the Central Hockey League.

Afterwards, he became the owner and founder of Romby's, a bar-eatery-band mainstay in St. Catharines at Lake and Linwell Rds.

Later, he sold Romby's, which has retained its founder's name under different ownership.

About 15 years ago, Rombough moved from St. Catharines to to Dallas, then Denver and finally Florida, where he settled.

"He was always huge in the community with Kiwanis and sponsored teams all the time," said his daughter Erin Henry. "He used to bring the kids back to (eat at) his restaurant."'

"People have been reflecting on my dad the past week and the stories coming in have been amazing, dad would always go far to make people feel welcome. If anyone had an accomplishment or achievement, dad would recognize it and make it large and draw attention to it."

"He was like that (with his other child) Jody and I as well… he was a great guy, a proud amazing guy."

"I think a really good description of him is he was larger than life."

Hockey great Marcel Dionne played junior hockey with Rombough and now lives in Niagara Falls.

"He was a very well-liked guy," Dionne said. "If anything his legacy is (not just hockey) it's owning Romby's — more people remember that place."

Friend and former NHL player Tom Reid also knew him from Rombough's days in Fort Erie, and briefly played with him for the Minnesota North Stars. "It's always fun when you later play in the NHL and you've got a member of your community that makes it into the big leagues," Reid said. "Doug … had a fairly productive career as a pro."

"He was a big tall guy … certainly enjoyed the game," said Reid, who like Dionne kept in touch with Rombough in his post-hockey years.

According to a Wikipedia entry, in his NHL career, Rombough appeared in 150 games. He scored twenty-four goals and added twenty-seven assists.

A memorial for Rombough will be held at the Elora Cemetery in Ontario on Aug. 1 and an informal tribute at Romby's at 488 Lake St. on Sunday, Aug. 2 at 3 p.m.

Rombough is also survived by daughter Jody, his sister Gail, brother Lorne, mother Charlotte and other extended family members.