other members were not surprised at his death . " i wasn ' t prepared , " said jack stranahan , a former owner of the clear creek tavern , a favourite haunt of thompson . " i merely expected hunter to die in a hospital bed with tubes come out of him . " others have said how his broken hand had restricted him from leaving his house as easily as he had liked to . one neighbour and long - standing friend , johnny cleverly , say thompson was heavily crippled by the broken leg . " psychologically speaks , he ' s had a disastrous time . "
The Woody Creek Tavern is owned by George Stranahan.