Police named her as Lesley Ann Johnston (60) and are carrying out a homicide investigation into her death.
Mrs Johnston worked at the Roxburgh Children's Health Camp, was president of the Roxburgh Musical Society for the past two years and a keen golfer.
Health camp manager Martin Stuart said she was a long-serving member of staff and recently the parenting co-ordinator and a mentor for the parenting programme.
She worked within the camp and also in the field, visiting families in Otago and Southland.
"Lesley was a friendly, lively and bubbly and much-loved person; great with children and their families and anyone in need."
"She's going to be hugely missed and we're just devastated. She was a highly respected member of our team. For now, our thoughts are very much with her family, " Mr Stuart said.
Family friend Stuart Edgecumbe, of Roxburgh East, said the Johnstons were a well-respected and well-liked couple.
"If you ever needed help, they were the first ones to come forward. You couldn't say anything ill about them."
Mrs Johnston was an extrovert with an engaging personality.
"If she walked into a room, she made it light up. That was her personality. Whatever knock-backs she had in her life, she took it in her stride."
Musical society life member Rosemary Kelly, of Roxburgh, said: "It's been a big shock [for the community] - almost unbearable. If you'd met Lesley, you'd never forget her, she was so exuberant."
"She'd come straight in and shoulder the responsibility, not sit back and wait for someone else to do things, that wasn't her style at all. She was very purposeful and would get stuck right in, and that would be that."
The Johnstons had two children - a son living in the town and a daughter who died two years ago.
