He passed away on July 6, aged 75 years.

Allen was born on June 8, 1942 to Jean Marie and William Joseph Dalley and called St Peters, Sydney home.

One of seven children, the family lived in a two bedroom semi-detached house. Sadly his father passed away when Allen was aged eight years.

After attending St Peters Public School and Newtown Technical College, Allen worked at the local brickyards and at a cardboard recyclers.

Allen and Barbara married on December 23, 1967 and the couple eventually moved into a two bedroom house at Heathcote.

Son Cameron and daughter Nicole were raised at the home with many happy memories including the many in-jokes the family enjoyed.

In the family’s eulogy, Nicole remembered this time as having close ties with the wider Dalley family.

“Uncle Ray and dad were not just brothers, they had a close relationship as friends, often going out together with a group of mates from the St Peters area when they were young,” Nicole said.

“Then they married best friends. Mum and Aunty Marlene were best friends from the age of five years.

“When both families had children, we would holiday together, quite often in Port Macquarie, we would have Saturday nights together at each others’ homes.”

Allen worked long hours driving trucks around Sydney in the transport industry. He worked hard to provide a blissful life for us, Nicole said.

Despite some bad health including a blocked kidney in his 40s, guillain barre syndrome in his 50s when he had to learn how to sit up and walk again, spending five months in hospital and emphysema, ‘he didn’t show it’.

“He always had a smile and a joke ready. Dad wasn’t a complainer, he just got on with it,” Nicole added.

He appreciated the simple life: his home, his family, his TV, watching his football, his slippers. Thankfully, his beloved Cronulla Sharks finally won a grand final for him in 2016.

“He never demanded anything from others but was very giving to those around him. He ceaselessly supported our family with running the grandkids Eva and Jake around to their activities, picking up grandkids Sarah and Sean to holiday in Port Macquarie and letting us The Wells family, move back in when we needed,” Nicole said.

Allen and Barbara moved to Port Macquarie in 2005 and quickly made friends through their church. Great friendships were formed including Naomi and Don, Joy and Laurie, Barbara and Jim and Patricia.