Family and friends have planned a paddle out at Bawley Point, starting at 11am on Saturday as a memorial for the loved husband, father and grandfather.  All are welcome, Tom’s daughter Brooke said.

“Anyone is welcome if they want to come and pay their respects or have a paddle out,” Brooke said.

The grandfather of five and father of two will be remembered as a happy-go-lucky bloke, Brooke said.

“A lot of people made mention of you know, that he was always smiling, never had a bad word to say about anyone, so that’s the Dad I’ll remember that’s for sure.”

Tom and his wife Sharon were to be married 40 years in September. The couple had lived in the region for most of their married life apart from a brief stint in Wollongong to follow their son’s sport.

They returned to Mollymook four years ago and the former builder always had a job going on around the house.

“He just loved pottering, loved gardening, really house proud, him and Mum,” Brooke said. “Always renovating or doing something, even to the point where he has a half-finished bathroom that Mum’s trying to sort out.”

However, his biggest hobby was surfing. “He was one of the Bawley Boys, so all the local surfers know what that means,” Brooke said.

“They surfed every weekend still, they loved it. If he had leave ... that would be the first thing he would do if they were any waves out there.”