Jim loved his life and told his children, Belinda and Fiona, he couldn’t of asked for a better one.

Jim grew up in the Macleay and attended Kempsey High School. It was there that he met the love of his life and childhood sweetheart Carole Fellowes.

The two began dating after spending time together at a local dance and it wasn’t long until the lovely couple got married in 1960.

By then, Jim had started his career as an apprentice printer for the Macleay Argus and climbed the ranks and stayed with the company for nearly 40 years.

The couple built their family home in Taylor Street in South Kempsey and they believed the spot had the best views in Kempsey.

Jim and Carole had three children but tragically their only son Grant passed away when he was five.

Belinda and Fiona grew up under the love and care of their parents.

The family travelled Australia in a camper van but they also enjoyed taking a break close to home at South West Rocks.

They could be spotted on the camping grounds at Horseshoe Bay over the Christmas period.

Jim loved Carole with all his heart and was a proud father and grandfather of Minasa and Matilda. He would boast about them any time he could.

Later in life, Jim and Carole made the move to the Cedar Place Age Care Facility in Kempsey and they wished they had relocated earlier.

Belinda said she hopes her father is now at peace, sitting somewhere reading a newspaper and eating one of his favourite meals, lamb cutlets.

“Jim had no regrets about his life. He made sure of that. Loved his family, loved his home and loved his life,” Belinda said.