A Logan family is mourning the death of legendary fisherman and larrikin Dennis Parmenter.
Alfred Dennis Parmenter, known as Aldo to his mates and the fishing community, died on January 15.
The Regents Park man remained upbeat until the end, even in the face of his biggest battle.
Mr Parmenter, who was 64, was diagnosed with lung cancer in October, three months to the day before his death.
The grim diagnosis did little to dull Mr Parmenter's legendary sense of humour and lust for life. His daughter Vanessa said Mr Parmenter liked to joke about all subjects, including his condition.
"Even in his last three months, he would smile, laugh and make a joke about everything," Ms Parmenter said.
She said her father refused more tests, because every time he had one, the doctors would deliver more bad news.
Mr Parmenter joked that doctors could not find any more wrong with him if he did not let them.
He started a bucket list of things he wanted to achieve before he died, and Mr Parmenter ticked off most of those things in his final months.
He made it to grandson Curtis' 18th birthday party. Curtis visited Mr Parmenter at home for a barbecue with family and friends.
Mr Parmenter also managed one last Stradbroke Island trip with the Beach Bums Fishing Club, which he helped to form more than 20 years ago, as well as spending one last birthday and Christmas with his family.
A talented poet, Mr Parmenter wrote his final poem just before his death.
"He loved to write poetry, and he was very good at it," Ms Parmenter said.
Mr Parmenter was also involved with the Greenbank and Browns Plains rugby league clubs, and was a president of the Browns Plains Fishing Club.
He would write poems about award winners on the big club nights.
"He always wrote them for the presentation nights," Ms Parmenter said.
He was an avid fisherman in his younger years. Born in Casino, NSW, in 1955, Mr Parmenter would sometimes wag school to wet a line.
Ms Parmenter remembered fishing trips to Chinderah, on the Tweed River, with the family.
When he wasn't fishing, Mr Parmenter would often be found enjoying a XXXX Gold or the odd gin and tonic at a local pub.
It was then that his love of singing would come out, Ms Parmenter said.
"He loved to sing songs when he had a few," she said.
His larrikin streak came to the fore when Mr Parmenter was a leading seaman in the Royal Australian Navy.
He was excluded from a deployment trip after taking some machinery and going for a joyride.
"They said 'you're going nowhere, Parmenter'," Ms Parmenter said.
"He travelled the world in the navy."
Ms Parmenter and brother Glen moved to the area from Brisbane to care for their father in his final months.
She said he repaid her after he had gone.
"I had a phone call saying I got my dream job," she said.
"I like to think that he was looking after me after I had looked after him."
Anyone who knew Mr Parmenter is invited to celebrate his life at Newhaven Funerals, Stapylton, on Saturday at 10am. The wake will be at the Park Ridge Tavern.
Mr Parmenter is survived by partner Marlene Kirby, brother Neville Parmenter, sister Annette Fisher, along with daughter Vanessa, son Glen and four grandchildren - Ashley Kirby, Amy Watkins and Curtis and Esther Parmenter.
