He lived by them all his life.

Mr Taylor embraced his fellow Dubbo resident and forged strong community connections through the Salvation Army, Taylor and Poulter Master Painters and the Macquarie Club where he held numerous titles including president and champion, and across 40 years never missed Sunday bowls

Despite not knowing the bond between child and parent, Mr Taylor was a devoted husband to his late wife Susan (nee Sullivan) and father to their daughters, Mechelle and Amanda.

The Sullivan family, including Beryl "Nan" Sullivan, came to love Mr Taylor as much as he loved them.

Bracken House, where Lillimur once stood, was set to be home to the widower before a fall at his Allison Street property led to his death.

Gordon James Taylor, described by his family as "kind, considerate, generous, deeply compassionate and a conversationalist" died on April 16 at the age of 75.

"Gordon made friends, he kept friends, he didn't wait for friendship," son-in-law Alistair Stephens said at the Chapel of the Dubbo City Crematorium on April 26.

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One of eight children put in institutions because of "mistreatment", seven-year-old Gordon Taylor arrived at Lullimur with his brothers Noel and Johnny in 1950.

It would be another 50 years before they discovered and made contact with their other siblings.

But Mr Taylor's past did not dictate his future.

"Gordon had a friendly, gracious soul," Mr Stephens said.

"Perhaps it was just Gordon's character, perhaps in part it was developed from his time at Lillimur, caring for his younger siblings, making family with the other boys, that made him what he was."

Upon leaving Lillimur, Mr Taylor became a "fully-fledged passionate soldier" of the Salvation Army before pulling on the overalls of an enthusiastic apprentice painter under the wing of Jack Hewitt.

Later, Mr Taylor and mate Keith Poulter formed Taylor and Poulter Master Painters which made its mark in the city and region.

Susan Sullivan met the "love of her life" at an RSL dance before marrying him in 1969.

Her death from cancer 45 year later "shattered" Gordon Taylor's heart.

"He was clearly lost without her," Mr Stephens said.

Mrs Taylor's love of her husband permitted his penchant for making friends at "every corner, at every shop, at every hospital bed".

"I remember when he would go to the hospital to visit her when she was quite ill, he spoke to every person in every bed he passed," Mr Stephens said.

Mr Taylor is survived by his two daughters and eight grandchildren, all of whom attended the cremation service.