For decades Alec Saffy entertained country music fans across the central west and beyond but last Sunday others put on a show in his honour.
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The much-loved musician's legacy was the focus of a Stroke Foundation fundraiser at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club.
Mr Saffy's wife Flo, son Shane and daughter Fran Saffy-Martin attended the event, which was organised by the Dubbo Country Music Association.
"Mum's got full-blown dementia so as far as mum's concerned dad is still alive," Shane said.
"In mum's mind dad's still here."
Mrs Saffy often sang behind her husband and their love of country music was passed on to their children.
Shane sings in a country and western band and Fran also often belts out a few tunes.
"Dad was originally an apprentice jockey but he did everything, he was a butcher, painter," Shane said.
"He was a painter for 24 years at the Dubbo Base Hospital."
Fran recalled fond memories of growing up in Dubbo.
"Dad performed in a lot of pubs and clubs and he would sing on the radio," she said.
"He performed at Royal Theatre in Wingewarra Street where PRP is now... dad was really good friends with Slim Dusty from Sydney."
Mr Saffy suffered three strokes in the final years of his life but still found time to join his fellow country and western fans for performances.
There's 475,000 strokes every year, that's one every nine minutes in Australia.
- Mal Norton.
Fran, who had a stroke when she was 20, believed stress caused at least one of Mr Saffy's strokes.
"They had a house on Alcheringa Street and got broken into so many times.
"We had the best childhood in that street but it changed."
Fran said multiple thefts, vandalism incidents and a home invasion took their toll.
"They got broken into early in the morning," she said. "He saw the light on in the lounge room and thought mum had actually got up and walked out.
"The front door was open, the car was gone and he thought she'd driven around to the doctors.
"Then he realised that everything was gone. The TV, phone, the whole kit and caboodle."
The family said it was heartbreaking to watch Mr Saffy's quality of life deteriorate after he had each stroke.
"He had his walker which mum has now got," Fran said. "Towards the last month he couldn't get out of bed."
Sepsis claimed the life of Mr Saffy in July 2018.
His mate Mal Norton was the driving force behind the stroke fundraiser event, which featured musical performances and raffles.
"There's 475,000 strokes every year, that's one every nine minutes in Australia," Mr Norton said.
