Darryl Leslie Austin

My beautiful, kind and generous dad, Darryl Leslie Austin born 15-11-49 passed away peacefully on the 12th of October 2021 after a hard fought battle against multiple medical conditions. . Darryl developed type 1 diabetes in his late teens. He was told at the time by his doctor not to make plans after 40. His Brother John developed Diabetes as a young child, eventually John went blind and passed away in his 30’s. My family and I grew up with all of this knowledge. . Darryl defied the odds and lived long beyond expectations. . He grew up on a farm in Bool Lagoon and then Peak in South Australia. He married my mother Gail in 1971. His first child Kellie was born in 1972 and I followed in 1974. The family lived in Bridgewater in South Australia for 13 years before relocating to Secombe Gardens in 1987. For most of his working life he worked for a number of bakeries, eventually becoming a foreman of the bread room. . Poor health forced him into retirement in his mid 50’s. Gail then became his carer. In the early 2000’s Gail took a job on an indigenous community in Milingimbi in Arnhemland, my Father was quickly recognised as someone with practical skill and spent much of his time helping out on the community. . In 2010 Gail retired too and they both moved to Ipswich to be closer to me. His health was getting worse but he continued to be creative and with my mother renovated a 1915 timber home. Over his lifetime he explored leadlight, wood carving, home renovations, concreting. He loved to have a tool in his hands and keep busy. His passions were AFL (the Adelaide Crows), cricket, Country Music, Fishing and making stuff. . By the end my father was battling diabetes related problems, parkinsons, dementia and kidney disease. He fought so hard, the family thought many times his end was coming but he kept making miraculous comebacks. . Darryl will be remembered with love by many people but none more than his wife Gail, his daughter Kellie and me. He loved his two grandchildren Mara and Eoghan and his two son in laws Sean and Leonard. . Thank you for being my dad and for loving me through the good and the bad. Thank you Gail for your incredible dedication to caring for him even through very difficult times. Thank you Kellie for supporting us all through all of this, never hesitating to jump on a plane from your home in Ireland to be here. . Love you dad, forever in my heart and my memory xx