Don Allan OAM, a long-time columnist for The Chronicle, died last Wednesday, aged 79.
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He was the founder of the ACT Association for Advancing Disabled Sport and Recreation (ACTAADS), an organisation that has given away more than $400,000 in grants to people with disabilities.
He also worked with Koomarri for many years and was recognised in 2004 for his service to Canberrans, ''particularly people with disabilities'', with the Medal of the Order of Australia.
It was a commitment that continued to the end. He attended his last ACTAADS board meeting the day before he died to ensure there was someone to take over from him as secretary.
Chairman Jeff House remembers his friend of 20 years as ''a glass half-full person'' with a practical approach to life as well as disability. ''The thing Don enjoyed more than anything was the discussion and the debate, and having a chat.''
The likeable Scot spent 19 years writing for the Chronicle, one of many jobs he had in an eclectic career that brought him to Canberra in the late 1970s.
''He did everything from being a policeman in the UK - he was also in the army over there. He ran a strip club in Kings Cross for a while, ran a theatre and was also a door-to-door salesman,'' Mr House recalled.
Allan's own description of himself on Twitter shows an ''incredibly diverse man'' with wide-ranging interests.
''A Scot. Agnostic disabled, married, likes politics, history, science, free speech, dislikes zealots, whingers. Interested in fusion energy,'' it read.
He maintained a blog until the day before his death. His final post, titled ''My death has been suspended (temporarily)'' paid tribute to the staff at the Canberra Hospital for his care following a second heart attack.
''I reserve the greatest praise for my wife Valerie and daughter Elizabeth who, between them, make life worth living,'' he wrote.
Allan would have turned 80 on Monday.
A funeral service will take place at 3pm on Thursday at Norwood Park Crematorium.