Swansea's James Douglas Cunningham, known to most as Doug, will be remembered as "the perfect English gentleman".
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Mr Cunningham, an "icon" of the lakeside suburb, passed away on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 102.
The centenarian was known for striking up conversations at Swansea's supermarket, library and cafes during his daily walks around the village.
Although he stopped his wanderings a few years ago, after suffering from heart problems, he held onto his friendships.
"If you were ever feeling a bit down, if Doug walked your way, he cheered you up and made you feel so wonderful," his friend Julia Riseley of Swansea said.
"He was always so impeccably dressed. You never saw him alone. He could just talk and talk for hours about his interesting life."
Ms Riseley met Mr Cunningham on one of his walks ten years ago, and frequently visited him at Southern Cross Care Tenison Residential Aged Care home.
She said on the morning of his passing Mr Cunningham was "really happy".
"I went in there and his eyes opened and he had this great big smile on his face.
"I didn't go back [in the afternoon] because I wanted to keep that image of him in my mind forever, with that beautiful smile."
Mr Cunningham's son Terence thanked the staff of the nursing home for their "excellent" care.
"I was there with him when he passed away, and most of the grandkids as well as a couple of his friends were there," he said.
A memorial service will be held at Gateway Church in Pelican at 11am on Thursday, March 21.
Mr Cunningham is survived by his son, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
The proud Yorkshireman was born in Leeds in northern England.
He migrated to Australia with his lifelong partner, Patricia, in 1955. Ms Cunningham passed away in 2001.
As a young man Mr Cunningham enlisted in the British Army and served throughout World War II.
During this time he was posted to South Africa, India and Sierra Leone and was made a sergeant by the age of 24.
He met Patricia while serving. She was also a sergeant - in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women's branch of the British Army.
The couple migrated to Australia with their four-year-old son Terence in 1955, and initially worked on a large sheep property in northern NSW.
The couple then moved to Sydney where they both worked for Fairfax in Broadway.
They retired to Swansea roughly 30 years.
The couple shared a great love of reading and writing.
Ms Riseley said Mr Cunningham's presence in town would be missed.
"Everybody loves Doug and everyone is going to miss him," Ms Riseley said.
"He was a beautiful soul."
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