Maurice John Allen was born in Gympie on 6 September, 1947, the third of six children to Laurie and Myrtle Allen.
Known as Maurie to most but Mozza or Moz to some, he spent his younger childhood in Chatsworth but then moved to Lagoon Pocket when he was six years old.
He started his schooling at Lagoon Pocket but later attended One Mile, travelling to school each day on the original Rattler rail motor.
When the time came, he moved up to Gympie High School but left at age 14 to go to Lismore to cut cane.
A couple of years later he returned to Gympie and scored a carpentry apprenticeship with English & Sons.
Over the next 25 years working with them he built scores of local houses.
In 1969 he met the love of his life, Lynelle, who was working at Gerard & Sullivan Butchers at the time.
Nelly, as he called her, straightened out this rebellious young lad, and the couple enjoyed going to all the local country dances together.
The pair were married in 1971 with Maurie’s cousin John the chauffeur on the day.
John and Maurie were best friends right up until Maurie passed away in early April.
Maurie and Lynelle had two daughters, Tracey in 1974 and Kelly in 1978.
A restless Maurie moved on from building, and worked for Nolans for a few years, building sheep yards, before taking on a whole new career in real estate.
He started working for Blowers, Lowe & Spence Real Estate, then worked for several years with Tom Grady, and also spent some time selling real estate for David Walker.
While Maurie was still selling real estate, he was asked if he might like to supplement his income, by driving taxis.
So, he got himself a taxi license and drove a cab on Friday and Saturday nights.
He loved it so much that Maurie and Lynelle bought a taxi, and Maurie became a full-time taxi driver for more than 25 years.
Everyone knew Maurie as Car 7, or 007, as some would say.
During this time, he took many young local people home after their night out, always making sure they got home safely.
Everyone loved Maurie, and always wanted to get Car 7 home when they caught a taxi.
He was also a true gentleman when he worked in the cab during the day, where he would often drop elderly people home and carry their groceries inside for them.
Maurie loved playing rugby league in his youth, and making the reserve grade squad for the Wanderers was a highlight for him.
He also loved horses and especially loved riding bare-back, and this meant that he never missed the Gympie Show rodeo every year.
His favourite hobby was playing snooker and started out playing in the back of Frank Greaney’s barber shop.
He was also a keen member of the RSL Snooker Club in Gympie.
Both Maurie and Lynelle’s daughters completed their schooling and soon, in 1998 they became grandparents for the first time, with eldest daughter Tracey giving birth to Callum.
Younger daughter Kelly and her partner Dan, also had two children, giving Maurie and Lynelle two beautiful granddaughters called Ella and Ava in 2008 and 2010.
Maurie eventually retired from taxi driving in 2018 and felt happiest being at home in his own space, surrounded by his family.
While he could be persuaded to go out on outings with Lynelle, he often preferred to stay home where he could watch the NRL on the TV, read the paper or a Western novel from the library, or listen to country music.
Maurie loved ice cream after dinner, a cup of hot black tea after lunch, regardless of the weather, and the occasional glass of scotch and lemonade.
A man who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, Maurie was surrounded by his family when he drew his final breath and left them with beautiful memories of an uncomplicated soul who will be sorely missed but forever loved.
He was 76 years old.
