He moved around the North Island for a variety of jobs, but the one thing he always took with him was his generosity.
Alfred Ellis, fondly known as Lofty or Poppa, was an "old school" Kiwi bloke with a caring disposition.
His son-in-law Chris Gunn said Mr Ellis possessed all the best male qualities.
"He was just a typical bloke. He could turn his hand at anything. But he'll be remembered as being one of the most caring men I've ever met in my life," he said.
Mr Ellis was born in Te Aroha. He started his schooling in Ngapuki and ended it in Te Akau.
The next few years were spent working on the family farm before he moved to Tokoroa where he became a truck driver and there quickly built a reputation for being a great driver and a compassionate man.
"He was a sought-after truck driver because he never lost stock. And in those days a lot of stock was lost," Mr Gunn said.
But what he became best known for during his trucking years was the way he helped those in need - a quality which he showed throughout his life.
When the trucking company boss' wife died, the boss had a breakdown and took off for six months.
"What people remember him for, is that Alf ran the company for him and brought up his family as well. That's the sort of guy he is," Mr Gunn said.
After truck driving, Mr Ellis moved into share-milking in the Waikete Valley before being offered a job on a horse stud.
"They found he was a very good horse handler.
"He was recommended by [Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Sir] Patrick Hogan," Mr Gunn said.
He turned down a position on an Australian stud because he didn't want to be away from his daughter and moved to Auckland to work for the milk corporation until he retired.
While he was based in Auckland he looked after a number of vulnerable people.
"He spent 16 years caring for his parents.
"They moved with him to Auckland. And he took in a number of others.
"He just had a thing about helping people out. Not just kids, but adults as well.
"He dedicated his life to looking after [his daughter] Donna and her son [Marc], until I came along," Mr Gunn said, adding, "And then he looked after me too."
Mr Ellis moved to Tauranga in 1991 and made front page news in May 2010 when he mistakenly rode home another senior's mobility scooter from the local shop.
But Mr Gunn said there are better stories for which Mr Ellis should have become famous.
In his final years, when he was 85, he was still looking after his neighbour, a woman who was several years his junior who he affectionately referred to as "the old girl".
"He was still making her lunches, mowed her lawns, took her rubbish out - all the things she couldn't do," he said.
His daughter, Donna Gunn, said the neighbours all loved her dad.
He intentionally grew too many vegetables so he could give them to everyone in the neighbourhood.
"He was always trying to do things for other people, probably forgetting about himself."