Family pay tribute to 'gentle' Rotherham man tragically killed in car crash along with his dog, Maddie

Alan’s sister Sheila Jeffs, 69, described her brother, who was 76 when he died, as ‘a soft, gentle man who loved his dog more than anything’.

Born and educated in Maltby, Alan was from a family of eight children, of which he was the fifth.

Their father died in 1951, when Alan was still a child. Sheila said: “Alan was always there for me and his other siblings. He was a lovely brother.

“We have all been devastated by his death. It has not really sunk in yet to be honest.”

After school Alan went to work for Sheffield Steel, where he spent most of his life before taking redundancy.

In his retirement Alan spent most of his time looking after and walking his beloved dog Maddie, as well as gardening.

Sheila said: “He loved his dog. They had been together for a long time and he spent all of his time with her.”

Alan’s nephew Kirk would do the gardening with his uncle, and described him as a ‘favourite’ uncle with whom he had a close relationship.

“I got on with him very quickly because he had a great sense of humour,” Kirk said. “He is the uncle that I have the most memories with and we were close.

“There will always be a void and no matter how hard we try it simply cannot be repaired.

“Tragic circumstances such as these will make our memories a lot more poignant. Alan and Maddie will never be forgotten and will be forever missed.”

Alan was hit by a red Mercedes around 5.40pm on December 12 last year when walking Maddie along Bawtry Road near Wickersley Roundabout.

The driver of the Mercedes stopped at the scene and is helping police with the investigation.

Alan is survived by his sisters Sheila, Enid and Mavis and older brother Jimmy, as well as his children and nephews and nieces.