Allan F. Davey died peacefully at his Vineyard Haven home on June 29. He was 85.

He was born on Jan. 13, 1935, the son of Doris, an accomplished pianist, and Clarence, a well-known mechanic and partner in Dukes County garage. He grew up in his family’s home on upper Main street. Lifelong friendships were born from this neighborhood and Allan, his younger brother, Martin, and their posse had loads of adventures, back in the day when many roads in this part of town weren’t yet paved.

Allan attended the Tisbury School, which had been built just five years before he was born. He was a solid athlete, playing baseball, softball and basketball. He was also class marshal, class vice president and a flirt, a talent that won over his future bride, Judy, a Long Island transplant attending the Oak Bluffs High School. Not surprisingly, he was voted best looking, best future husband, most optimistic, best smile and most class spirit.

Allan and Judy married in 1955 at the starry-eyed age of 21. They counted three children in the backseat before the end of the 1950s — Shauna, Allan and Kenneth Paul, named for Allan’s friend, Ken Silvia, who tragically drowned in his teens. Six years later, a surprise delivered their youngest son, Wayne.

Early on in their marriage, Allan worked at his dad’s garage, where he learned about engines, auto repair and electricity. He also spent some time as a carpenter, most notably working on James Cagney’s house in Chilmark. Like many resourceful Islanders back in the day, he was a consummate D.I.Y.-er, and the skills he acquired with these jobs would serve him well.

There were always boats — some that floated, others that never did, including Allan’s 11-foot skiff he built in high school. There was the little blue boat in which each of his four kids would learn to fish. He was endlessly patient with his young crew. It was also the boat he used for scalloping.

Allan became the go-to dad for his State Road neighborhood, and every winter in the 1960s and 1970s he constructed a skating rink over his garden. Allan played softball for years as a left-handed pitcher for the Bandits, and the family would routinely pile into the car to see him play.

Shortly after he joined the Cape & Vineyard Electric Company (today Eversource), when Allan was 23 years old, his father died. Allan was a hard worker and did what was needed to provide for his young family. He carried a lunch pail to work every day for what turned out to be 36 years, when he retired from ComElectric at age 55 as line supervisor. While the Cape & Vineyard was his occupation, the Tisbury fire department was his passion; Allan was a member for over 40 years, until mandatory retirement at 65, when he was assistant fire chief. He loved firefighting and the friendships he made in the department would last a lifetime. Everyone knew Allan for his easy smile and good nature.

In retirement, Allan was a homebody, and aside from a few trips with Judy, he was content to putter, especially in his garden, which included wildflowers that he and Judy would cut, bunch and sell in cans out front of the house. Allan had a green thumb and often started plants in his greenhouses and babied them throughout the season.

He was predeceased by his wife, Judy, and Pepper, his beloved springer spaniel.

He is survived by four children: Shauna Nute and her husband Bob of West Tisbury, Allan M. Davey and his wife Ann of Vineyard Haven, Ken Davey and his wife Katie of Oak Bluffs, and Wayne Davey and his wife, Anne. He also leaves four grandchildren.

He was interred next to Judy in the family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery, not far from the house where they’d raised a family and spent their lives together. He was given a proper fireman’s send-off, and his final ride was on the back of Tisbury’s recently restored 1949 American LaFrance fire truck.

The family sends a special thank you to Allan’s caregivers, Gloria DeBettencourt, Gina Brobbey, Sandie Corr Dolby and Rachel Perry of Horizon’s Geriatrics, as well as to Tisbury fire chief Greg Leland.

Donations can be made to the Tisbury Firefighters Association, 215 Spring St., Vineyard Haven, MA, 02568.