He died at 5am in Bowral Hospital on November 8, 2015.

He was named Bryce after the maiden surname of one of his great grandmothers, who was born in Scotland and was named Harriet C Bryce.

Harriet first married in Scotland to Walter Wastell. After the death of Walter, Harriet migrated to the colony of NSW with her three young children - two sons and five-year-old daughter, also named Harriet, who in later years married John Joseph Chalker.

These two people were Bryce's grandparents. Bryce's second given name, Edwin, was after his father.

Bryce went to school at Croydon, a western Sydney suburb, but spent his holidays and most of his weekends with his paternal grandmother on the Chalker farm on the Old South Road (Argyle Road) at lower Mittagong, where he took up residence after leaving school.

After a few years he returned to Strathfield to live temporarily with his parents. While there, Bryce was employed for a time on a poultry farm at Toongabbie. He next took up a course on landscaping, followed by a course on tractor maintenance.

Bryce took a keen interest in the three of these occupations, studying their theory as well as their practice, equipping him well for his future endeavours.

During his return to his parents' home, Bryce met his future wife.

On Easter Saturday, March 29, 1959, Bryce Edwin Chalker was married to Marie Ann Byfield by the Rev Ronald Coleman at Wesley Chapel, at that time situated in Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

The couple's first home was built in Epping, a northern Sydney suburb.

By 1964 the decision was made to move back to Mittagong, when 30 acres of land was purchased from Miss Henrietta Rose of Craig Royston in the locality of Aylmerton. Bryce had returned to the area first settled by his ancestors.

The village and locality now known as Aylmerton was over a century ago known as Chalkerville, County of Camden, Parish of Mittagong.

Bryce is the fifth of eight generations of the William/James Chalker line, i.e. William, his son James, his son John Joseph, his son Harold, his son Bryce and his son and daughter, one grandson, four granddaughters and two great granddaughters.

Of these eight generations, if they weren't born in the Chalkerville/Mittagong locality, they have spent the greater part of their lives here, excepting William of course, who was the first settler of the region.

The Chalker name is synonymous with Mittagong: Bryce's great great grandfather, William Chalker, was the pioneer of and first European settler in the Mittagong area. William settled on Argyle Road, now known as The Old South Road, on the Mittagong Range, at Mittagong, with Governor Macquarie's permission in 1821. This was prior to any Crown land in the area being surveyed or subdivided for settlement.

Surveying occurred shortly after William moved ninety head of privately owned to the Range.

In memory of Bryce Edwin Chalker, 28.8.16 - 8.11.16