Dee Allen tribute: Sunshine Coast league mourns amazing lady

‘Smile would light up a room’: Sunshine Coast’s tight knit rugby league community is mourning the loss of Dee Allen who died following a brave cancer battle.

Sunshine Coast rugby league stalwart Des Allen has praised tribute to wife Dee who he described as his “rock” after her death following a brave seven-year fight with cancer.

Mrs Allen was initially given six months to live when diagnosed in 2015 but proved the doctors wrong, defying the odds until her death on Tuesday, February 22.

She was 57.

The Allen family is royalty in Nambour and Sunshine Coast rugby league circles and the region’s tight knit community has rallied around them with crowd-funding efforts.

Mrs Allen was being mourned by her best friend and husband of 32 years Des and their children Sami and Casey.

Mr Allen said his late wife “was and is his rock”.

“I’ve never seen a human fight like Dee did, she looked it in the eye and said ‘bring it on’,” Mr Allen said.

“She was inspirational in so many ways and an amazing mother to our two girls.

“I will miss her so much.”

Nambour Rugby League legend James Ward described Mrs Allen as a person whose “infectious” smile would light up a room.

Mr Ward was a close family friend of the pair for more than 35 years.

“She was just a great friend and person,” Mr Ward said.

“She had a way of making people feel good around her. She’d just light up the room.

“She was one of those people who no one would say anything negative about. Just a lot of fun who lived life to the fullest along the way.”

Mr Allen has been part of the Sunshine Coast league community for more than 40 years as a player and coach.

Nambour Souths old boys Des Allen, Butch Stevens, Leo Welsh and Graham Allen at a recent reunion at the club. Picture: Matty Holdsworth

He was a player with Nambour and his coaching resume included Palmwoods Devils, the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Nambour Crushers.

Mr Ward reflected on the glory days of rugby league in the town when Crusher Park was a packed house even for Sunday night games.

He said Dee was always front and centre of the Crushers’ WAGS supporter base, while the men would swap roles for the women’s touch footy games.

“In the early days of the success at Nambour, the support was just as impactful. It was a fantastic social environment and she and the WAGS led that,” he said.

“Des obviously contributed so much for rugby league here, but you can’t do that without the support at home. They were best friends.”

Another family friend has launched a GoFundMe Page to help cover any funeral costs for Mrs Allen, it can be found at In memory of Dee Allen.