Full of Hart: Tributes flow as ‘Wayno’ remembered

“He always had a smile on his face.”

“He was a character, he was one-of-a-kind.”

Today the Bundaberg community farewelled Wayne Hart, or ‘Wayno’ as he was affectionately known.

Brothers Aston Villa life member Darren Cronin said Mr Hart, a fellow life member, was the kind of person who if he could do something to help out, he would.

A quirky character who was passionate about football, the Brothers club and his cup of coffee, Mr Cronin said Wayno loved to talk and would constantly be helping out the older people he met through the Brothers Club.

Mr Hart, 55, passed away on July 23 and his funeral was live streamed from the Chapel, ‘Branyan Gardens’ at 12.30pm today.

“Anything he did in life, he wanted to be involved,” he said.

“If there was work to be done, he’d get in and do it.

“He always had a smile on his face.”

Mr Cronin said he could nearly guarantee that every coffee house in Bundaberg would know who Wayne Hart was.

With about 20 cafe cards in his wallet, Mr Cronin said ‘Wayno’ loved a cup of coffee.

Mr Cronin said he would be well missed around the soccer field and at the Brothers Club.

“Everyone knew who Wayne was,” he said and even if he’d only met someone once, Mr Hart would know their name.

In the lead up to today’s service, a GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for Mr Hart’s funeral and within a matter of days the page had met the target of $7000.

On the NewsMail Facebook page, Joan Strohfeldt said Mr Hart was “a true gentleman, a great friend and an all-round good guy”.

“R.I.P. Wayne – gone way too soon and sadly missed,” Ms Strohfeldt wrote.

Kathie Simpson posted that Brothers Club wouldn’t be the same without him there to “tease and stir us up about our dancing”.

“Miss you mate. My deepest sympathy to your children, family and friends,” she posted.

A wake is set to be held at Brothers Sports Club in the Max King Bar from 2pm.

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