Richard Jacobi dies after workplace excavator incident

The father, wife and son of a Maryborough man killed in a workplace incident have come together to remember him as someone they would love and miss “forever”.

Richard Jacobi and his wife Margaret.

A beloved husband, father and grandfather killed in a tragic incident with an excavator earlier this month has been mourned at a moving funeral service.

Just days from Christmas, the family and friends of the 55-year-old gathered at Maryborough Crematorium on Monday to the heartbreaking strains of Unforgettable to celebrate the life of their beloved family member, who was remembered as a man who had enriched the lives of those around him.

Mr Jacobi’s father Trevor wiped away tears as he spoke of his firstborn son during the service, who was born at Gayndah Hospital, remembering his as “the apple of our eye”.

Trevor said the family didn’t have much and he’d made most of Richard’s toys for him.

Richard became a scout and had delivered the Herald newspaper as part of the role every Sunday afternoon.

He’d learned to play chess and loved to finish his mum’s crosswords and Sudoku, Trevor said.

Richard had worked on a trawler in Townsville after completing his scuba diving ticket, and he later worked for the Fraser Coast council and Wide Bay Water, spending 29 years with council before working with a pumps and irrigation business in Tinana.

Tinkering with cars and antique machinery were two of Richard’s passions, Trevor said.

Richard wasn’t one to dress up, preferring work clothes or t-shirts and jeans.

“For our family, things will never be the same,” he said.

“Life is so precious and fragile.

“Always tell your children how much you love them, because one day they might go to work and never come home.

“Rest in peace our beautiful son.”

Richard’s wife Margaret then spoke, telling of her first impression of her future husband, saying he was “a bit cute”.

Later on the two would become an item and Margaret recalled buying him a razor so he could clean up his appearance.

The funeral of Richard Jacobi.

Breaking down, Margaret remembered Richard as her soulmate and best friend.

She said her world had been turned upside down by the loss of her husband.

“I will miss him forever,” she said.

His son said every memory he had of his father had been part of, and he’d never known or imagined a time when his father didn’t exist - and to do so was “impossible”.

“I can remember him as fiercely intellectual, and he was despite what he did for a job, he was a very clever man,” he said.

“He could fix just about anything and if he didn’t know how to fix it he’d find out and soon enough he’d know how to do it.”

His dad had shown his emotions, sparingly, but at this “there were glimpses deep into his soul and there was something beautiful there”.

He said he mourned for all the years they should have had together.

“We did so much together but I know that we could have done so much more and that is the hardest part.”

He said his dad was a generous, kind-hearted person.

Loving tributes were also given by Richard’s siblings.

A photo montage of moments from Richard’s life was shown to those gathered.

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