South Burnett farewells Steven, Bob and Margaret Wheeler at funeral

Hundreds of mourners gathered in the South Burnett on Monday to farewell the three family members whose deaths in a tragic car accident have rocked their community.

Lifelong Kingaroy residents Steven, Bob and Margaret Wheeler have been remembered as “irreplaceable” at a moving funeral service for the three family members who tragically died together in a horror crash outside Nanango in May.

Hundreds of mourners gathered on Monday at the Lyle Vidler Oval, south of the town’s CBD, at 11am to farewell the family whose deaths on May 30, rocked the South Burnett community.

Steven, 54, Margaret, 81 and Bob, 84, were killed in an accident on the D’Aguilar Hwy, 2km south of Nanango.

The car they were travelling in collided with a tanker truck about 5.45am near the highway’s intersection with Nanango Tarong Rd.

Heavy fog blanketed the area at the time of the crash.

The three Kingaroy residents all died at the scene.

Steven (back), Margaret and Bob Wheeler all died in a crash just outside Nanango early in the morning of Thursday, May 30, 2024. Picture: Generation Funerals.

At their funeral, they were remembered as “irreplaceable”, with their deaths leaving “a void that can’t be filled”.

Bob and Margaret, married for 57 years, were celebrated at the service which was live streamed, for their love of the community, including close ties to the Salvation Army, and their own hobbies and interests which made them part of the fabric of several Burnett communities.

These included Bob’s 48-year career with the Australian Peanut Company and his love of drawing and storytelling, and Margaret’s love of sports including hockey when she was younger, and a “late in life” passion for playing darts.

Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral service held on Monday at Kingaroy’s Lyle Vidler Oval. Pictures: Generation Funerals livestream

Steven’s longtime friend Wayne Jones delivered the eulogy for the speedway stalwart, who first joined the Kingaroy club as a teenager.

Mr Jones said his friend was “always offering a helping hand whenever and wherever it was needed” and left a legacy of “selflessness and goodwill”.

He recounted Steven’s love of mischief as a boy, which included uncountable impromptu games of cricket with family at friends that included one infamous day he “broke the same window twice”.

Three white doves were released at the end of the service in the park. Pictures: Generation Funerals livestream

Mr Jones said Steven’s “greatest achievement” in his eyes was his children Stevie and Sarah, and he would happily cross the region to support them.

The other “large part of his life” was the speedway.

“Whenever someone wanted a passenger (in a race), he was your man,” Mr Jones said.

This passion extended well beyond race days.

Steven was likely known by many speedway regulars across the state as “the bloke in the water truck” which did laps preparing the track for events.

The hearse carrying Steven Wheeler’s coffin was taken for several laps around the Kingaroy Speedway, where the 54-year-old had been a member and fixture since he was a teenager. His parents Bob and Margaret were taken on a single lap of the track before Mr Wheeler’s hearse arrived, escorted by a water truck and a support vehicle. Pictures: Generation Funerals live stream.

There was the personal and humorous side, too.

Mr Jones told the crowd Steven served as a traffic controller at his wedding, so he turned up to the rehearsal in a hi-vis vest.

“He was an amazing dad, a wonderful brother, an adoring poppy, and a good mate,” Mr Jones said.

Throughout the service photos of the Wheelers’ lives were displayed on an electronic billboard at the park.

At its end three white doves were released form beside each of the coffins and the poem, No Bounds, by Mark Gregory was read aloud.

The final touching send-off was given 200m away at the Kingaroy Speedway.

Bob’s and Margaret’s coffins were first driven once around the track, and then Steven’s made several circuits accompanied by the water truck at the hearse’s head and a support vehicle behind.

It was greeted by cheers and applause by gathered mourners, who ignored a slow drizzle which became light rain to watch the hearse circle the speedway several times before all three coffins were finally borne away to their final resting places.