“He was such a lovely man”: Heartfelt tributes for death of family man

The family of a ‘lovely’ Caboolture man killed in a house fire Friday morning has been left reeling, a year after another family tragedy.

Stan Harper is understood to have died when his house caught fire Friday morning.

An 80-year-old Caboolture man has been revealed as the victim of a fatal house fire which took hold of his home in the early hours of Friday morning

Stan Harper is understood to have perished in the blaze — almost a year after his wife Dorothy died from cancer.

The inferno happened after a fire in his front yard consumed his Hazelwood Court home, gutting it entirely.

Distraught family members and neighbours embraced and shed tears for hours after the blaze was contained, remembering a family orientated man who was always there for them.

Neighbour of 30 years Kerrie Fuller was in shock just hours after the fire.

Ms Fuller said Mr Harper had farewelled his wife Dorothy Harper almost 12 months ago following a battle with cancer, after which Mr Harper kept mostly to himself but was visited regularly by family.

Stan Harper (left), pictured with his deceased wife Dorothy, has passed away after his Caboolture home caught fire. Dorothy Harper/Facebook

Ms Fuller built her home at the same time Mr Harper and his wife Dorothy built theirs.

Forging a uniquely strong bond for neighbours, the Harpers attended Ms Fuller’s wedding some years ago and after that Ms Fuller’s son and the Harpers’ granddaughter were the same age and spent hours playing together.

“I was standing there in shock watching it burn,” Ms Fuller said.

“I feel for him I really do.

“He was such a lovely man.

“She (Dorothy) asked me before her passing because she was diagnosed with cancer, to keep an eye on him.

“We had a good relationship, Dorothy was a great lady.

“Stan, I didn’t have as much to do but my husband and he used to sit together and talk

“I just can’t believe what happened.”

Kerrie Fuller was neighbours with Stan Harper for 30 years. Picture: Aaron Goodwin

Mr Harper was described by Ms Fuller as an easygoing character who never said a nasty word about anybody.

“Especially when I first moved here, they were good neighbours and came over to give me a hand,” Ms Fuller said.

“I used to tell them I might sell up and move and they’d tell me, ‘no you can’t because we’re not going anywhere’.”

Mark Wilton mowed Mr Harper’s lawn for two years, one of which after Dorothy passed away.

The fire which started in the front yard, destroyed everything in Mr Harper’s Hazelwood Court Picture: Aaron Goodwin

Mr Wilton joked that Mr Harper was a bit fussy with maintaining a nice lawn.

“He was a nice and gentle soul,” Mr Wilton said.

“We’d always have a yarn and cold drink when I mowed.

“He was a lonely man after his wife passed.

“I know his kids spent a lot of time with him.”

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said paramedics arrived at 6.17am the day of the fire but did not take any patients to hospital.

Fire crews arrived on scene at 6.20am to see the lowset brick home well alight, but contained the blaze at 6.30am.

At 7.15am crews were dampening down the home.

It is understood the fire started in the front yard of the property but quickly took hold of the building.

Police said initial investigations indicated the fire is not considered suspicious however investigators were continuing to process the scene, to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire.

Anyone with information or relevant footage is asked to contact police.