Friends and family of Gold Coast woman killed in crash devastated after tribute spat

LANA Hufnagl’s family have been dealt another blow after the grandmother’s Tallai roadside floral tribute was removed by a disgruntled homeowner the day after her funeral.

Lana Hufnagl was killed in a car accident on The Panorama. Picture: Facebook.

THE family of retired schoolteacher Lana Hufnagl have received another blow two days after burying their mother and grandmother.

The roadside floral tribute placed on a Tallai property to mark the tragic death of the popular 57-year-old in a car crash 12 days ago has been removed.

The roadside shrine has now been stripped. Picture Mike Batterham

The respected Mudgeeraba State School teacher had recently returned from a cruise with her daughter and was enjoying her retirement when the car she was a passenger in crashed on The Panorama on July 9.

Her husband Peter Dowker is in hospital.

WOMAN DEAD AND MAN INJURED IN TALLAI CRASH

Ms Hufnagl leaves behind two daughters and two grandsons.

“Mum was a very beautiful down to earth, caring, fun lady,” said her daughter, who asked not to be named.

Lana was described as “down to earth” and “caring” by her daughter. Picture Mike Batterham

“My mum and I had just returned from a cruise. She had been retired two years.”

Tallai woman Vicki Moakes said the family’s grief was worsened yesterday when the floral tribute left on the side of the road was removed a day after Ms Hufnagl’s funeral.

“I attended the memorial service (on Wednesday), it was absolutely devastating,” Ms Moakes said.

HOMEOWNER TO CUT DOWN TALLAI ROADSIDE SHRINE

“I just live up the road (from the crash scene) and I heard the crash.

Everything is gone, Ms Moakes told the Bulletin. Picture Mike Batterham

“I went up this morning (yesterday) to check the flowers because it was all very windy and they’d blown over a little bit. Everything was gone.

“This family is grieving.”

The angry landowner yesterday told the Bulletin he would remove the memorial because it was “ugly and disrespectful and it’s not going to bring the person back”.

Ms Moakes said she was shocked to read the landowner’s comments.

“I’ve been down there every day to check on the flowers,” she said.

“He’s saying it is his property ... it’s a council verge and he owns half of that verge — he’s even got little pegs along there to mark his property out.”

A Queensland Health spokeswoman confirmed Mr Dowker, who was driving the car at the time of the crash, was in a stable condition.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the Forensic Crash Unit was investigating the crash and had not ruled out any lines of inquiry, including whether alcohol and/or speed may have been a factor.