Hervey Bay dad Adam Cuffe mourned at funeral

Heartbroken friends and family have paid tribute to a beloved family man and storyteller with a wonderful sense of curiosity and humour.

Beloved Hervey Bay husband and father Adam Cuffe.

A Hervey Bay man who died suddenly earlier this month has been remembered at his funeral as a devoted husband and father who brought a sense of fun and curiosity to everything he did.

Adam Michael “Cuffie” Cuffe, 42, died on January 15, 2025.

His beloved wife Shelley said her husband and father of their three sons, Brayden, Bryce and Ashton, had asked her for an ice pack after he developed a sudden headache.

But it soon became clear it was more serious than a headache and despite best efforts to save him, Adam passed away from what was diagnosed as an aneurysm.

During his funeral at the Hervey Bay Crematorium on Thursday, January 30, he was remembered for his humour, his storytelling and his generosity of spirit.

His brother-in-law Harry Steel delivered Adam’s eulogy, and said Adam “could tell a story like no other”.

He was the youngest of three children, growing up with brother Matthew and sister Michelle.

Adam Cuffe was a devoted father to his three boys.

He loved four-wheel-driving, dirt bikes and fast cars, and had a deep sense of curiosity about how things worked, resulting in his taking apart the family’s VCR at one point, Mr Steel said.

Adam had a burning passion for Aussie rules and when playing the game, what he lacked in size he had made up for with heart.

He had coached junior teams and was a well-respected member of local football clubs, fulfilling his dream of playing alongside his son, just as he had played alongside his own father.

Mr Steel said Adam lived life to the full and was known for his comedic timing and stories.

“It was a privilege to be a character in one of Adam’s stories,” he said.

“He had a knack of making you sound like a rock star.”

Adam and Shelley met at a party when he was 20 and she was 19, and he had been determined to win her heart, Mr Steel said.

She became his best friend and soulmate and Adam was a devoted father to their sons.

Adam Cuffe with his beloved wife Shelley.

Adam had been a “jack of all trades” but found his calling when he started working for SGQ in civil engineering.

There, he was a much-loved and valued member of the team and a mentor to those he worked with.

“He thought of his work crew as a second family,” Mr Steel said.

Adam’s sister Michelle also paid tribute to her brother.

She said his family was his “whole world”.

“He and Shelley were embers from the same flame,” she said.

Adam was “more than just my brother”.

“He was my confidant,” she said.

“He was my biggest supporter and one of my favourite people in the world.”

Photo montages of moments from Adam’s life were shown before rose petals were scattered on his coffin by those who had loved him.

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Originally published as Hervey Bay dad Adam Cuffe mourned at funeral