James ‘Jimmy’ Burgess remembered for mateship, laughter, and meaningful legacy

The Kingaroy man’s passing left a powerful message: Take action on your health before it’s too late.

The Kingaroy man’s siblings have remembered their brother as a strong man who worked hard and loved his Harley, his family and to make people laugh. Photo credit: Ellen-Rose Burgess

A Kingaroy man’s siblings have remembered their brother as a strong man who worked hard and loved his Harley, his family and to make people laugh.

James ‘Jimmy’ Leslie Burgess passed away on Thursday, April 3 2025, from cancer at 42.

His funeral notice by Virgo Funerals described him as the loving son of Lesley (dec’d), beloved grandson to Leslie and Mary Dickenson (both dec’d) and cherished brother and brother-in-law to Dominique, Dan and Skye, Mick and Shannon, Ellen-Rose and Daniel. Adored uncle to Charley, Scarlett, Tom, Ella and Adalyn. Loved nephew to Patricia, Peter and Jim.

Mr Burgess was diagnosed with multi-organ and bone cancer only five weeks before he died but his family believe he dismissed early symptoms and put off going to the doctor.

His younger sister Ellen-Rose Burgess said this was something he had on his mind in his final weeks when he asked them to make sure one of his best mates followed up on pain he had been experiencing.

His older sister, Dominique Burgess, shared this message in her eulogy.

“Guys have a way of just writing off things and putting it off,” she said.

“When I did the eulogy I said, if nothing comes out of it, the one thing is go and get that doctor’s appointment, get the dentist appointment, get the blood test.

“Do the thing that you’ve been putting off.”

Jimmy was a natural conversationalist who was always up for a yarn with anyone, and made friends wherever he went. Photo credit: Ellen-Rose Burgess

Mr Burgess was born and raised in Kingaroy and went to both Saint Mary’s Catholic College and Kingaroy State High School.

Ellen-Rose said they were surprised to see their old high school principal at the funeral service on Thursday, April 10.

“Our former principal from Kingaroy State High, David Ballin, came to pay his respects at the funeral, which I thought, ‘wow he must have made an effect as a former student on him’,” she said.

Mr Burgess had built a strong career working in mining, most recently at the Meandu Mine in the South Burnett, and was described by his family as a skilled operator of large mining machinery.

He made the most of his time off from work and actively engaged in several beloved hobbies, including golfing, target shooting, riding his Harley Davidson with his mates from the Booie Bandits motorcycle club and having a drink at the local pub.

Riding and his Harley Davidson bike were extremely important to him, and at his request, Harley Davidsons led the procession at his funeral.

He loved the NRL and passionately supported the Cronulla Sharks, travelling down to Sydney to see them play when he could.

Family was important to Mr Burgess – he was close to his siblings, and had even worked alongside his brother, Michael, at various job sites over the years.

“They would fight like cats and dogs but secretly really liked each other and got on quite well,” Ellen-Rose said.

Every two years, the five siblings would get together for a family holiday and Mr Burgess was the one who would start making calls, sending messages and rounding up the brothers and sisters to make sure the trip got planned.

“Our mum passed away in 2017 and every second year we agreed as the five kids to try and do a weekend away,” Dominique said.

“But time gets away from you and no one organises it.

Jimmy Burgess pictured with his brothers, sisters, cousin and their families on one of their biannual family group trips to Rainbow Beach. Photo credit: Ellen-Rose Burgess

“And without fail it was always Jimmy that harassed the rest of us – when are we doing it, when are we doing it, lock it in.

“Mind you, he wouldn’t do the legwork, he’d just rock up.

“But he always wanted to make sure that we all got together and hung out. He kept us accountable.”

He was a natural conversationalist who was always up for a yarn with anyone, and made friends wherever he went.

Dominique said they knew he had touched a lot of people’s lives but they didn’t realise quite how many until the funeral, where mourners quickly filled Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Kingaroy and spilt out the doors.

“Wherever he went, he picked up groups of people,” Dominique said.

“So he had his Harley Davidson motorbike friends, and then he had shooting friends in Clermont (where he lived and worked for a few years), they would go out target shooting.

“He had golf friends, he had pub friends, he had work friends, and that kind of surprised us at the funeral – how many people he crossed paths with and was mates with.”

He was remembered as an “absolute legend” and a “one in a million” bloke by mourners on social media, and one of his close friends told the family that it was a “privilege to have Jimmy shine his light of his life.”

Even in his final days, he was thinking of others, urging them to take care of their health, and his family believe he would be pleased to know he was still having an impact on the world by having his story shared.

“Some people would shy away from the spotlight but we know that he would be quietly chuffed that he is still being talked about and having an impact.”

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Originally published as James ‘Jimmy’ Burgess remembered for mateship, laughter, and meaningful legacy