Kingaroy dad found after drowning in freak spa accident
A beloved father of two boys has been remembered as a ‘thoughtful’ man with a passion for the outdoors, after he was found dead in his spa bath at his home in regional Qld.
South Burnett
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Tributes have flown for father of two and council groundsman John McFarlane after he was found dead at his home following a freak accident in Kingaroy on July 21.
Mr McFarlane, 56, is believed to have been on a day off from his job with the South Burnett council when he accidentally drowned in his private spa.
His heartbroken mother, Rae Marris, said her son had enjoyed an evening of watching the Ashes on television the night before his rostered day off.
“The cause of death could take months, according to the coroner,” Mrs Marris said.
“There is no police investigation ongoing. It was a stupid domestic accident.”
Mr McFarlane was born in Carcoar, a small town near Orange in New South Wales, on April 15, 1967.
Mrs Marris said her son thrived in the outdoors where he found his passion for fishing and gardening.
His family relocated to Queensland when Mr McFarlane was a child, and he attended Redcliffe State High School.
He enjoyed travelling and moved to Redlands in his 30s, where he worked for the Redlands Cricket Club and was a five-time recipient of the Mentor Shield.
Mrs Marris described her son as incredibly generous and thoughtful.
“He was quiet but he revolved around his family and his love for gardening,” she said.
“He was always ready to try new things and was learning the saxophone.”
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Mr McFarlane was a key contributor to gardens around the South Burnett, and managed the upkeep of parks at Wondai, Murgon, Tingoora and Wooroolin.
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Since his death, his colleagues have planted flowers behind the Wondai sign in his honour.
Mrs Marris said her son would be remembered for the father he was to his two sons, and for his love of nature and his kind heart.
Family and friends are invited to attend Mr McFarlane’s Memorial Service in the Burnett Chapel, Generation Funerals, 19 Markwell Street, Kingaroy on Friday, August 11, 2023 from 11am.
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Originally published as Kingaroy dad found after drowning in freak spa accident
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