Sad losses as Woombye and Nambour farewells brother and sister

Coleen Brady and her brother Garry Foley, above left, passed away within six days of each other. Below: Garry Foley pictured more recently.

The Woombye and Nambour communities were saddened by the recent passing of a brother and sister from the well-known Foley family.

Coleen Brady nee Foley, 87, and her brother Garry Foley, 89, passed away in February within six days of each other. They lived in the Woombye/Nambour area from 5 and 7 years of age after moving to a small dairy farm with their family in 1940. 

Colleen was buried February 15 while Garry’s funeral was Wednesday February 22 at Gregson and Weight Nambour.

Garry and Thelma were married for nearly 66 years and lived in Woombye. Garry started his plumbing apprenticeship in Nambour aged 13 in 1947 and went on to do a lot of plumbing around Nambour and the Coast.

He started the well-known and long-established business Foleys Tanks at Woombye and,  with business partners Merv and Shirly Franke, owned Nambour Plumbing Supplies and Action Sports. 

Garry lived a full life and travelled to many corners of the globe. He loved fishing and even managed to get a world record Nile perch on a 15kg line in Africa which was donated to the local villagers. 

He is survived by Thelma, sons Terry and Paul/Henry, grandchildren Shannon, Luke, Emily, Madeline and Angus and great-grandchildren Shaine and Henry.

“He was very well-loved,” said Paul last week. “Everyone said he was a lovely man and he was. I couldn’t have asked for a better father or friend.”

Foley’s Tanks has serviced the Sunshine Coast for over 60 years manufacturing aquaplate rainwater tanks.