Tears flow as family and friends mourn Palmwoods man Greg Brown after fall

There were plenty of tears and plenty of laughter at a packed Palmwoods Hotel on Friday as family and friends gathered to remember popular local man Greg Brown.

Greg’s wife Kerry, son Ben and daughters Cassy and Georgia and friends fondly recalled stories of a hard-working family man who built his own house, worked from sun-up to sun-down and was fiercely loyal and fun-loving.

Mr Brown, 54, was working at a Mill Lane business about 3pm on July 14, 2022 when he fell between 5-10m from a roof, suffering critical head injuries.

He was rushed to Sunshine Coast University Hospital but passed away.

Greg’s wife Kerry paid tribute to a loving husband and family man before hundreds of people at the Hotel. 

“He was the most loving, caring father in the world,” she said. “He would work all day, and from the second he walked in the door, he took the babies, bathed them, fed them, and he did everything. Not once did he ever complain he was tired. He even got up to them through the night. Nothing was ever too much when it came to our children.”

Kerry said she could imagine his face lighting up at the size of Friday’s gathering. “Then he would launch into a jocular performance reminding me that’s why he’s called Greggy the Great,” she said. 

“We had a grandson, Ashton, born three months ago. Greg was besotted with him.  Greg was the hardest working bloke you could meet. He did whatever it took to provide for me and the kids. He built a dream home for our little family at Country Road in Palmwoods. Our house was always filled with family and friends. The laughter would just ring out across the valley.

“Family was everything to Greg. Through the mayhem and madness that was our life, somehow we raised three incredible children, Ben John Brown, Georgia Lee Brown and Cassy Lee Brown. Their courage and strength in the last week has been extraordinary.”

Son Ben said his father had an unconventional but effective method of teaching the lessons of life. 

“He was the loudest person in any room at any minute, then, at the next minute, when it was just you and him, he came out with some really surprisingly wise and compassionate words to help you out in any difficult situation. This is why us three kids were so lucky to have him as our father. He worked his arse off to provide for all of us. With both him and Mum, working as a team, they did an amazing job.

“He also taught me how to ski, and barefoot, if you would even call it teaching. We never had a boom bar, so I just remember, at age 10 and 11, getting skull dragged around Somerset Dam behind our boat, Too Easy, with water piecing through my eyelids. He would just keep telling me, “You’ve almost got it,” which most likely was just a load of BS. But I was persistent because I wanted to be just like Dad.”

Greg and Kerry met 35 years ago in London and celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in April, 2022 and welcomed their first grandchild only three months ago.

Georgia Brown remembered her father’s joy when her baby Ashton was born in April. “We can already see the G-Pop attitude and cheekiness in Ashton. He’s got all your best qualities. I know you’ll always be with him. You’ll always be in my heart and memories. I’ll love you forever, Dad.”

Cassy recalled her Dad’s unconventional but hilarious bedtime routine which had the crowd in stitches.

“Growing up, apparently my sister and I were a nightmare to put to sleep as kids,” she said. “Dad would come in and tell us a bedtime story, but instead of it being about typical childhood fantasies, Dad would tell us stories about him and his imaginary horse called Rat’s Arse.

“I don’t remember the exact stories he would tell about Rat’s Arse, but I do remember Georgia and I laughing so hard that Mum would come into the room and get mad at Dad for winding us up instead of settling us down, at which point Dad would have to change his tactic. He would then have to hum us Waltzing Matilda for hours. Us kids were given the best upbringing imaginable. My Dad, the hardest working man on earth, would work from sun-up till sun-down during the week, running a successful roofing business.

“I admired my Dad’s loyalty and humanity. Dad was always sincere. What you saw is what you got. He was never judgemental and always reminded me of how lucky we are in this life.

“Dad, thank you for everything you have done,” Cassy said. “I know that today (judging by the crowd) you would be telling me that you are very popular, to which I would probably roll my eyes. But dad, you were loved more than you ever knew. You will never be forgotten. Today, and in future, we’ll celebrate the amazing life that you created.”

Greg’s sister Mary told those gathered that her late parents were immensely proud of Greg.  “I remember sitting on the deck with them at Greg’s Palmwoods house and they were so proud of what he achieved, and how proud of that beautiful house he built. 

“There’s a sad irony to Greg’s passing, that is that he would’ve known exactly what to do in this situation. When it came to crisis that involved the people he loved, he would adopt this quiet focus and somehow he just knew how to make things better.” 

The Brown family: Cassy, Greg, Georgia, Kerry and Ben.

Greg and Kerry Brown. "He was the most loving, caring father in the world."

Some of the hundreds that gathered at Palmwoods Hotel to remember Greg Brown. “That’s why he’s called Greggy the Great.”

Greg Brown with grandson Ashton who was born in April. “We can already see the G-Pop attitude and cheekiness in Ashton," said Greg's Daughter Georgia.