{"id":318455,"date":"2022-05-20T16:05:55","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T06:05:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=318455"},"modified":"2022-05-20T16:48:32","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T06:48:32","slug":"obituary-mark-smith-1956-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2022\/05\/20\/obituary-mark-smith-1956-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Obituary: Mark Smith 1956-2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The late Mark Smith … Mark was always keen to support local events<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

May 20, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

A funeral service will be held next Saturday (May 28) to celebrate the life of popular Murgon businessman and community stalwart Mark Smith.<\/p>\n

Mark, 66, died on Monday in Murgon Hospital surrounded by family members after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.<\/p>\n

He was well-known in business circles due to his popular “Mark Smith’s Menswear” shop in Lamb Street – which Mark and wife Janelle bought in 1993 – and his volunteer work with the Murgon Business and Development Association and Murgon Golf Club.<\/p>\n

He also chaired the Murgon Christmas Carnival committee.<\/p>\n

After serving many years as vice-president, Mark was elected president of the MBDA in late 2020 but was forced to step down due to his illness in February this year.<\/p>\n

However during his time at the helm, he introduced several innovations, including \u201cmeet and greet\u201d evening meetings.<\/p>\n

Mark was also one of the key community drivers behind the introduction of Murgon’s CCTV security system cameras and lobbied the South Burnett Regional Council for years to improve Murgon infrastructure, including its broken footpaths.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was very supportive of local initiatives, and liked to boast he was the first sponsor to back community radio station CROW-FM when it hit the airwaves.<\/p>\n

Mark also publicly backed moves to promote motorcycle tourism in the South Burnett, and was a keen rider himself with both he and Janelle being avid members of the Sunshine Coast Harley Owners Group.<\/p>\n

His laugh was as well-known around town as his famous moustache, which he sacrificed for a few months in 2016 when he agreed to shave it off as part of a charity event for the Leukaemia Foundation which raised more than $4500.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sponsors Steve Lacey (Rebel) and Mark Smith after taking to the field during the Legends of League day at Cherbourg in 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mark’s support for local events was well-known, with his name appearing on sponsorship lists as varied as the Murgon Show and the Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly fishing competition.<\/p>\n

He organised charity events backing various causes but also supported other group’s fundraising efforts, such as South Burnett Relay For Life’s “Dinner With The Captains”.<\/p>\n

Mark’s love of rugby league could not be hidden.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He brought league star Gavin Cooper back to Murgon for a memorable visit in 2016 which raised more $25,000 for the Murgon\u2019 Mustangs junior rugby league club.<\/p>\n

He supported (and he even donned a jersey) when the Australian NRL Legends took on the Cherbourg Legends in a fun day of rugby league at Cherbourg in 2019.<\/p>\n

Mark is survived by wife Janelle, children Lauren, Jeremy and Kelsie, brother Neil, son-in-law Matt, daughter-in-law Ash and his five grandchildren Mia, Jake, Xavier, Onah and Indi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His funeral will be held at the the South Burnett PCYC Hall, 40 Macalister Street, Murgon, from 11:00am on Saturday, May 28. Cards will be available at the service upon which people can write their condolences.<\/p>\n

Mark’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be considered for the Murgon Hospital Auxiliary.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
MBDA secretary Margaret Long (Murgon Real Estate), then-president Mark Smith and Yallakool Park managers Rowena and Heath Sander at the first MBDA evening get-together in 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Mark and fellow local businessmen Wayne Beddows and John Robinson with local councillor Kathy Duff at a small business evening at Murgon Town Hall in 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Mark lost his beloved moustache for a Leukaemia Foundation fundraiser in 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mark<\/a>
Mark and fellow motorbike enthusiast Rod Steele organised a charity ride in 2013 which raised $2500 for Ronald McDonald Houses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A funeral service will be held next Saturday (May 28) to celebrate the life of popular Murgon businessman and community stalwart Mark Smith.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":318466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,3],"tags":[28],"yoast_head":"\nObituary: Mark Smith 1956-2022 - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A funeral service will be held next Saturday (May 28) to celebrate the life of popular Murgon businessman and community stalwart Mark Smith.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2022\/05\/20\/obituary-mark-smith-1956-2022\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Obituary: Mark Smith 1956-2022 - 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