Kathleen Donaghy  
  The Courier-Mail  
  December 07, 2013


                                                         
THERE was hardly an hour in the day when Michelle Dover, 39, and her husband Wayne, 45, were not together.

They worked their business side by side, watched sports together and shared small daily chores.

But now, for the first time in 18 years, Mrs Dover is without the man who brightened her life and made her feel safe.

After his brutal bashing death, allegedly at the hands of three young men in Maroochydore last Friday night, Mrs Dover wonders when he is coming hom

Brothers Blake Nathan Goldsworthy, 24, and Wade Leigh Goldsworthy, 27, and Matthew John Hill, 27, have each been charged with murder.

In her first interview with The Courier-Mail, Mrs Dover said yesterday her late husband's senseless death had not sunk in.

"It hasn't hit me yet, I still feel he's at a footy trip or at a seminar or he's at work today and for whatever reason I'm at home - it just hasn't hit me yet," she said.

"We were never apart. If I wanted to go to the shop to get a loaf of bread, he would come with me for a drive - even though we'd spent the last ten hours together working.

"It was weird going in the car without him, we were just always together."

Wayne was a young AFL player from WA, touring the country with his sport, when he fell in love with his Queensland girl.

The couple locked hearts at the Koala backpackers bar in Noosa when Mrs Dover was 21 and that was it.

Wayne never did complete his football trip and stayed in Queensland to begin his new life with his new love on the Sunshine Coast.

"From then on we were pretty much inseparable," said Mrs Dover.

"That's been our whole life."

Mrs Dover said she was initially struck by the mild nature of the towering 6ft4 lad with piercing blue-grey eyes.

"He was a gentle giant. For such a big man he was just so concerned to make sure I was okay even though I was out with friends.

"It was all just about getting to know me and looking after me, just a very genuine guy."

Mrs Dover said sports-mad Wayne - a keen West Coast Eagles fan - was ceaselessly energetic and motivated.

He grew their shade and awnings business into a thriving company, coached and played AFL and selflessly mentored young players.

Even in his downtime, he would wring every ounce of fun out of his day.

"He was very loyal, very fun - it's all about enjoying life - he was just a big kid, never wanted to grow old.

"He had an amazingly infectious laugh. He was the biggest stirrer in the world, in a nice way - he just loved to give you stick."

"He would have made a great dad but, yes, unfortunately it just didn't happen for us."

Mrs Dover said no-one escaped an introduction to her husband without earning a nickname.

"He called me Janice because he knew I would hate the name and so I thought, you bugger, I'll call you Jorge," she said.

"And so we just became Janice and Jorge. When I'm in trouble I'm Michelle and when he's in trouble he's Wayne.

"But the rest of the time we're Janice and Jorge."

Mrs Dover said her life had literally changed overnight.

The celebration of Wayne Dover's life will be held on Wednesday, 2pm, at the Lifepointe Baptist Church in Maroochydore followed by a wake at Greenout Cafe and Bar.