There will be a memorial service in Melbourne on Tuesday for family and friends of popular ABC Brisbane radio host, Paul Bodington, after his sudden death at 44.

Bodington was part of 612 ABC Brisbane’s breakfast program for five years, preparing unique snapshots of the people, places and events which shape south east Queensland. He also hosted the breakfast program in 2003.

Stunned staff have been allowed to take time off to grieve his death, and the station has been overwhelmed with calls.

Family have requested no flowers next Tuesday and are suggesting donations to charities. 612 ABC says it will provide information once relatives have had time to decide.

The ABC will also organise a memorial event in Brisbane for staff and listeners. There will be an announcement and details within two weeks.

612 presenter, Spencer Howson, announced the death on Tuesday afternoon:

“ABC Brisbane is today mourning the loss of Paul Bodington, reporter, presenter and creator of some of the most imaginative radio ever broadcast.”

Sixty listeners rang the ABC within 30 minutes of the announcement to express their sorrow. By evening, the station was all but shut down, taking programming from Sydney’s ABC. By yesterday, staff had been overwhelmed by the volume of calls.

Brisbane ABC Local Radio Manager, Mike McGowan, has told The Australian’s Amanda Meade:

“We’ve stopped being able to handle the phone conversations in terms of packaging them up and playing them to air because there are just too many.”

Yesterday’s morning program was filled with tributes and hundreds of people have written messages of condolence on the 612 ABC website. 612 is encouraging anyone with a message, tribute or special memory of Bodington to share it on the ‘message board’, where the many tributes can also be viewed.

Bodington began his broadcasting career after qualifying from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in 1990. He spent seven years in commercial radio, working at stations in Toowoomba, Mt Isa and Innisfail.

Before entering radio, Bodington was a qualified carer for intellectually disabled people and, for several years, devoted himself to improving lives in Victoria and Queensland.

The 612 ABC Brisbane website has paid tribute:

“Such was Paul’s affection for life, its opportunities and challenges, he even worked as a ‘gofer’ at Williamstown Dockyard where, as he put it, ‘he helped the Australian Navy build its first FFG Class frigates’.

“Paul’s passing will be felt for a long time by colleagues and listeners. His positive outlook and generosity were as infectious as they were genuine. He contributed so much to everyone he met, inside and outside 612 ABC Brisbane.

“He will be remembered as a very kind, compassionate soul, who brought happiness to all around him, every day of his life. He was a gentleman, in every way.

“We will miss him, very much.”

Former colleague, Wil Brakels, has contributed these comments:

“I am still in absolute shock to hear of the sudden death of Paul Boddington. I worked with Paul at 4GR Toowoomba in the ’90s before he went to Darwin – he was on breakfast and me on drive. We have been friends since. If you knew Paul, you would know that he was the most genuine, down to earth person you could ever have met. He never had a bad word to say about anyone.

“He was a breath of fresh air in an industry, full of egos and people who take themselves far too seriously. His dying at the age of 44 has knocked me for six – our thoughts go out to Paul’s mum and dad and sister. He will be missed by my family, wife Kendall and my two daughters and by everyone he touched.”

Blair Sullivan contributed these comments on Paul:

I will miss Paul’s wicked and twisted sense of humor. The way he could tell and share stories both On and Off Air was amazing.

I will miss receiving our yearly Christmas card and rambling letter and cd…. But will always cherish that he spent Christmas 2004 with our family.

We have had many laughs…and sad times….. but I will always remember Paul as my best friend who will be missed very much by me, my wife Rebekah and our children.

Our thoughts go to his parents Bernie and Joan and the Bodington family.

We lost a good one… but his memory will live on in the hearts of those he touched.”

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Bodington’s death.