THE family of much-loved sports organiser Dave Andrews have described his sudden death as devastating but said they were drawing strength from the support of his many friends.

Parents, former students, teachers and other work colleagues of the "larger than life" face of Peninsula School Sports for the past 15 years have inundated his Cairns office with shocked messages of condolence and grief from across Australia.

"People just can't believe it," Mr Andrews' assistant Jo Butland said.

"It's endless. Just anybody who had anything to do with him, everyone who knew him, liked him."

His brother Mark Andrews, who arrived in Cairns from Toowoomba yesterday to make plans for a memorial service next week, said the family was struggling to accept Mr Andrews' death.

"It's horrific. It's devastating for all of us," he said.

Mr Andrews, 45, was found at his Edge Hill home on Tuesday morning, where he is believed to have died from a heart attack.

A police spokesman yesterday there was nothing suspicious about the death and it was unlikely that an inquest would be held.

His parents Tom and Helen Andrews and three younger siblings Karen, Linda and Mark were told of the death on Tuesday afternoon.

Karen, who is the deputy principal of a school in England, is on her way home.

"He was just a perfect big brother; he lived life to the full," Mark Andrews said.

He said a venue for the memorial service next Thursday was still to be confirmed but it would likely be at a large sports stadium big enough to hold several hundred mourners.

A funeral will be held in Brisbane on Tuesday.

A message posted on The Cairns Post website by Tom and Helen Andrews yesterday described how "extremely proud" they were of their son and his achievements in so many areas.

"Our family has a strong faith in God and we know He is in control and will get us through," they wrote.

"We thank all the people who were closely involved with our David in all aspects of his life, from being our son and brother, teacher, sports organiser and all the other things he was involved with, a great friend and mate."

Peninsula School Sports board chairman Kevin Holden described his friend as "an icon of sport".

"He just did everything for the kids".

In a statement, Education Queensland extended its deepest condolences to Mr Andrews' family, friends, colleagues and current and past students.

"Mr Andrews was a popular local school sports identity who had dedicated many years of his working life towards providing better sporting opportunities for students across the Far North," it said.

Share this article