These are the words a grieving husband has used to pay tribute to his “loving and gentle” wife, that drowned during a dramatic river accident in the Macquarie River on Wednesday.

Sherle-Lee Baker, 46, drowned when she attempted to help her 19-year-old son Daniel Boxsell when he got into trouble while swimming with his mother and a 16-year-old female friend at Butler’s Falls.

Bradley Baker described his wife as the most beautiful person to whom he treasured every moment of the past seven and a half years they spent together.

“Her love was gentle and

warm . . . she looked after me and Daniel,” Mr Baker said.

“They were the happiest consecutive years of my life, the last seven and a half years were the happiest for us both,” he said.

In attempting to help her son on Wednesday night, police said Mrs Baker also needed assistance, but by the time witnesses were able to rescue her, she was found face down in the water.

Police, ambulance and the volunteer rescue squad were called to the scene and she was taken to Dubbo Base Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

“We are holding up as well as can be expected,” Mr Baker said yesterday.

“Daniel is being very quiet, he is being a good boy for his mum.”

St Brigid’s parish priest and family friend of the Bakers, Father Paul Devitt, said Mrs Baker was a “tremendously” caring and “lovely” lady.

“Sherle-Lee was an active member of the Seventh Day Adventist church but also a member of our church and having her part of our congregation was lovely,” Father Devitt said.

“I knew her for many years and she was the most caring lady.

“These tragedies happen so often that you can never prepare yourself . . . what a lovely lady . . . it’s shattering news.

“The river is beautiful but it’s always treterous,” he said.

Tributes from other members of church communities that Mrs Baker was part of told of her genersoity and kindness.

“She gave a lot of time and money to the church, she was liked by everyone and will be sadly missed,” Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor Roger Ward said.

“She has really left a mark and she will not be forgotten,” he said.

The Dubbo Rescue Squad yesterday praised the bravery of those involved in the retrieval of the trio from the popular swimming spot.

It’s believed one man jumped into the Macquarie River to help with the rescue of Mrs Baker and Mr Boxsell after the 16-year-old female friend had been able to make her way to shore after battling flowing waters.