OPINION: John Castrilli Is Not Only Mr Bunbury But The Perfect Gentleman

Who will be sorely missed!


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OPINION: John Castrilli Is Not Only Mr Bunbury But The Perfect Gentleman By Carmela Contarino

For the majority of the last 10 years I’ve been in Sydney and London, but for the previous 6-8 months I've been back living and working in Bunbury.

Fitting that it’s around the same time, that we say goodbye to the Member for Bunbury, someone who in my opinion, is the perfect gentleman, Mr John Castrilli. 

Mr Castrilli was first introduced to me as 'Lisa's Dad'. I spent my younger years at the same school, in the same year, in the same class, as his daughter Lisa. Though it turns out after discussing this with my Father and Mother, we had met well before. Mr Castrilli was involved in organising my christening at the Italian Club.

For a great deal of time, he was there during the after-school play dates, and the numerous Birthday parties. In my teenage years, Lisa and I ended up going to a different High Schools, from then on Mr Castrilli transitioned from ‘Lisa’s Dad’ to ‘Bunbury’s Mayor’.  

To this day, what warms my heart the most, is whenever Mr Castrilli would show up as an honoured guest at high school assemblies, he would always wave, even sometimes say hello to me into the microphone. His new role, his new responsibilities hadn’t changed him. If anything, they had made him an even better human, if it was at all possible.  

This, matched with letters to wish me Happy Birthday, especially on my 21st and always asking my parents how I was, sums up what an incredible man he has been to many of the locals in the Bunbury community. As I’m sure, I’m not the only one that has lovely stories to share about him.

So I encourage you to share your favourite memories. Thank you Mr Castrilli, you’ll always be ‘Lisa’s Dad’ to me and 'Mr Bunbury’ to the rest of us, forever.

Mr and Mrs Bunbury from Lomax on Vimeo.

9 March 2017




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