John Booth writes:
I regret to inform you that the farewell for Mark Eastwood ex STHS Class of 69 will be held at the Salvation Army Citadel 91 Oliver Street, Grafton at 11:00 am 30th September 2021. I can’t attend due to lockdown.
Mark David Eastwood, my dear friend of 58 years passed away at home with family on the afternoon of Saturday 25 September 2021 after a valiant battle over 18 months against bowel and liver cancer. He faced his disease stoically with mental strength to the end.
Mark was born on 22 November 1951 and grew up an only child in Lambert Road, Bardwell Park. He was a special child to his parents, as Mrs Eastwood had lost two babies prior to Mark’s birth. The fact that he never demonstrated any of the attributes associated with “only child” syndrome and he grew to be the man he was, is due to his make-up and the input of his wonderful parents.
I first met Mark in 1964, when we started in 1B at Sydney Technical High School. Mark and I both lived on the East Hills Line and travelled cross country to school on different buses. I could catch his bus home, visit with him in Bardwell Park and get the train home to Beverly Hills. Believe me Mark was a bit of a prankster at school. We along with Kevin Kennedy and Richard (Dick) Wilson from the 1969 HSC year attained traineeships in Civil Engineering with the DMR and studied at the University of NSW. We often travelled by train and bus to UNSW Kensington together. We spent our annual vacations working at various DMR offices around the State to get “practical” experience, plus in our cases see a bit of the State and have a good time. It was a good sample of what lay ahead in our professional careers.
During our time at university Mark met and married Cathy, a wedding I was honoured to attend.
Following completion of his Bachelor of Engineering Degree at UNSW, Mark worked his whole career with DMR/RTA/RMS at Warringah Freeway Office, Finley Works Office (Works Engineer), Cooma Works Office (Works Engineer) Grafton Divisional Office, Central Coast and Pacific Highway Offices, Grafton as a Senior Project Manager. Mark made major contributions to the project management of the duplication of the Pacific Highway, including Yelgun to Chinderah Bypass. He also showed his commitment to assisting others by working on public works for the people of Albania under the RedR/”Engineers without borders’” scheme. He had some interesting tales, including some hair raising experiences to tell on his return.
Over the years although never having the opportunity to work in the same office, Mark and I met up at training course, where we all worked and played hard.
Mark was a highly competent and committed professional Engineer, well respected by all those he worked with. A man of high personal and professional integrity, with excellent technical skills and common sense, which he endeavoured to pass onto others through mentoring.
He was very involved in the North Coast Branch of the Institution of Engineers.
Mark was a good all round sportsman, playing soccer, cricket and golf for many years, as well as being a good sprinter in his youth. He was a black belt in the martial art of Aikido and had spent time studying in a dojo in Japan. Mark also had a strong interest shared with wife Cathy in travel and music, particularly opera.
Above all else Mark was a complete all round good man, devoted to his family and friends.
He was very proud of the professional achievements of wife Cathy and the professional careers of sons Gareth in finance in the banking sector and Nathan in engineering with the Wollongong Steel Works. We always caught up on how the boys and their families were going.
It was obvious Mark doted on his grandchildren.
Rosemary, I, Anthony, Georgina and Jacqueline and their families extend our sincere sympathies and love to Cathy and sons Gareth and Nathan and their families on the great loss of their husband, father and grandfather.
Robert Davies adds:
Very grateful that I could watch the funeral service of my good school mate Mark Eastwood via the STHS website. Mark passed away almost 30 months ago and I only just found out. We both went to the same primary school (Earlwood Public) and then both to STHS.
I was with him that night in 1970 when he first met his future wife Cathy. I was also sitting next to him in the front of his parents' VW Beetle which he was driving on a glue bomb raid of Hurstville Boys High School on our 6th Form Farewell muck up day.
Unfortunately, the car behind driven by another STHS 6th Former (who shall remain unidentified) and probably overloaded with a number of other STHS 6th Formers ran into the back of the VW on Forrest Rd and wrote it off. Fortunately, no-one was injure
Mark Eastwood's funeral service video:
