Bruce McDonald was one of the good guys of Campbelltown.
Mourners at his funeral today heard he was also many other things to his large family of six children and 17 grandchildren and his friends and the local community.
But it’s well known that having found himself in a position where he could make a difference, Bruce McDonald always put Campbelltown first.
There’s no doubt that Campbelltown has grown to be what it is today thanks to visionary people like Bruce McDonald, his mate Gordon Fetterplace and many others.
He was deputy council general manager – or town clerk as they were known then – for 11 years until he got the top job in 1971.
Not bad for the boy from Condobolin, whose first job as a railway porter meant his biggest responsibility was to make sure the toilets were clean.
McDonald arrived in Campbelltown 65 years ago but nobody’s really sure whether he adopted the town or it adopted him.
It was probably a bit of both and as a result Campbelltown and Bruce McDonald did very well out of the relationship.
In 1976 he was appointed chairman of the Macarthur Development Board, which enabled him to be a good guy for the entire region as it grew and grew.
But long before that, Bruce, brother Ron and a few other local good guys had this dream of a new club and the Campbelltown Catholic Club was the result in the 1960s.
It was a mark of the man that Campbelltown packed St John’s Catholic Church for Bruce McDonald’s funeral this morning before they headed to the “Catho’’ for the wake.
Among the mourners we spotted Scott Wakeling, Mick Sewell from Campbelltown Council, Michael Lavorato, the chief executive officer of the Catholic Club, and lawyer Patrick Duffy.
The tributes from Father John Ho, the presiding priest, and his sons David and John, painted a picture of a wonderful human being who loved his family and his local community.
Former NSW Minister Craig Knowles also sent a generous tribute that was read out and which confirmed that Bruce McDonald was a Campbelltown patriot.
Today he received a worthy final farewell from his family, friends and associates – and those who did not know him very well but nonetheless were grateful for his contribution to Campbelltown.
Bruce McDonald was 85 when he passed away on the weekend.
May he rest in peace.
Sorry I missed you at the funeral Eric as it was a great turnout.
Bruce was deputy Town clerk on the council when I was first elected in 1962 so it appears that I am now the last member of all the senior staff and councillors.
As you say all those who played such big part in the growth of this city are now passing into history as the area is choking on the traffic generated by this growth.
I had to go to Camden last evening and it was painful.
Sorry I missed you, too, Frank Ward