Tribute to Robin Dabrera

Hi my name is Tani Dabrera, I am Robin Dabrera’s daughter. I was so touched and extremely happy to see all the wonderful people who have paid tribute to my beautiful dad.

There is some amazing stories, I hope one day to go to Sri Lanka and walk the steps my dad took.

He will always be this hard working, fun loving dad. When the grandchildren came, dad didn’t know what to do with so many……we have counted 14 all up.

Dad would always tell his cheeky jokes and we would laugh even though some of them were silly dad jokes……the grandkids loved them.

Dad recently told me a story about a perfume bottle and one of his friends sisters…..I would love to hear from that person. It was such a funny story I told this at dad’s funeral.

Dad worked at Leader Newspapers in Melbourne it became a family tradition, my grandfather Henry Dabrera worked there and I have been there for 22 years.

I love these stories about dad and if there is any more that people can tell please post them on this blog……Last year dad took us for the first time to the Flatters dinner dance.

We had a ball. What a fantastic event. He was just so happy having us there to meet his old friends from the past.

Dad wasn’t sick for long……but he gave us all 5 weeks to be with him, we got to tell him how much he means to us and what a huge love and support he was to all of us. On our last day with dad he talked to us for the first time in 5 weeks and we walked out of the hospital on cloud 9…..He said to us he wanted to go home…..I now know that home was with his parents and Sri Lanka his first love.

I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart…..to me dad will always be with us.

Thank you

DABRERA. - Robin. 13.10.1941 - 05.08.2012 A beautiful man who is kind, compassionate and loving to us all. We will miss your wonderful sense of humour. We love you more than you will ever know. Son of Henry and Dulcie (both dec.). Loving father to Joel, Caprice, Tani, Lauren, Michelle, Romaine and Debbie. Love of his life and best friend Cleone. Also father to Dannii, Craig and Nicholas. Grandfather to Jaden, Kayla-Rose, Ella, Chloe, Skye, Nicole, Russell, Joseph, Mark, Cherylee, Persia, Matthew, Maddy and William. Forever in our hearts

We will be having a Rosary and viewing on Tuesday 14th August 2012 at 6.30pm at Sacred Heart Parish Croydon, 35 Wicklow Ave Croydon, Vic 3136, Phone: 97244888
The church service will follow on the Wednesday 15th August at the same address at 11am.
We will then be going to Springvale Cemetary at the Boyd Chapel at 1.15pm.

• Kindly convey our deepest sympathies to the family and friends One by one, we move on...May he Rest in Peace! Fazli & Family/Riyadh
• Very sorry to hear this. Mohan Bhagwandas
• Thanks for sharing the sad news, Kumar. Robin is well known to us. Same batch. Upali Obeyesekere
• Robin was a quiet but a solid guy.
  I knew him well as we were both from 'H' Block and were both Rugby Players for our respective schools and he played for St.Peters and I for Thurstan. I remember we both represented our schools for Colombo Schools Rugby Trials to play against Outstation Schools. Robin was selected though we both competed to get into the line or wing. I was happy for him as I knew he was a bit faster than me., and that is the sort of Comradeship we shared in the Flats.
  My deepest sympathies to his wife and family members., and may the Turf be kind to you my friend.
  Trevor Jayetileke
• Robin was one of the most unassuming friends I had the previlage to know, always happy and smiling, just gives you a lift being in his presence. We had great times in the 50s he used to move like an express train. When I met him in 1988 on a visit to Aussie, I cannot remember him having such a large brood. Must get out the photos of that visit. My thoughts are with his lovely family. Sadly missed. Tony De Silva
• Robin was a wonderful brother and my sister Deanna and I will miss him very much. Early this year he spent a short holiday with me and my family in Perth and we had a great time together and recently I was in Melbourne and spent a few days with him and I am so glad I had that time with him. When he was critically ill I came to Melbourne but as there was some improvement in his condition returned home. My family and I are so sad that he has passed. We loved him very much - my husband Russell and I (Shirley) and all our children - Chris, Carmela, Anthony & Subi.
• .Sorry to hear the sad news. If possible please convey our sympathies to the family Rukmal Abeygoonesekera
• Robin was very special in our younger days in Bamba flats and was part of our barefoot battalion of those days and I am sure that Tony Edirisinghe and Morris Keegal will be with me in wishing him eternal peace, you are right one of the Legends has passed on into gods hands.with sadness -- Keith Haines
• Please send my condolence to the family of Robin. Ray Rathindran
• It so sad to hear of Robins passing away Please convey my sympathies to all the family members. We will have to hang on the the memories Robin has left us with. Lucky Ranchigoda
• It was really SAD news hearing of Robin’s demise on my return from Sri Lanka on the 9^th August,2012. Having reminisced with Russell Muller and Lucky Ranchigoda the good old days in the Flats we in fact brought up Robin’s name as I recall having told Robin that I envied his magnificent Calves and always dreamt of having Calves like that. I used to meet Robin at our local Super market here in Ringwood and he always had a yarn to tell. He was a great mate of many a Flatter and will always be remembered for his Quiet unassuming manner. A true Gentleman who will be Sadly missed by all who knew him. To the Dabrera Family please accept our sincere Condolences and be assured of our Prayers for our Dear Friend Robin. One of his Good friends from the flats Theone Mason (nee Hughes) also sends her condolences from the UK as she saw the Sad News on the Flatters & Friends site. I’m sure she too will send her own message to the Dabrera Family God Bless You Robin RIP Everard & Dagmar Hoffman
• I was so sorry to hear about Robin. He was an exceptional friend and will be deeply missed. He was a teenage friend to me and my brother John and played a part in our teenage escapades. As the years passed we grew up and moved on. Our paths divided and we drifted apart as we went to London and Robin to Australia. After very many years we rekindled our friendship thanks to 'facebook' It was through Robin that I got to know of the flatters website. He always spoke of his friends and family in Oz with much warmth and pride. I consider how fortunate I was to have a friendship that extended over all those years. My deepest sympathy to all Robin's family. Goodbye old friend. R.I.P. ( I have prayed to the Lord to save a place for Robin at the top table) Theone Mason (nee Hughes)
• Great memories of our happy boyhood. Love and sympathies to Shirley, Deanna and Robin’s family. Hilary, Penny Melanie and Joel (the White family)
• Yes! I do remember Robin Dabrera as he owned a cog wheel bike which was difficult to ride. What can I say other than to pay my sincere heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to his entire family.I will pray that his soul will rest in eternal peace. Sriantha Rajapakse
• Like everyone who knew Robin I too was very sad to hear of his passing away. However there is deeper level of sadness for some of us flatters who were a part of that unique bunch of comrades called the Barefoot Battalion of which Robin was a key member. Those were our formative years and all those who shared the ups and downs of that journey will forever share a unique bond. I have very fond memories of Robin at various stages of our growing up in the flats. Robin the schoolboy in his cabbage shorts, Robin the cyclist who nobody could beat (have you seen his calves!) Robin the working man who “stood” us all Icy Chocs at the Savoy with his 1^st pay , and of course Robin the “capper” but weren’t we all!. However, my most enduring memory of Robin will always be his contribution to the swimming culture of the flats by bringing the most enormous rubber tube we’d ever seen . Lots of flatters can thank Robin for learning to swim. I still can’t!

To Shirley and Deanna and Robin’s family please accept our sympathies and love. It was a pleasure and an honour to have shared a part our lives with Robin. Hillary and Judy Senanayake

• Please convey my deepest sympathies to his family and Cleone. Kevin Clogstoun
• Mrs N Sangarapillai of USA ( formerly at no 7 H block, 2nd floor from 1956 to 1981) and daughters Sakuntala and Nirmala ( Florida and New Jersey, USA) and Son Sangarabalan ( Thamby) from UK, would like to offer our condolences to the Dabera family members and wish to comfort them during a time of great sadness.
• Thanks for the recent update regards Robin Dabrera. Honestly, I do remember the parents well and their beautiful daughter who was an airline hostess. Also do remember when she was coming down the stairway as a bride, all the balconies in K block, G block, and H Block were full of people who had their eyes focused on her. I am not able to remember Robin himself, who I believe was a quiet chap. In fact, I met up with Suren in Boston at one of our family weddings and he asked me the same question as to whether I remembered Robin. Told him it was hard for me to recall him. Ravi Wijeyadevendram