On Christmas Eve 2018, a very special man, Casey Zarb passed away.
Casey, and many of his family members, are clients of our firm and I have always considered it to be a pleasure and an honour to be his Solicitor. Although, he passed away only a few days short of his 95th birthday, he and his wife Marge, were clients of our firm that I had regular contact with.
Below, are excerpts from the two eulogies delivered at his funeral, one by his son Steven Zarb, and the second one by his son-in-law David Aprile.
He was truly a quiet achiever.
Steven Zarb
He was born Emmanuelle Salvatore Augustino Zarb at Palma near Mgarr, Malta, on the 27th of December 1923.
In 1935 at the age of 11, with his father Victor & mother Pauline and five other siblings he migrated to Mackay, Australia on a 10-pound passage to join his three other siblings already here.
His early days in Australia were spent with his family on the farm at Wilson’s Paddock, then the family property at Tannalo & it was at this time he came to be called by his nickname Casey.
His fascination with mechanics began with farm machinery that had not been confiscated for the war effort, which lead to a lifetime passion for mechanics, transportation & technology. This interest in all things mechanical lead him & his brother Tony to purchase Finch Hatton Motors and later, the Mackay Bus Service.
In 1958, he won & started carting bagged sugar under contract, which lead to the incorporation on July 1, 1966 of Zarb Road Transport operating from McLennan Street, City Gates. He was a pioneer to the sugar haulage industry & to the economy of Mackay & districts. It was at McLennan Street the sugarcane transport business consolidated and the depot remains at this site to the present day. Over the intervening years ZRT has been a contractor to the sugar industry from growing and harvesting cane to the transport of cane stick, raw sugar, molasses, dunder or refined sugar in many different facets.
During his working life, Casey also pursued sugar cane farming interests which continue to part of the Zarb group’s portfolio today. He retired in 2001, but retained a keen interest in the company which retains Zarb family ownership and is controlled by eldest son David.
David Aprile
He was truly a remarkable man and his passing marks the end of an extraordinary era – that of a special generation of young Maltese men who with hope in their hearts and a commitment to hard work enriched a future for their families, their community, and their society. Casey is likely the last of them, but he was the Everest among them, the inspiring personality at the forefront, encouraging this group of hardworking pioneers to fulfill their dreams of a better life.
Although Casey had little formal education … he was a visionary and an innovator – both for his time – and ahead of his time. He had amazing understanding of all things mechanical and combined that with a unique talent of embracing change to advance and develop improvements.
His business acumen empowered him to develop a formidable enterprise based around his family and encompassing transportation, farming, harvesting, and real estate.
Casey was always seeking improvements in his business ventures by adopting and pioneering cutting-edge technology.
He supported local industry, and nurtured his fellow Maltese brotherhood, and the wider community, into ways of achieving better outcomes.
Despite his widely respected status as an extremely successful self-made man, Casey was very much a modest and gracious person who enjoyed nothing more than the simple pleasures of life.
He had a down-to-earth and easy-going nature to be a friend to all and to relate to anyone he encountered.
Anyone who ever visited Casey and Marge’s would always be invited to stay for a meal and a drink. That was Casey.
He was there for whoever asked for his help – and his kind-heartedness meant no one ever left empty handed.
On our journey of life, we traverse many crossroads, some of which cause us to alter our direction; I was indeed blessed at one of those cross roads almost 50 years ago to encounter Casey and to eventually become a son in law.
I soon learned that although he had a quiet dignity and was inspirational – his character was one of a STEADY calmness and a steely perseverance. His regular mantra was “paċenzja” …. “patience”.
And apart from the odd “by golly David,” or the occasional utterance of “Blimy Charlie” I cannot ever recall Casey being angry or raising a harsh word ….…. Although sometimes he would call me a “xadin” …… monkey … in Maltese.
He shunned the title of “Mr Zarb” – that was way too formal; – to everyone he was Casey, or Case, …… dad & granddad ….
Even though his mind was ever inquiring and forward thinking his greatest joys in life came from his devotion to his Christian faith, his much-loved wife Marge, his family, his home life and from unassumingly and diligently working on his business interests.
It was regularly one of my life’s pleasures to relax over a beer with Casey, to talk, to seek his wisdom, and to marvel as he recalled many enthralling tales of exploits, and adventures, that shaped and moulded his fascinating life. He could give insights and accurate narratives of historical events that happened during his lifetime – even though they may have occurred decades ago.
To the very end he amazed me with his intellect and his awareness and knowledge of local, national and global affairs. He embraced a compassion for the well-being of men, women, children, his family and his local community.
In these his last months, the dedication, the constant care, and the love he received from his dear Marge, and his dear family ensured Casey lived to a grand age and stayed home.
Whilst the eve of Christmas was a very sad and unfortunate time for him to be taken from us, maybe it was FATE that the God he so often prayed to, chose this time to call him home to rejoice in this hallowed season of CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION.
Casey’s often-used expression at this time of the year was “Happy Christmas and peace to men of goodwill” and I have no doubt he is AT ONE with those of goodwill and the devout faithful.
We, his family, and the broader community, are poorer for his passing but as a community, a society, and a family we have been immeasurably enriched because of his life, – AND for the time he spent in our lives, during his journey on this earth.
