Vale – Mark Jayasundera (Class of 1981)
18 JULY 1964 – 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
Mark loved cricket and was an avid fan of the game his whole life. He was a great early leg spin bowler, perhaps the original spin king, before the great Shane Warne, also a Mentone boy. As Warne himself once said, “leg spin bowlers need a lot of love,” because wrist spin is considered the most difficult and psychologically demanding art in cricket. Those who kept wicket for Mark loved the experience and the challenge of facing his leg spin.
Mark also played hockey and former Principal and fellow teammate, Mal Cater (Class of 1981) remembers, “Mark was an enthusiastic hockey player who, like me, graduated in the year the School won its first and only hockey premiership, which was a source of great excitement for us all.”
Mark gave everything to the spirit of the game, even once had a front tooth knocked out while charging the opposition, which led to an implant, back when implants were still a very new thing!
He was often late leaving home. He told the story of his dad chasing down the School bus in his car from Wheelers Hill, flagging it down several stops later, and turfing Mark out, school bag, blazer, and hockey stick all in hand, just so he could jump on board. Mark remained late to most things for the rest of his life.
He also recounted a knock on the head, possibly from a cricket bat loftily wielded by good old Andrew Scott (Knight) (class of 1981), who later somehow convinced Mark to carry his school bag around for months while Andrew was supposedly “recovering” from a broken foot and using crutches. Andrew would load the bag with as many books as he could fit, just to see if Mark would protest at the weight, typical schoolboy tomfoolery. Mark never flinched.
Mark was a laconic man; his sparing words always carried weight. He was direct, yet somehow light-hearted and jovial, taking life in his stride no matter what it threw at him. Very few people knew him by his first name, ‘Lal’ short for Lalith, perhaps, a name shared with his closest friends. He loved life, and he was a great dancer, a skill first learned in nerve-wracking dance classes held jointly with Mentone Girls’ Grammar. Luckily, Mark survived those classes and went on to master his own version of Michael Jackson’s moonwalk.
He was a successful entrepreneur, growing a thriving car rental business in Dandenong that operated for over 30 years, and a savvy property investor besides. He sold the rental agency before retiring to enjoy life with his family.
Mark’s friends and family will miss him.
Labore et Honore
