Richard Dunstan: Family pays tribute to Macarthur paediatrician

Richard Dunstan was a giant of the Macarthur medical fraternity, known as a kind man and a great doctor. But, he was also the loving husband and father of a family proud to call him dad.

The family of a stalwart of the Macarthur medical fraternity have remembered him as a loving husband, a supportive dad and a role model to be proud of.

Richard Dunstan, fondly known as Ric to many, passed away last week, aged 69, after a battle with cancer.

He had worked as a paediatrician in the Macarthur region for more than three decades, but his family said he was more than just a doctor.

Donna Dunstan met her husband when they working at the same hospital more than 40 years ago.

“Late one night, he and one of the other doctors were working on a little girl in intensive care and she said to him ‘when are you going to take my Donna out,” she said.

“We had been married for about 36 years, but we had been together for about 44.

“When we got married I knew who I was marrying and I knew he was your old fashioned doctor. I knew we would come second to the hospital and we did, and I was proud of that because he would never not go in for an unwell baby. All of it, in the background, was done for us.”

Ric’s oldest son Andrew Dunstan said his father taught him to have a strong work ethic, to be patient and loving.

“My girls, Mia and Sophia, loved him and they had great days doing things like building a fairy garden out in Camden next to his chook pen,” he said.

“For me, he knew everything and he was the smartest man I knew.

“He was always fair and gentle and that’s how he lived his life.”

Ben Dunstan, Jonathan Dunstan, Zak O’Brien, Phoebe Dunstan, Ric Dunstan, Katie Dunstan, Nikki O’Brien, Donna Dunstan, and Andrew Dunstan at a Kids of Macarthur Ball.

Another of his son’s, Jonathan Dunstan, remembers growing up with children who would say ‘oh, your dad’s my doctor’.

“Then as you get older their kids are going to see dad as their doctor which is really nice,” Jonathan said.

“Everyone in town kind of knew the Dunstans because of dad and mum. They were so heavily involved in everything.

“He attended every rugby match I ever played. There was no big milestone that dad didn’t make.”

Phoebe Dunstan recalled her dad once explaining what a true father figure was.

“I think the reason everyone feels such collective pain is because dad embodied the characteristics of what a father figure was in everything he did,” she said.

“He said to me once that a father figure is someone who listens to you, comforts you, guides you and keeps on the straight and narrow.

“He was that person for patients, parents of patients, colleagues and to all of us.”

Ben Dunstan said his dad put 100 percent into everything he did, whether it was helping him build lego or learning about new topics.

“Whatever path we took as kids he would embrace it,” he said.

“He would always want us to get the best out of whatever it was. He wanted you to enjoy everything in life.”

Ric’s mother, Beryl Dunstan, said she was incredibly proud of him as a doctor, son and father.

“He was always a very good son to me,” she said. “I will miss him a lot.”

Mrs Dunstan said while the start of 2022 had been tough with the death of Ric, they were grateful for the time they shared in 2021.

Jonathan added that the Dunstans managed to fit more in one year than most families would in 10.

“He was taken too soon from us, but that last year we had was perfect and we are so thankful,” Mrs Dunstan said.

The family have asked those who are able to make a donation in Ric’s name to Kids of Macarthur Health Foundation, which he founded.