Rick Damelian, car dealer to the stars, dead at 68
It has been one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets. Larger-than-life car dealer Rick Damelian has died and been farewelled by some of the city’s biggest identities. Now, his younger widow has revealed how he spent his final day.
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Exclusive: It has been one of Sydney’s best kept secrets. The city’s former car dealer to the stars, philanthropist and larger-than-life personality Rick Damelian has died aged 68.
The one-time King of the Car Yards who at times sold outrageously expensive luxury cars to everyone from colourful racing identities, to the Packers and model Laura Bingle, passed away suddenly but peacefully in March at the North Shore home he shared with his wife of 14 years, jewellery retailer Jacqueline.
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But up until now, his death and details of his memorial service held on the day of the NSW State election, have been kept quiet while the family grieved.
His widow, family and closest friends made up a who’s who of Sydney identities at the service held for him at the Macquarie Park crematorium.
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Paying their respects to Damelian were former judge Marcus Einfeld, Jeff Fenech and his wife Suzee, Tom Domican and his wife Annie, Nick Politis, businessman Rodney Adler and his wife Lyndi, Johnny Weiss from the trans-Tasman Business circle, Joshua Berger and wife Michelle, Lindsay Ellison SC and wife Donna, Father Tony Doherty, and John MacLennan from The Australian Red Cross.
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In the wake of his death, family and friends have revealed some of the private side of Damelian, a gastronome who friends say introduced them to some of the finer things in life including Moet champagne, Lindt balls and beef carpaccio.
He was an opera loving, piano-playing, tango-dancing entrepreneur who fittingly played the score at his own funeral.
His recitals had been secretly recorded by family who loved his music, and two of his pieces — Don Mclean’s Starry Starry Night, and Frank Sinatra’s My Way — accompanied the service.
Damelian, who had diabetes, was described as big, blunt, loud, at times cheeky, always funny and a loyal man whose generosity knew no bounds with his inner circle and his many charities.
In her first interview with the media, Ms Damelian paid tribute to her husband who she said had worked tirelessly over the years for charities particularly the Australian Red Cross, Autism Spectrum Australia (he was Life Governor), The Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and The Ronald McDonald House of Charities.
Ms Damelian, said on the day he died, they had plans to spend the day together.
She said he just fell asleep and went peacefully.
“That was his way,” she said.
She said the man she met when she was in her early twenties, was the love of her life and her soulmate.
“We had a love story,” she told News Corp Australia.
“We were inseparable from the first day we met. We were tied at the hip.
“He always had my back. He was my biggest supporter.”
Born Ricardo Rovira “Rick” Damelian in Montevideo, Uruguay, he went to Harvard business school in the US before moving to London and then Australia in the 1970s to take up a job with a commercial vehicle dealership.
He soon bought his first property and opened his first car yard, Prestige cars, which became a landmark on Parramatta Road for drivers viewing the lights of Sydney in the rear-view mirror.
His motto was “excellence without compromise” and for decades he and his brother Robert dominated the car yard market holding the dealerships for SAAB, Honda, Suzuki, Fiat, Alfa, Citroen and Renault.
Their car yards even featured a gourmet restaurant and a cafe.
And then there was the head-turning, hit the brakes, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis mounted in the pre-owned luxury car showroom to entice passers-by.
At its peak, Damelian’s empire turned over more than $200 million a year and sold more than 100 cars a week to the ultra-rich.
He was a regular donor of cars to a range of charities including Ronald McDonald House.
With the advent of the GFC the dealerships went under.
The car yards were closed and his stunning waterfront home in McMahon’s point was sold off. Damelian was declared bankrupt in 2012.
But Ms Damelian said although they were tough times, his spirit remained.
“We adapted and moved on,” she said.
“In some ways we had regained our life. We began to enjoy our life even more with family and we had so much joy over the little things.”
They travelled overseas, and he continued to share his love of food and music.
Ms Damelian began her own e-commerce jewellery business Jackie Mack Designs.
She revealed that her husband was such a talented piano player, he and his brother used to play the clubs in Sydney when they first arrived in Australia.
“He had pianos everywhere at home, at the business, at his mother’s. His love for music remained until his last years,” she said.
The Damelians were married in 2005 at St Mary’s Cathedral, with a reception at Bennelong restaurant in the Opera House.
Damelian at the time told media outlets they wouldn’t be immediately taking a honeymoon because their life together was already a honeymoon.
He described his wife as the best thing that ever happened to him.
They met in Miami where Jackie was living and they immediately had a lot in common including speaking Spanish, sharing South American heritage and an interest in business — Jackie was studying for a bachelor of business.
“Jacqueline,’’ he told people, “is the best thing that ever happened to me.
“You just know when something is right.’’
Damelian is survived by Jackie, his brother, five children and seven grandchildren, the last one, a boy, was born earlier this month.
Originally published as Rick Damelian, car dealer to the stars, dead at 68
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