Peter Elloy celebrated his 70th birthday and 42 years’ service at La Salle College on March 19.
The college’s longest serving staff member has been described as a big brother, a father figure and now a surrogate grandfather to his students.
Mr Elloy’s work began in Calcutta when he worked with Mother Theresa in her orphanage and pharmacy while studying at the University of Calcutta, India.
Following his graduation, he worked as a teacher for five years in India before arriving in Perth in December 1971 with his wife Jennifer and their son James.
Mr and Mrs Elloy went on to have three more children, Leisha, Christina and Karen, and they all attended La Salle, which employed Mr Elloy in April 1972.
The next 42 years saw Mr Elloy holding a number of roles at the college including as Society and Environment Coordinator, Deputy Principal, House Coordinator and Religious Education Coordinator.
Mr Elloy is best known for his role as Year 8 Coordinator. Members of the college community told The Record that generations of students would remember him as a man renowned for his gentleness, humility and generosity.
In recognition of Mr Elloy’s 42 years, the newly built staff centre which was blessed and opened by Bishop Don Sproxton, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth on Friday, February 28, has been named in his honour.
A portrait painted of Mr Elloy by Madison Italiano from the Class of 2012 hangs in the Peter Elloy Staff Centre.
“It was a privilege to be asked to paint this portrait of Mr Elloy,” Miss Italiano said. “Mr Elloy was one of the first teachers I ever met at La Salle and I have many wonderful memories of him over my five years at the college.”
Miss Italiano said that Mr Elloy was loved and respected by everyone and she wanted the painting to capture these sentiments. “I asked past and present students to provide one word that they felt described him,” Miss Italiano said.
“I received so many replies that I could not use them all so instead I tried to incorporate the ones that were repeated most often.
“In doing so, I hope that my painting reflects how much Mr Elloy means to us all at La Salle College.”
The new Peter Elloy Staff Centre is a tangible way to honour Mr Elloy’s contributions to the college and has become a place of collegiality and recreation for the staff.
Mr Elloy continues his service as an Acolyte for St Jude’s Parish, Langford and also serves in that capacity at La Salle College.
One college staff member said he is known by the college as the embodiment of a La Sallian educator, providing a human and Christian education to his students.