Bill Parrack dies aged 77
Bill Parrack died aged 77, in the Arwyp Hospital, in Kempton Park, on the morning of Friday, March 27.
He was known as “Benoni’s master carver”, due to his proficiency in woodwork.
His daughters, June Labuschagne and Ann Barkhuizen, describe him as a firm disciplinarian, especially with regard to himself, never leaving a job half-finished.
They said he had an inflexible work ethic, always doing a job to the best of his ability.
He was a loving family man and a gentleman, who was well respected by those who knew him, and gave up a potential career in the military, which he loved, to be with his family.
Parrack married Margaret Daniels in the early 1960s and they remained married until her death, in 2010.
Parrack was born in Brakpan, but moved to Benoni as a child.
His daughters said he was a somewhat mischievous boy, but often helped to clean the aeroplanes in Airfield, as he was fascinated by aircraft.
Parrack attended Benoni High School and, at the age of 16, entered his apprenticeship, to become a patternmaker, at Standard Brass, in Benoni.
Parrack later moved into the engineering business, running his own company, Atlas Star Engineering, in Benoni since the 1970s.
His first and true passion, however, always remained wood carving, which he had taught himself.
He sold Atlas Star Engineering around seven years ago, after which he could focus entirely on wood.
“He always said the steel was cold, while wood was alive and warm,” said June , his younger daughter.
“He often spoke of the spirit in wood, saying there is a carving in every piece of wood; the challenge is for the carver to find it.”
At the time of his death, Parrack lived on a plot in the Benoni Agricultural Holdings, where he ran courses in his studio.
Most of Parrack’s work was “relief carving”, best described as carving pictures into a flat wood panel.
He was a founding member and past chairman of the East Rand Woodworkers’ Association (ERWA), a group which often does charity woodwork for schools, such as the Muriel Brand School for disabled children, in Brakpan.
Throughout the years, the association has made educational toys, frames for blackboards and other equipment for the school.
Parrack is survived by his daughters and four grandchildren, Chris and William Barkhuizen, as well as Megan and Ryan Labuschagne.
The memorial service was due to be held on April 8, at the House of the Lord, in Airfield.
