William Wallace
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
(Bill) Russell
December 2, 1926 to March 4, 2013.
Lisa Tisdell
BILL Russell loved to serve the community, whether it was through his work or community-based groups.
Playing the bagpipes, golf and sailing were among his interests.
Bill was born at Royal Women's Hospital in Paddington in 1926 to Wallace Russell and May McIntosh Russell (nee Reid).
The beginning of a career in journalism was interrupted by a stint in the army (AIF), from January 1945 to March 1947.
He returned to journalism, but only for another year.
In 1948, Bill was awarded a rehabilitation scholarship to matriculate for university and completed a Diploma in Civil Engineering in 1953.
He practised his early engineering in Penrith, Drummoyne and Warringah and Berrigan near the Victorian border, then moved to Wauchope in 1961.
He was Hastings Shire engineer and later municipal engineer for the amalgamated council until retirement in 1986.
Bill was an active member of the Institution of Engineers Australia - now Engineers Australia - and the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW. Bill met Pamela Templeton at Petersham Town Hall in 1953.
The couple married in 1955 and had four sons - Les, Cam, Dug and Mal.
Bill was well-known for his bagpipe playing - he was a founding member of the Hastings District Highland Pipe Band and served many years as pipe major.
Hastings District Highland Pipe Band president Ross Scott said Bill had held virtually every position in the band, from playing to administration.
"I remember him as a competent band master, pipe major and leader for the band, and as a personal friend," Mr Scott said.
Bill also loved the sound of operatic tenor voices and was a keen golfer and sailor.
He was a life member at the Wauchope Country Club, serving for many years on the golf club committee and lending his engineering expertise to the design and redesign of some of the holes over the years.
Wauchope Golf Club ex-president John Hill said a one-verse bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace was one of his fond memories of Bill.
The occasion was a short ceremony to commemorate the Bali bombing victims.
"There wasn't a dry eye in the house," Mr Hill said.
Bill was on the crew of the Kurrewa IV, which was first over the line in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 1956/'57.
A few sailing trips came later, with yachting mates taking Bill to locations including to Fiji and Lord Howe Island.
Bill constructed a clinker-built dinghy from scratch in the back shed to teach his sons to sail. A passion for golf and sailing were passed on to his four sons.
On top of his engineering diploma, Bill completed an economics degree as a mature age student because he wanted to be able to help the boys with their maths at school.
Bill loved to serve the community, and not just through his engineering work on the council.
He was a member of Apex until he turned 40, then joined the Wauchope Rotary Club.
He was with the Rotary Club for at least 40 years, serving as a director and then as president in 1987-88.
Fellow Rotarians will remember Bill as a gentle kind man, reliable and approachable; a hardworking Rotarian, who truly cared about his community and fellow man.
Bill was always happy and enjoyed sharing a yarn and working with his mates on local projects.
He was recognised for his service to the community with the honour of a Paul Harris Fellow, in March 1998.