Vale William (Bill) Peacock OAM PHF+8
The outpouring of love, support, grief and gratitude for Bill Peacock, following his death on Sunday 27 November 2022, has been overwhelming.
Bill helped so many people throughout his life. His generosity and care for others was inspirational. If you were lucky enough to met him you immediately knew that you could learn so much from him. He was a mentor and teacher to so many. I have not known anyone else that has given so much to his community in such a caring, kind and supportive way.
Even after he was told he only had months to live, he still continued helping others. Over the last two months he held several World’s Greatest Meals to End Polio. One day he went to Woolworths and purchased a couple of chickens, salads and vegetables. He then went home and divided everything into meal packs and had Peter, his carer, deliver the packs to a local family in need.
Bill was born on 17 December 1945, and in August 1950 he contracted polio. He was living in Tocumwal, NSW near the air force base and was flown to Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne and spent months in an iron lung. Bill said if it hadn’t been for the air force he would not have survived. In early 1951, paralysed from the neck down, he was transferred to Frankston Orthopaedic Hospital, where he remained until December 1957. During these years, he learnt to walk with calipers and was educated by the Victorian Correspondence School.
Bill went on to have an amazing life. He owned hairdressing salons in Melbourne and Sydney, he was a hair and makeup artist for the BBC, Universal Studios, the ABC, and Channels 7, 9 and 10. He was a judge on the Miss Australia Quest, wrote training manuals for the hair and beauty and makeup industries, opened Australia’s first private nationally-recognised vocational training school, co-owned restaurants, was a teacher/trainer, a marriage celebrant, a disability advocate and a proud Rotarian.
In 1981, aged 36, Bill had a post-polio episode and was admitted to Nambour Hospital. He had been working as a judge on the Miss Australia Quest. Friends,who looked after his post-operative accommodation, introduced him to their friend, Rotarian Sir Clem Renouf.
Bill said Sir Clem and he ‘had many a meal together and had lots of discussions, in particular about polio and the physical and financial support given to me (Bill) by Rotary through the Crippled Children's Association’. In 1997, Bill’s body collapsed and he moved to life in a wheelchair. In 2016, Bill was in a bus accident which further limited his mobility.
Despite all he has endured, Bill continued to work tirelessly for his local community, for Rotary and Spinal Life Australia. Up until 27 September 2022, Bill was the Australian and Oceania coordinator of World’s Greatest Meal to help End Polio, Foundation Director for D9560 Passport Club and Polio Chair for District 9560. He was also a Peer Support Advocate for Spinal Life Australia and a Disability Consultant and Advocate.
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