Information and personal details and facts of William Lamprecht

EULOGY TO BILL LAMPRECHT 6/10/1995 [1;1,1R;1,2R]

5.3.1924 to 5.10.1995

Bill Lamprecht was born in Harlem, New York City. He had one brother George. They grew up on Long Island.
After he left school, Bill did various jobs including timber cutting in Oregon and Washington.
Bill was nineteen years of age when he joined the U.S. Army. He saw active service in Central Europe and was in the first group of G.I.s to open the gates of the Belsen Concentration Camp and witness the horror and brutality carried out by the Nazis, and which are now part of the history of World War II.
For his war service, Bill was awarded a World War II Victory Medal, a Philippines Liberation Medal, an American Service Medal, an Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, a European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, and was honorably discharged from his Infantry Regiment on February 1946.
After the War, Bill completed his apprenticeship in 1949, and was awarded his Journeyman's Certificate and became a member of the United Brotherhood of the Carpenters and Joiners of America.
Bill married Gladys Nancy, and they had two daughters, Joyce and Nancy, and two sons, Andrew and Eddie. Despite the marriage break-up later, Bill had always maintained a caring relationship with the four children.
Bill worked as a carpenter for many years. Then he was elected as union delegate on this particular worksite. The union members had asked the company for a wage increase which they felt they were entitled to and had asked Bill to negotiate with the management for their wage claim.The company agreed to the wage increase, but the final deal had to be confirmed by the Union officials in town. They came to the company's office and had a private discussion there. When the union officials came out of the office they told the carpenters their claim was rejected and to go back to work. The carpenters were very angry with the union officials and asked Bill to call a meeting and decide what action they should take especially when the company had agreed to pay the wage increase. The meeting was called and the carpenters refused to return to work unless their wage increase was granted. Because of their stand, the company sacked Bill who was also black-listed by the union. This meant Bill could not apply for any work where the union had coverage.
At that time Lindy was manager of a Long Island Bar. This was an interesting place which was well-patronised by professional and industrial people, such as doctors, engineers, air pilots and their crews, and construction workers including Bill Lamprecht.
Then Bill got a job as custodian of the Queen of the Rosary Academy on Long Island. His responsibilities involved checking the safety of all the school equipment, ensuring that maintenance work was immediately attended to by the appropriate companies, and general caretaking work. He also got a special licence to drive the school bus. The students at the Academy just adored Bill. They used to call him "Mr. Bill", and when he left to come to Australia , the children presented him with a beautiful framed hand-painted picture. They and the nuns were all sad to see him go. The class of 1985 dedicated their Year Book, " Regina 1985" to Bill.
Bill and Lindy were married in the Uniting Church on Long Island on 26th December 1976. Over the years they made many trips to Australia and always brought gifts for everyone. Lindy's mother, father, aunt and other family members enjoyed the hospitality of the Lamprechts and their many friends on Long Island. They also traveled extensively around the States and on their return to New York, Bill, always reliable, would be waiting to take them back to Long Island. Close friends, firefighter Bill Gallagher, and his wife Maureen, airline employee, got a great welcome at the Manly Sailing Club party when they came over here for holidays.
There was no place for racism in the Lamprecht home on Long Island. Their many friends from a variety of different backgrounds were always welcome, Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Catholics, Jews and protestants wined and danced on the huge balcony Bill had built, or on the lawn below. They were people with a wide variety of occupations: airline staffs, hospital staff, chemists, drink waiters, shop assistants, and people with many other skills all enjoyed the Lamprecht's hospitality.
Bill loved jazz, especially Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole. When Lindy and Bill first met up, Bill admitted that he couldn't cook and Lindy said to him "if you want to live with me you had better learn how". Well, Bill did, and he ended up being a wonderful cook, trying out all sorts of recipes from the heap of cookery books Lindy had given him. He experimented with a variety of ingredients and produced many exotic dishes much to the delight of their guests.
Bill was a very compassionate man who cared about people and making sure they got a fair deal. He also had a great sense of humour. His visitors were always greeted with "would you like a cup of corfee?" and on went the percolator. He was also an avid reader and a regular visitor to the local Wynnum Library.
On Long Island he used to do carpentering work for this lovely elderly black lady who was caring for war veterans and was on a pension. Bill did a lot of work like that as he loved to make people happy.
When Lindy and Bill came to live in Australia permanently, they knew what kind of a house they wanted to build - one that would have a large lounge area for entertaining. Bill designed and built all the kitchen interior, He was a very innovative cabinet maker. While he worked in the garage sawing the timber and making the kitchen cupboards, Sashi the golden labrador would always be with him.
Bill loved the Australian outback, its folk-lore, its poetry, and all kinds of Australian art. Many of the pictures hanging on the walls were framed by him.
Shortly after Lindy and Bill returned home from Winton's lOOth Anniversary Celebrations of Waltzing Matilda, Bill had a Stroke early in May. From then on he was in the Brisbane Princess Alexandra Hospital for various tests which confirmed that Bill had lung cancer and also three brain tumours. All during this time Lindy had combined her nursing job with visits to the hospital, keeping up Bill's morale.
In June, Joyce and Nancy flew over from Long Island and spent three weeks with their father. Lindy hired a wheelchair for Bill and drove them to see some of Queensland's beautiful beaches, its wildlife and other places of interest. They took back with them many reels of film and also happy memories of the wonderful people they had met here. It was a very sad farewell for them knowing this would be the last time they would see their father.
The Belmont Hospital staff and Management gave Lindy whatever support she needed for Bill's care. Our family wishes to express its sincere appreciation for their understanding and concern which has helped Lindy cope with the stress of Bill's illness and death. So too, we thank the Blue Nurses and the other carers who have done so much to help Lindy cope with Bill's illness.
May our families and friends and members of the American Legion who have come here today to farewell Bill Lamprecht, always have fond memories of a man whose kindness and generosity won the hearts of all those who had the pleasure of knowing him. Our gratitude to Lindy's mother, Stella, for writing this eulogy.