Industry stalwart loses fight against cancer

Freight industry stalwart, Bill Viveiros, has signed off his last consignment, in a manner of speaking, succumbing to a lengthy fight against cancer in Cape Town at the age of 73. The crippling disease notwithstanding, he was active right to the end of a fruitful career spanning 56 years. He died on October 17. To Bill’s way of thinking, he never really retired, says his daughter, Ilona. “He was very much a people’s person, as a father strict but focused on his family.” Bill had worked for the past five or so years as a consultant to DBSchenker in Johannesburg but relocated to Cape Town last year after a fall. He left school at age 14 in order to provide for his immediate family, determined to make something of his life. “In his younger years he was both loved and feared by colleagues, but mellowed as the years went by,” says Ilona. Bill is fondly remembered by many, including freight temp placement specialist, Lee Botti, and Tony Pheiffer, regional director sub- Saharan Africa and CEO of DBSchenker. It is Pheiffer, with memories dating back to the early ’90s, who recounts Bill’s considerable acumen at working with numbers, his expertise at speechmaking and other qualities, such as a sharp wit. Bill started his career with Divine Gates Co. in Cape Town in 1953, handling customs clearing, then spent 13 years with Parry Leon & Hayoe and 15 years with Freight Services. Shortly thereafter, he joined Lep International, where he was appointed MD with Rennies securing the Lep agency, rising to become head of Renfreight Aircargo. Over the last 14 years he consulted to various companies, including Grindrod, BAX and finally, DBSchenker, where he worked up till three weeks before his death. Family, former colleagues and friends celebrated Bill’s life at a memorial service held from 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, at the Cricket Clubhouse, Constantia Sports Field (Virgin Active Gym), Constantia Main Road. He leaves three children, Ilona Thorndike, a professional astrologer, Michael, an English teacher in Taiwan and Paul a commodity trader in Western Australia, and five grandchildren.