Legend. This is what everyone had to say about Bill Harrop (81) –
owner of Bill Harrop’s “Original” Balloon Safaris, established in 1981 – after hearing of his passing yesterday (July 4), so soon after his wife Mary was also given her “angel wings”, as their daughter, Sarah Bauling, describes it.
The tourism industry was reeling last night as the news broke, with most remembering him being the life and soul of the party, “always first to open the dance floor and the last to leave it”.
Many remember his kindness and his sense of humour. And all remarked on the indelible mark he left on everyone in the tourism industry.
Now Media journalists, including myself, remember the twinkling, blue-eyed, debonair man with his tweed coat, deerstalker hat and jaunty bow-ties (or cravats), always ready with a joke and encouraging everyone, always, to dance.
Now Media sales director, Linda van der Pol, remembers him as a great man, full of character and charm, who always gave great hugs.
“We have lost one of life’s great characters, who contributed so much to tourism,” added Now Media’s Dave Marsh.
SATSA coo, Hannelie du Toit, expressed what many in the tourism industry echoed: “I had been holding my breath ever since I heard Mary and Bill were in hospital, shocked to hear when Mary passed, willing Bill to recover with all my heart and am now utterly devastated.
“Perhaps life knew that they needed to leave the same way they had lived and worked for an entire lifetime – together. But it means now that my life is a little less magical.”
She added that she counted herself lucky to have known and worked with Bill. “I wish it were for much longer but love and respect aren’t measured in time, but quality. And that I certainly had.
“What you leave behind, Bill, is not what is written in words or captured in financial statements but what you gave to the tourism industry and to so many friends and family. You are, and will remain, our tourism legend.”
Bill Harrop was immense, said SATSA ceo, David Frost. “It’s the best word I can use to describe him. He was also fairly omnipresent – from my first ITB as the adviser to Pallo Jordan in 1998, to responding three weeks ago with an offer to contribute financially to our lobbying efforts in the UK.
“He loved the industry he worked in. He went well beyond simply running a ballooning operation. A stalwart in our long-running efforts to self-regulate the adventure tourism sector. Special memories of flying with then Minister Derek Hanekom and wife and my wife and son. Doing a song and dance routine while we counted votes at the SATSA Conference and AGM. We also jousted on occasion, but were able to shake hands and move on. Privileged to sup at his and Mary’s table. We are all poorer for his passing.”
David added that there was not a role that Bill didn’t play in SATSA over the 40 years and 17 days exactly that he was a member. “From EXCO, to chapter, to committee member to SATSA Treasurer, he was an integral part of the fabric of our association national and locally.
“A committed and most loyal member who fought for the integrity of SATSA and who participated right to the end with his offer to contribute to the red list lobbying just three weeks ago.”
SATIB’s André du Toit – who also serves as co-chair for SATSA’s Adventure Chapter – agreed that while Bill had his “fun, party side”, he was also very serious and committed to the tourism sector and his “tourism family”, throwing every bit of his energy into tourism
“He has always been a great advocate for insurance and liability and understood risk management. This was clear in how he conducted his business,” he said.
Ex-SATSA ceo, Gail McCann, noted that she had known Bill and Mary for about 25 years and remembers them with love.
“When I was ceo of SATSA, Bill was always there for sympathetic advice. Always with a smile on his face and a joke to be made. They both became friends and people I admired. Mary forever in the background, ‘allowing’ Bill with his antics and be the Bill we all loved.”
Celebration for Bill and Mary
Bill and Mary leave behind their two devastated children, Sam and Sarah, as well as grandchildren James, Jordan, Jennifer and Amy.
“His commitment to the industry has spanned over 40 years and he truly loved every moment of simply ‘making people’s dreams come true’.
“He has left a void in the African skies; he has taken his last flight, he has joined his eternal sweetheart Mary,” said the Harrop family.
There will be a celebration of Bill and Mary’s life, which the family says can be attended by “anyone and everyone who has been touched by our beautiful warrior mom and/or our hero dad”.
The celebration will be on Zoom on July 10 at South Africa 10h00 | UK 09h00 | Australia 18h00.
Those wishing to attend this can email the Harrop’s daughter (sarah@sarahbauling.com.au) and she will send a link as well as the programme.
Alternatively, the event will be live-streamed on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9fPVPiAr22c
If you would like to share a story or memory of your time with Bill or Mary, this can be shared with Sarah. The tributes received before Wednesday will be included in the celebration of their lives.
Let’s remember Bill and Mary as dancing (and singing) in the clouds as their legacy lives on.
