Jack Hargest Departs This Life

The Island Sun has learnt of the death of long-time BVI resident Jack Hargest on the 29th of February 2000. Affectionately known as "Jack Watergate", he was born on November 25th, 1920 in Rugby in England. During his early working life, he was apprenticed as a Mechanical Engineer with W & T. Avery Limited in the UK. Following that, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 as a Ground Engineer dealing with aircraft and transportation up until 1947. He became an extensive traveler, but kept contact with the firm of Avery Limited. After serving with the Royal Air Force, he then worked in India for some fourteen years with that company from 1949 to 1953.

Parting with Avery, he then decided to stay in India and took the post of Senior Maintenance Engineer for Simon Carves Limited, being responsible for all construction equipment and transportation throughout India and dealing with some 850 people.

This lasted until 1963 when he took a year off and traveled throughout the East and Europe. Mr. Hargest began his life in the Caribbean in 1964 when he joined the Demerara Bauxite Company, an Alcan subsidiary, in Guyana, South America as Senior Supervisor in charge of earthmoving equipment, construction equipment and transportation workshops. The company was nationalized in 1971 and so once again Jack was on the move, a move that brought him to Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda. He worked with Aquachem, who supplied and ran the water plant for the Hotel. At some stage the hotel took over the running of the water plant and he stayed on until his retirement in 1990, working there for eighteen years. During this period, he suffered some heart problems and had to go to Boston for a triple by pass, which was completed successfully.

In the earlier Virgin Gorda days, one could always find Jack doing his "ambassadorial" work at the airport. Friends predict he must have met nearly every plane that came in during that time and one could also see him saying "good-bye" to some very attractive ladies and families whose stay in Virgin Gorda had been made so much better by Jack's presence. The late Jack Hargest is said to have fervently loved Virgin Gorda, which is why he chose to make it his permanent home. When he was admitted to Peebles Hospital, he went with the understanding that there probably was a 25% chance of having to undergo a major operation and so his attitude was as cheerful as ever, joking with the nurses and patients, keeping people laughing as usual. However the operation was indeed major and unfortunately Jack succumbed, but he did not suffer.

The deceased was described as having an endless and engaging capacity to enjoy and touch all those he met with good fellowship and laughter, no matter what the circumstances.He was said to have devoted loyalty and a boundless willingness to help wherever he could; he had a dedication and consciousness to any task he undertook and shone as an example to all. The late Jack Hargest is survived by a sister Claire Taylor in England. There is a gathering at Mad Dog's following the funeral service and later on, as was his desire, his ashes will be scattered on the seas. The date for the service is yet to be decided.