17.02.2015

Rex David Pollock 1945-2015

New Zealand crane hire veteran Rex Pollock died last week after a long battle with cancer, his funeral procession on Saturday was something to behold and the industry turned out to recognise one its leading lights.
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Rex Pollock

Rex Pollock was born in Taranaki and after completing a building apprenticeship in 1965 he went into partnership with his former foreman Allan Todd, forming crane and transport company Todd & Pollock.

The business expanded into a leading transport and crane rental operation in the Bay of Plenty and when Todd retired in 1986 he sold his half of the business to Pollock. 12 years later - in 2008 - the company was re-branded as Pollock & Sons Crane Hire as a second generation began to become involved in the management of the business and his step-son Wayne was appointed as director.

In addition to his crane activities, Pollock was heavily involved in the
Tauranga speedway, having moved to the town in the late 1950s. In 1992 he helped form the local Todd & Pollock Baypark Busters stock car team. He was also a regular contributor to the local community and charities.
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The funeral procession passes through Tauranga

He planned and helped organised his own send-off, in order to take the stress of it away from the family and to go out in the way he wanted. A long procession of cranes and trucks, including one carrying his coffin - in company colours of course - took an hour to travel from his home in Tuaranga, through the city centre to ASB Bank Arena/speedway track in Mount Maunganui, where the service was held, followed by a tribute from the Stock car/speedway community.

Police stood at intersections along the way to manage traffic as the convoy passed through, with hundreds of people watching it go by.

Pollock is survived by wife Cheryl, three children and three step-children and 15 grandchildren as well as his brothers Bill and Cecil, both of whom are older.