By Alesha Capone
Well-known Wyndham businessman William ‘Bill’ Bateman, who passed away last month, is being remembered as a “beautiful, kind, honest and loving human being”.
Bill’s wife Margaret said that sadly, her husband passed away on September 25 at the age of 71, after battling several cancers and other illnesses during the past 17 years.
The pair were married for 47 and a half years and had a son, Philip.
After emigrating from the United Kingdom 27 years ago, Mr and Mrs Bateman lived in Hoppers Crossing and Werribee.
In 1993, they opened the Wyndham Vale Service Centre on Ballan Road, leasing the space where the 7/11 store used to store soft drink crates.
“Bill opened up the workshop with his toolbox, one hoist and a large oil drum,” Mrs Bateman said.
A few years later – and with the addition of four bays, three hoists, an office, trailer hire, tyre sales area and tyre fitting bay – they changed the business’ name to Bateman’s Auto and became a Repco Authorised Service Centre.
They opened a second workshop in Russell Street, Werribee, a few years later.
“Our Wyndham Vale workshop was very well known in the area and we ran it successfully for many years,” Mrs Bateman said.
“To this day, we still bump into customers saying how well Bill and his team looked after their cars and what great service they received.
“We also entered the Wyndham Business awards during this period and were runners-up in the small business category.”
The couple sold up, wanting a change, but the business is still in existence, and is now known as Ultra Tune.
In 2004, Mr and Mrs Bateman purchased a store at Werribee Plaza, which they named Wyndham Mobility Equipment & Supplies.
“Bill and I built this store from a shell, fitting it out and Bill making furniture to suit the equipment we were planning to sell,” Mrs Bateman said.
They also opened up a second store in the Bacchus Marsh shopping centre.
In 2006, Wyndham Mobility Equipment & Supplies won the best New & Emerging Business Small category at the Wyndham Business Awards.
Due to Bill’s health, they sold the shop but started running a business from home, again selling mobility equipment.
They later moved the business online and also moved into a lifestyle village in Truganina.
Mrs Bateman said that she, her son and their “spirit daughter” visited Bill often, after he was admitted to palliative care at Werribee Mercy Hospital in September.
“I was with him, holding his hand when he passed away,” she said.
