The body repair industry lost one of its greatest champions, Garry Clear, who sadly succumbed to his battle with cancer on Christmas Eve last year.
A highly regarded teacher and mentor, Garry was Head Teacher Autobody Repair and Refinish at TAFE NSW. He was a great believer in education and played a vital role in raising the standards of students in the TAFE system.
He was also Chairman for the WorldSkills Australia Sydney region and held many roles throughout the WorldSkills Australia programme since 1992 at a regional and national level, such as Chairman, Team Leader, Chief Judge, Skill Project Designer, Convenor, and Trainer.
WorldSkills Australia said Garry was a dedicated volunteer who had a huge impact on the WorldSkills programme, driving excellence across the automotive industry. His passion was infectious and the impact he had on young Australians across the country was a true representation of his dedication to assist the next generation of talent and industry leaders.
“Garry fought a brave and courageous fight against cancer over the years and Garry did it in his usual style of getting on with the job – a no fuss attitude – and took the fight all in his stride in a private manner,” said Adam Lucas, NSW State Manager at WorldSkills Australia. “Garry’s happy-go-lucky attitude, jovial sense of humour, committed and dedicated outlook to everything he undertook and was involved with, will be greatly missed by all.”
Other colleagues also paid tribute to Garry, describing him as a “nice bloke”, “reliable friend” and someone who went the extra mile to help anyone in need. Friends also said he had great people skills, a never-ending passion for the industry and “honestly loved what he did”.
The team at BodyShop News extend our condolences to Garry’s family and friends.