Article and photos courtesy of Manning River Times
Raising a glass for mum: James Griffin, Joy Griffin, Maurie Stack, Deidre Stack,
Mavis Spinks (head of table), Tim Stack, Bev Stack, Ray Stack and Geraldine
Stack.
JULY 21 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of a significant Wingham identity, Hazel Olive Stack (nee O’Brien).
Hazel was one of nine children of Thomas and Emily O’Brien and grew up on the family wheat and sheep property 10 km from Dubbo.
She studied violin at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and there met a pianist (and lawyer) from Bogan Gate near Parkes, Ray Stack who went on to become the founder of Stacks Law Firm.
Hazel and Ray married and settled in Wingham where Hazel resided in the family home in Machin Parade until she passed away in 1964.
They had five children including Ray, Maurie and Tim who also became lawyers and who are now the three directors of Stacks Law Firm.
Hazel passed onto her children the country values of quiet determination and generosity of spirit – Ray, Maurie and Tim have each been honoured with an OAM for different community activities. Maurie is also a past president of the Law Society of New South Wales.
The firm now has 23 offices throughout New South Wales with more than 70 solicitors and 200 staff.
The firm has many clients from the Manning Valley region who will be familiar with this renowned local firm. Many readers will be familiar with the articles that appear regularly in this newspaper under the heading “The Legal Light” in the name of Justin Stack, a grandson of Hazel O’Brien.
Grandsons Ben Stack and Paul Stack are now respectively the CEO of Stacks Law Firm and managing director of Stacks Finance, David Stack is a Sydney barrister and Phillip Griffin is a Queensland lawyer.
On July 21, Hazel’s surviving children (Ray, Maurie, Tim and Joy) dined in her honour for if it were not for the life of this distinguished Wingham lady born 100 years ago, there would be no Stacks Law Firm and the largest regional law firm in New South Wales would not exist.
Vale Hazel Stack.