Rodney Varlack
2012 St. John Festival Parade Grand Marshal Rodney R. Varlack was born on the island of St. Thomas some 81 years ago to Sylvia James and Cecil Varlack. During his early childhood he moved to the island of Puerto Rico where he resided for seven years and became fluent Spanish.
For some time, it even became the only language he understood! Except he was taught by his Mom to recite in English “Yes, Mom,” “No, Mom,” “Thank you,” “Hail Mary” and the “Lord’s Prayer.”
Varlack, also known as Chief, returned to St. Thomas at age seven aboard the M/V Catherine — after missing the vessel the week before because of the late arrival of his horse-drawn taxi to San Juan.
On St. Thomas Varlack and his mother resided on Garden Street and he attended the Catholic School. He was retained in the first grade because his English vocabulary was limited. The family moved to Savan, and then to Hospital Ground. Varlack’s mother fell ill and remained in the hospital for a period of two years during with time he visited her three times a week until she passed on.
Chief was left in the care of his father, Cecil and his wife Edith, and his Uncle Charles and his wife Chrisi. Varlack’s daily routine included fetching dog food, buying bread, catching fire, making his bush tea for breakfast and cleaning lampshades. All this had to be completed before he went to school.
After school he had to take lunch to his father who worked at a grocery store located at the present day Department of Education. Not in agreement with his lifestyle, which included punishment, Varlack ran away from both homes on many occasions. While out on his own, he maintained himself by selling straps of fish and bunches of genips at the market.
Varlack bought and delivered groceries and bottled soda for anyone who was willing to pay between .50 cents and $1. He walked to Magens Bay with his flambo, cruda bag and walking stick to torch crabs, which he also sold. Some days a Frenchie would give him fish, which he would roast on the beach.
He slept in old abandoned cars and arches and washed his clothes by the well, all the while still attending school on most days. For entertainment, he played softball as a pitcher or at shortstop. He also enjoyed swimming at Magens Bay where he met his long time friend Austin Brathwaite, better known as Pilot, who passed on a few years ago.
After being fed up with his vagabond lifestyle he went to live with his Godmother Magalivetha Richardson, and told her of his desire to be admitted to the boys home. When that did not work out, being determined, he spoke to Ms. Proudfoot, a welfare personnel employee. Chief told her he wanted to move to St. John, but was disappointed when he was told he needed his father’s consent.
His Godmother eventually was able to convince his father to let him relocate and Chief entered the boy’s camp at age 11. He remembered his first boat ride to St. John was aboard the M/V Watts.
Varlack was under the watchful eye of Mr. Scott who ran the camp in Calabash Boom. At camp he felt good being around other boys of similar nature and his own age, like Lawrence Satory, Clyde Williams, Vern Callwood, Leando Hendricks, Raphy Hendricks and Andrew Prentice, to name a few. At camp is where he met Mr. Guy Benjamin, one of the most influential persons in his life.
Varlack’s daily routine at Calabash Boom was to pump water from the well to tanks. He also had kitchen duties and helped with the cooking and baking and planted lettuce and cabbage. For recreation the kids played ball and went to the beach. On moon-lit nights they would catch lobster and whelks. They worked during the day and went to school at night from 7 to 9 p.m. Varlack stayed at Calabash Boom for just one year.
At the age of 18, he returned home from camp and got a job with the Department of Public Works on St. Thomas as a Machinist/Mechanic and at the Hilton during its construction period. The labor was hard and he only earned $100 per week. Still determined to gain more knowledge and earn more money, Varlack quit the Hilton and went to work for Tropical Motors for five to six years, where he continued to improve his skills.
With a few dollars in his pocket, he purchased his first truck named “Island Girl Audrey.” Varlack turned that over and purchased a red convertible Studabaker, which he sold before he entered the U.S Army. He was stationed at Fort Knox for four and one-half years.
Chief was honorably discharged in 1956 and returned to St. Thomas, but worked on St. John. He continued to execute mechanic work and service cars with his partners Urman Fredericks and Edmond Thomas.
Varlack then leased property from the Morrisette family and sold gas. It did not flourish, however, for there were only 10 cars on the island. He then resorted to selling tires and batteries and repaired transmissions.
At that time Chief purchased his first piece of property and then moved the entire operation. He became a Car Broker for Tropical Motors and Toyota.
Varlack is the one who is responsible for the creative design and construction of the present day safari buses which are used territory-wide. Next, he experimented with renting cars. The first car, “The Donkey” was rented below the Custom’s Building in the park by miss Dorothy Bottom.
He then rented the notorious Mini Mokes, the Thing, Jeeps and the like.
Island tours for visitors were the next venture. Varlack provided daily escorted full or half day tours which included his famous “Joy Juice,” fry fish and Johnny cakes and lively scratch band music. These tours buses soon became school buses early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
To move his tours more efficiently between St. Thomas and St. John, he purchased his first vessel the M/V Mein Kapitan. Chief was also responsible for the very first visits of the black ships, Veendam and Radadam, and the Skyward to the shores of St. John.
As that grew, and with the addition of the exclusive franchise, he purchased or built several other vessels to include Cindy D, Bomba Challenger, Venture, Nicky V, Venture Star, Missy V, Venture Pride, Lady Venture and last but not least the Capital Venture.
Along the way he sold ice, provided wrecker service, sold vehicle parts and supplies, provided welding service, and transported U.S. mail by land and sea. All of the mentions are the foundation for what is known as Varlack Ventures, Inc.
Even though Chief is in retirement, he still aspires to do as much as he can for the sea transportation between the U.S. Virgin Islands. He believes in keeping idle hands busy and has employed, trained and nurtured many young people in the community.
Varlack envisions a vocational school on the island of St. John one day that will afford the young ones an opportunity to learn a skill if moving away is not an option. Meanwhile, he continues to enjoy a quiet lifestyle, occasional reminiscing of his ventures, festive visits from his 13 children, 33 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
