Rakocy family gathers work of a lifetime for estate sale after artist’s death

The recent passing of iconic local artist Bill Rakocy has left his family with a lifetime of works to sort through. Now they’re giving the community a chance to own a part of his legacy.

“He would love this today, to see everybody in here looking at his pictures,” said Gloria Rakocy, Bill’s wife of 65 years at an estate sale at their home on Saturday.

Rakocy was a prolific painter that called El Paso home for decades. He painted every day, producing thousands of watercolors, oil paintings, murals and more, showing a fascination with regional subjects and history.

Rakocy passed away august second, leaving his family to figure out what do with a lifetime of work. Gloria jokes that she begged him to clean up and throw out at least some things for years.

“He wouldn’t,” Gloria said. “He saved everything. Everything had value to him. So he saved everything.”

The sale Saturday is just one of many estate sales that will be going on over the next few months, both showing off his legacy and a lifetime of work, and sending all the proceeds to support his family.

“He would do anything to promote art, and he was always working in some field in art,” Gloria said.

It will take more time yet to sort through the rest of the artwork, but eventually Gloria will move out to be closer to her children. Once the artwork is gone, she plans to sell the home and warehouse buildings Bill built by hand to house his passion.

The sale continues Sunday at the Rakocy home at 4210 Emory Road, and there are more estate sales planned in the coming months. ABC-7 will post updates at kvia.com, or you can contact the estate agent Fred Evans at (915) 542-4848.