Joan Mason

Mrs Joan Mason (Heronsflight) passed away on 9th December 2013. Joan will be fondly remembered by many in the breed, she was a keen and very knowledgable lady and will be missed by many members.

Joan’s involvement with the breed started when she acquired her first bitch, Heronsflight Blackbell of Yarlaw in 1964. In partnership with her daughter, Rosemary Talbot, the kennel has enjoyed great success over the years.

Elaine Whittaker writes:

On the 20th December 2013 I attended the funeral of Mrs Joan Mason, the Patron of the Flatcoated Retriever Society, held at the very beautiful, traditional old church of St Mary’s in Ilmington, a picturesque village where Joan and her family have lived at Mansil Farm for many years.

It was a fitting service with tributes being read by her eldest son David, her grandaughter Amanda, and a poem read by her daughter-in-law Angela. Her grandson Elliot read Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my Shepherd”. I know Joan would have been very proud of her family on this day. A tribute was also read by Mr Brian Izzard, until recently the Chairman of the Flatcoated Retriever Society. Joan, of course, being great friends with his mother Margaret of the Ryshot affix all those years ago.

After the funeral we were invited to the Howard Arms in Ilmington for refreshments and shared many good memories of Joan before braving the Christmas traffic on the journey home.

Joan and I have been friends since I started in Flatcoats in 1980 being introduced to her by Denise and Neil Jury and what a dear friend she was, always there for advice with her many years of experience and wisdom. As a chapter of my life closes I will never forget the happy times at Mansil Farm with Joans’ legendry ploughmans lunches in the kitchen full of Flatcoats and the farm cats that were always welcome to come in and have a snuggle by the Aga. Not to mention occasionally being spat at on arrival after she and David rescued “Lenny the Llama”.

A true friend who will be greatly missed.