Tributes following tragic death of NFU vice president
James Bourne
Richard Watson Jones who passed away yesterday. His leadership
qualities, forward-thinking, and pleasant manner had already marked him
out as a future president.
Mr Watson Jones was on holiday in Portugal with his wife Helen and their
two young children, when he was struck by a short and sudden illness. He
was 37 and was elected the youngest ever vice president in February.
Nice guy
West Midlands regional director Bob Forster told FOL Today that he had
worked closely with the vice president who farmed 1700 acres on the
Shropshire/Staffordshire border with his brother Stephen. He had marked
him down as a future president.
"Richard was a nice guy, as well as a very intelligent and forward
thinking man", he said. "We will miss him greatly as a friend, a
colleague, and a farmer. Our sympathies lie with his wife, Helen, his
children and the rest of his family.
"His main message as a vice president of the NFU was that the industry
needed to work together and pull together to drive the industry forward.
He thought that farmers should work together more closely in order to
improve their markets.
Modernise
"He also thought that the NFU needed to modernise to meet the challenges
of the future. He was the author of 'Meeting Members Expectations", the
project which looked at how the industry should change".
Welsh council delegate, Meurig Raymond, added that he was shocked and
saddened by the news.
"He was a tremendous young person who was eventually going to be a
leader of the industry. He was very knowledgeable, and his passing will
be a huge loss to the industry and to the NFU and particularly of course
to his family, he said".
NFU President, Ben Gill said Richard had given his all to farming and to
the NFU. He had been greatly respected.
"In the short time since his election to the officeholder team, he had
embraced the role with determination and dedication", he said. "The
staff and officeholders of the NFU are stunned at this tragic news. we
extend our deepest sympathies to his family. He will be sadly missed not
just by those who knew him, but the whole farming industry
--
JB
Supplied but not written by
James Bourne
By Lucy Hynes http://www.shropshirestar.com/
A LEADING Shropshire farmer has died suddenly during a family holiday in
Portugal.
Richard Watson Jones, who was 37, became ill last night after
complaining of headaches.
He suffered a heart attack after doctors discovered he had a brain
tumour which had bled into his skull.
Mr Watson Jones, who was married with two children and lived near
Newport, was elected the youngest ever vice-president of the NFU in
February.
He died while his family was trying to arrange for him to be brought
back to Britain for treatment.
Mr Watson Jones, who farmed 1,100 acres at Sutton, served as chairman of
the Newport Branch of the NFU, chairman of the Shropshire Arable Crops
Committee and the Allscott Sugar Beet Liaison Committee.
He leaves his wife Helen and two children Katherine, 12, and Jonathan,
10.
His uncle, Peter Watson Jones, said the farmer had been an "outstanding
young man".
He said the family were still in shock following the tragic news.
"He was a very busy man who was heavily involved in his work with the
NFU. With all that endeavour he was still a family man," he said.
Shropshire's farming community also paid tribute to Mr Watson Jones.
Family friend Chris Hayes of Birch Grove, Blymhill, said Mr Watson Jones
had been complaining of headaches whilest on holiday for his wife's
parents' 40th wedding anniversary.
He said: "The sudden death of Richard Watson Jones reminds us all of the
unseen disasters that strike with such severity at the human frame."
NFU president Ben Gill said: "Richard gave his all to farming and the
NFU. He was greatly respected by everyone in the farming community. In
the short time since his election to the office he had embraced the role
with determination and dedication.
"The staff and office holders of the NFU are stunned at this tragic
news. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and he will be
sadly missed not just by those who knew him but the whole industry