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Obituaries
We have a new page on our website where obituaries are published in full: https://www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/news/obituaries. Below are summaries.
Peter Betts, CB, CBE
HISTORY, 1978
1959-2023
I met Pete on our first day at Mansfield in October 1978. We would become friends for 45 years until he died aged 64 in October 2023.
Pete was a warm, funny man with a taste for relentless self-mockery. A highlight of his time at Mansfield was organising two cabarets of music, comedy and dance.
After Oxford, Pete joined the civil service fast stream, eventually specialising in climate change. For six years he was lead negotiator for both the UK and the EU. Pete’s crowning achievement came at COP 21 in Paris in 2015, which resulted in the Paris Agreement. As former Conservative Environment Secretary, Lord Deben, said at his funeral, Paris would not have happened without Pete and a handful of others.
Pete was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March 2022. He met his diagnosis with typical humour and honesty and turned it into an opportunity to spend time with his wife Fiona, deepen his many friendships and write a book. He is survived by Fiona, his parents and his sister Susan.
Jules Birch (English, 1978)
Robert Ward Jackson
GEOGRAPHY, 1974
1956-2023
Robert Ward Jackson, a graduate of Mansfield in Geography, died on 17 April 2023. After College, Robert trained as an accountant and pursued a career in corporate finance. In July 1978, he married Caroline, and together raised their children, Annabel and Matthew. They later welcomed four granddaughters. Robert maintained connections with his Mansfield contemporaries, many of whom attended the Service of Thanksgiving held to honour his memory. He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by family, friends, and colleagues.
Caroline Jackson
Mason Lowance
ENGLISH, 1961
1938-2022
Mason Lowance, who died at Atlanta, Georgia, on 15 August 2022 after a distinguished career as an American academic, was one of Mansfield’s most devoted sons.
Having majored in English & Religion at Princeton in 1960, he did a second BA in English Language & Literature at Mansfield, before completing a doctorate at Emory University in 1967. He then spent some 50 years teaching American literature for the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His prolific career, initially focusing on Puritanism, later on slavery and abolitionism, included 13 books.
Mansfield was always dear to him: his almost annual visits were times of celebration. He became a generous supporter of the College, endowing annual prizes in English named after the 1960s tutors he remembered.
Mason is survived by his wife, Susan, their two daughters and two grandsons.
John Creaser, Emeritus Fellow in English
Robert Arthur Burns
LECTURER IN HISTORY, 1988-92
1963-2023
Arthur was a dedicated and conscientious tutor, who taught Modern British History at Mansfield between 1988 and 1992. He had been an undergraduate and graduate student at Balliol, but quickly became attached to Mansfield and enthusiastic about its educational ethos.
Arthur moved to King’s College London in 1992, eventually serving as Head of Department. He was also on the governing council of the Royal Historical Society, chaired the Higher Education Committee of the Historical Association, and was President of the Church of England Record Society.
Arthur was quietly ambitious, fiercely hardworking, and intellectually both remarkably quick and thoughtful. He might protest, but he was an inspiring person: a model of kindness and intellect combined. He was much loved and will be much missed.
Arthur was devoted to his family. Our thoughts are with them, especially with Sarah Stockwell and their three children.
David Leopold, Associate Professor of Political Theory, and John Milton Fellow
Tom Leece
MST MODERN BRITISH & EUROPEAN HISTORY, 2011
1990-2022
Tom matriculated in 2008 at St Hilda’s. He was as much the life and soul of library study breaks there as college bops, which he often attended wearing a crocodile onesie. He graduated with a first in History and made many friends to whom he remained close.
He then completed an Mst at Mansfield, a year which he much enjoyed.
Tom died in a road traffic accident on 11 September 2022, aged 32.
Jessica Ferguson
Charles Brock
COLLEGE CHAPLAIN, 1965-98
1935-2023
The loss of the Reverend Charles Brock, on 1 November 2023 was felt keenly at Mansfield.
For so many at College, it is hard to remember a time when Charles was not part of our community: arriving to study for his MLitt Theology in 1967. Even then, I imagine his unending enthusiasm, vivacious personality and intellectual curiosity marked him out as extraordinary.
It is with great affection that we remember his many roles at Mansfield: postgraduate student; Chaplain; Theological Fellow; Director of Ministerial Education; member of the College Finance Committee; SCR Steward; Bancroft Fellow; and doubtless others unrecorded.
Charles and his late wife Carolyn, who for many years was Director of the Mansfield Choir, were a central part of the College community. As Professor Michael Freeden recalls (in Mansfield: Portrait of an Oxford College):
‘Charles Brock [was] a colourful and liberal Chaplain, who epitomised the atmosphere of change in his spiritual generosity and mischievous sense of humour.’
Mansfield will miss Charles greatly and we extend our deepest sympathy to his widow Mary, and all his family.
Helen Mountfield KC, Principal
Daniel Premaseelan Niles
THEOLOGY, 1960
1937-2023
Dr D Preman Niles died on 3 August 2023 in Beckenham. Preman was born on 5 April 1937 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Like his father (and his daughter), he dedicated his life to service as a theologian, scholar and teacher. For 59 years, Preman was a loving husband to Sherina, who predeceased him. He was also a wonderful father to Damayanthi, Radhika and Dharman.
Damayanthi Niles, Radhika Niles and Dharman Niles
Zahir Jamal
ENGLISH, 1968
1950-2023
Zahir Jamal died suddenly at his Florida home on 29 June 2023. Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Zahir attended school in England. He read English at Mansfield, graduating with a first. He had fond memories of College and enjoyed being part of its close community. While at Mansfield he met Janet (St Hugh’s), and they were married by George Caird in the Chapel in 1973. After a brief stint teaching at Nottingham University, Zahir moved to New York embarking on a 25-year career with the United Nations Development Programme and producing a series of Arab Human Development Reports. He will be remembered as a gifted writer, but above all, as a kind, generous friend. He is survived by his wife, Janet; two daughters, Leila and Hanna; and two granddaughters, Mina Lou and Sula Joan.
To leave a message in memory of Zahir, please visit www.zahirjamal.com
Janet Jamal
In memoriam
Jan Womer
PRINCIPAL OF MANSFIELD, 1986-1988
1939-2023
Read the full obituary at: https://obituaries.tridentsociety. com/obituaries/rancho-mirage-ca/ jan-womer-11368445.
Adrian (Jon) Blanchard
ENGLISH, 1972
1953-2022
Alan Dyson
Beloved husband of Dr Janet Dyson, Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics.
Marion Heath
Mother of David Heath (English, 1992).
Anthony (Tony) Lunch
GEOGRAPHY, 1964
1945-2022
Read the full obituary at: https:// www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/memoriamanthony-lunch-1945-2022.
Robert Cecile MacAulay
THEOLOGY, 1986
1940-2023
Gregory Shaffer
DIP THEOLOGY, 1969
1947-2021
Read the full obituary at: https:// www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/ venice/name/gregory-shafferobituary?id=30486982.
Gordon Woods
GEOGRAPHY, 1975
1955-2022
Read the full obituary at: https:// www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/memoriamgordon-woods.
