It is with much sadness and disbelief we report the sudden and unexpected death of Donna Chapman, who had been part of the Mastiff Association committee for the last few years. 

 

Donna along with her husband Jim, had been involved with Mastiffs for more than 20 years, after meeting me and my dogs back in 2000.  She fell in love with the breed and from then on she had at least 2 in her home at any one time.   We lived very near each other and would meet around 6am (although I was always late) to walk them over the fields and woods around Rickmansworth.  They were particularly magical walks as the dogs were safely off lead, all got on well together leaving Donna and I some well earned catch up gossip time.  When Richard and I moved from Rickmansworth my biggest regret was not having the walks and companionship of Donna and her dogs.  She would come and visit me in Hayling and we enjoyed walks along the sea front but we both said how we missed our morning walks together. 

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Along with a bit of showing and our walks together, Donna with Jim, would regularly support our club shows and for many years would do a day or two at Discover Dogs both at Crufts and London.   When it came that they did not have a dog to show or who enjoyed a lot of attention, Donna would still come along and support me and the breed.  In the last few years her granddaughter Olivia accompanied her to shows and I had thought that given time, she might become more involved in this.

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Donna loved her Mastiffs and the breed in general and she never faltered from this or the commitment to the breed.  Lately she became more involved with the MA in joining our committee and taking over running the shop and merchandise and also as membership secretary.  It seems unreal that we are now having to go forward without her.  She was not a loud and demanding person and seldom pushed herself forward, but rather she would work very hard behind the scenes and leave any praise to others.  She was one of the most reliable people I have come across, she was fun to be with, was never unkind, had a great sense of humour and was faithful to the breed.  I don’t think I will be the only person to miss her but I think I will miss her more than most. 

 

To Jim, her son Andrew, her daughter Melissa and grandchildren Olivia and Riley and the rest of her family, we the officers and committee of the MA, send our deepest condolences.  I personally send my love.  RIP my friend. ​

Caroline Hesketh

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