Norman Mason Watson

Norman was born on Monday 18th June 1917 and was raised by his Grandparents whose surname of Mason
he adopted until his late teens.
He started his working life in service and told tales of having to iron the daily newspapers, fold
them neatly, sort them into a particular order, and present them on a silver salver to his
lordship.

In his teens and early twenties he was a keen cyclist regularly travelling between the Yorkshire
branch of the family and the Newcastle branch. There was also talk of a John 0’Groats to Landsend
bike ride.
It was on one of these trips with the Bike Club that Norman met Jessie Wilby. He persuaded her to
join him on a Tandem, but found it very hard going, only to realise that she wasn’t pedalling.
During their courtship Jessie was told by a Gypsy Woman that she would marry but would not change
the first letter of her surname. So it looked like she wasn’t going to marry Norman Mason, as he
was then known.
They did marry in February 1939, and went on to have 4 daughters, Win, Denise, Barbara and June.
Sadly Denise died in infancy and Norman experienced the loss of another daughter when Win left us in
December 2008.

Norman joined the TA and served with the Yorks and Lancs Regiment, later moving back to the North
East and transferring to the Durham Light Infantry TA in Stanley.
Called up for service during the Second World War Norman served with Major English in Tobruk
fighting against Rommel alongside the Desert Rats. He took part in the D Day Landings in Normandy.
He was evacuated from Sword Beach by a boat called the Sundowner.
Back in England Norman was assigned to Bomb Disposal in London and Hull.

After the War most of his working life was spent on various Building Works in differing capacities,
Scaffolder, Foreman, Labourer, he was also a Coachbuilder for Carrimores of Harelaw for a time.
He ended his working life as the Security Guard of the Coop (The Disco) in his home village of
Annfield Plain and Jessie used to complain about his embarrassing habit of following her around the
store when she went for her shopping.
During retirement Norman took up CB Radio and enjoyed talking to friends firstly on the illegal
waveband then obtaining his license and ‘going legal’. He remembered with gratitude his
evacuation from Sword Beach and adopted the handle ‘Sundowner’ after the boat that rescued him.

Unfortunately his hobby often disturbed Jessie’s enjoyment of her TV as he sat over his crackling
radio in the sitting room most evenings.

He suffered his first major Heart Attack in 1984, he survived another 25 years but during that time
he had a regular booking at Durham Dryburn. We think he enjoyed the attention from the nurses.
In July 1995 he lost Jessie his wife of 46 years and never fully recovered from this loss. Everyone
here will know how he filled his house with butterflies in her memory.
All of Norman’s daughters would take turns to make sure Norman went out as often as he could. He
enjoyed visits to Car Boot Sales with Win, Barbara included her father in family activities,
Christmas dinner, to watch swimming lessons with Lauren, and, David’s birthday trip, Norman loved
being part of young David’s life, June would invite her Dad to various DLI events where he was
made very welcome and fussed over by the other veterans.

In March 2009 he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer.
When his illness prevented him from leaving the house as often, Norman would spend many a happy hour
encouraging and watching the wild birds who visited his garden. They were probably the best fed
birds in the area.
Just last month he was delighted to be taken to Washington Wildfowl Park. However, the terrain was a
bit rough and Norman laughingly had to hang onto his wheelchair while Dave and John took turns to
push him. Unfortunately this was to be his final outing.

Norman spent his 92nd Birthday in hospital with his family around him, before finally drifting away
early in the morning of Fathers Day.

Norman lived a long life, he had many experiences that moulded him into the man we knew and loved.
He has loved and suffered loss. Now it is time for him to be re-united with Denise, with Jessie,
with Win.

Norman leaves behind his remaining 2 daughters, Barbara and June, his grandchildren, Chris, Derek,
Jan, Denise, Sharon, Lynne and Theresa. He leaves 11 Great-grandchildren, and 3
great-great-grandchildren.