Ian Gostling, formerly the National Executive Officer of the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) and lately the part-time Business Development Officer, following his retirement as National Executive Officer, died on 27 May. His funeral took place at St Peter & St John Church in Rugby on 13 June.

Ian joined NAMM in 2005 as the National Communications Officer. He had a background in marketing and was an indefatigable promoter of NAMM. He identified the importance of training in the industry and the potential for NAMM of supplying it. He established the NAMM headquarters in Rugby as a City & Guilds examining centre and introduced the Register of Qualified Memorial Fixers. He was also involved in the creation of the NAMM Memorial Garden at the National Arboretum at Alrewas, that was opened by Princess Anne in 2009.

NAMM Past-President Doug Swan says: “Ian left NAMM a strong legacy. He very quickly acquired a widespread knowledge of the memorial masonry industry and was able to use that to begin to move NAMM into the 21st century. Thanks to Ian we have a much more modern outlook now.”