Farmer Ken's final journey....on his quad bike

Tributes paid to 85-year-old farmer who arrived for his big farewell on his beloved four-wheel machine.
Photo Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, CliftonPhoto Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton
Photo Neil Cross The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton

Farmer Ken Mason went everywhere on his quad bike – even to his own funeral.

The 85-year-old took his final journey on the back of a trailer pulled by the machine that had kept him working right up to 10 days before he died.

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“That was just what he would have wanted,” said eldest daughter Linda Mrkalj. “It was fitting he should be taken to the church by quad bike. It was his favourite form of transport. He was very attached to it.”

Photo Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, CliftonPhoto Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton
Photo Neil Cross The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton

Ken, who had been in agriculture all his life, farmed the 100-acre Highfield Farm for the last 42 years.

His funeral packed out St John the Evangelist Church in Clifton.

On top of the hard graft on the land, he also looked after his neighbours as a local home watch, touring the area twice a day on his beloved four-wheeler making sure everything and everybody was fine.

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“Basically he kept his eye on things in the area and, if he spotted something suspicious, he would alert the police,” explained Linda. “He helped a lot of people in the neighbourhood, making sure they were OK and seeing if there was anything they needed. He couldn’t do enough for people and everyone seemed to love him. He was that type, nothing was too much trouble if he was helping others.

Photo Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, CliftonPhoto Neil Cross
The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton
Photo Neil Cross The funeral of Ken Mason at St John The Evangelist, Clifton

“That quad bike was the only way he could get around in the end. He couldn’t walk very well and would use his walking frame to get to it. Once he was in the saddle there was no stopping him.

“He was working right up to 10 days before he passed away. You couldn’t keep him in, he was an outdoor man and was a farmer through and through.” Ken leaves a widow, Iris, 84. The couple had been married for 65 years and have five children, 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

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