Furrows boss John Coward dies at 78
Leading Shropshire businessman John Coward has died at his Shrewsbury home surrounded by his family. He was 78.
Mr Coward was chairman of the Furrows Group, best known for its Ford, Kia, Mazda and Skoda dealerships in Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Telford.
He had joined in 1969 as the assistant to then chairman, eventually succeeding him in that role in the 1990s.
Mr Coward held a number of high profile regional and national posts in the motor trade, and on the local scene he was involved in various aspects of public life in the Shrewsbury area.
He died on April 25 and the funeral is on May 12 at St Giles' Church, Shrewsbury, at 1.30pm.
One of seven children, Mr Coward was brought up in the mining village of Langold, near Worksop.
He came to Shrewsbury in 1955 to work as an apprentice at Rolls-Royce, and became a qualified engineer, before taking on various management posts.
During this period he also taught at Shrewsbury Technical College, later becoming a governor.
He moved to FW McConnel in Ludlow as works manager in 1967 before returning to Shrewsbury to join Furrows, which at the time was owned by local businessmen Freddie Fry, Frank Davies, and John's father-in-law, Reg Yaxley. John had married Jane Yaxley in 1964 at St Giles'.
The couple had first met when they were both members of Meole Brace Youth Club, in 1958.
Under Mr Coward's leadership, Furrows became a major business and employer across the Shropshire community, and won a number of prestigious national awards, including the UK dealer of the year.
He was also to take on roles representing Ford dealers in negotiations with the manufacturer, and also became President of the Retail Motor Industry Federation which made the industry's case in Westminster and Brussels, as well as overseeing training across the industry and its benevolent fund.
Friend Peter Guy said: "John was an inspiration to many, not only his family and work colleagues, but to those of us privileged to have known him in a business capacity.
"He was a mentor, always offering good advice and support with his calm approach and great sense of humour.
"He became a good friend. Whether it be sport, politics, music or business, John had many stories he could entertain you with.
"Above all he was a true gentleman who made time for all, especially his family whom he adored."
He is survived by wife Jane, son Nic and daughter Rachael. All are involved in the family business, as are son-in-law Wayne Downey, and daughter-in-law Vivien. He was a devoted grandfather to Ella, Innes, Imogen, and Lachlan.
All the family have been touched with success. Jane Coward shared John's deep interest in politics, and was Mayor of Shrewsbury in 1990-91.
She was made an MBE in 1997 for services to the local community. Nic was until September 2015 the General Secretary of the Premier League, and previously was chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority and the Football Association. Rachael worked at the BBC in radio and television, and films, before production roles in major events, most recently the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.
Mr Coward played rugby for Rolls-Royce and was picked for the county. He was an avid cricketer at Shrewsbury Cricket Club, and a member at Shrewsbury Golf Club.
Furrows were major supporters of Shropshire league cricket and also the Shropshire Music Trust, as well as up and coming golfers such as a young Ian Woosnam.
In later years, he became very interested in horse racing, including as a breeder and owner of horses in training with Oliver Sherwood.
Mr Coward's commitment to Shrewsbury included many voluntary roles, including through the Round Table and Rotary Club. He was heavily involved in politics over five decades, including twice as chairman of Shrewsbury and Atcham Conservative Association.
Daniel Kawczynski MP said: "John Coward was a role model for me and many others in our community. His passion for Shrewsbury, and his devotion to those who worked with him in all his roles mark him out as an exceptional man. His generosity for good causes and his general kindness and good humour is something that all who knew him can share with our children in the hope that they can learn from him. John had an amazing honesty and decency towards everyone. He always had time to listen and showed extraordinary patience and understanding. I will miss his counsel and friendship greatly."
