Telephone: 01242 224877
Our family business has helped local families in making funeral arrangements for over 170 years.
Passed down through the generations Mason & Stokes continues to be owned and run by the Mason family.
Stokes Funeral Service was established in the Cotswolds in 1853 by Thomas Stokes. The business was passed down through the Stokes family, Eric Stokes took over the reigns of the family business in 1946, on leaving the army.
In the 1950s David Mason, then a car mechanic in his 20s, began to help Eric by driving the hearse. David continued helping out at Stokes Funeral Service whilst establishing his own garage business; Dave Mason’s Motors. In the 1970s Stokes Funeral Service moved to the High Street. The funeral firm continued to grow, as did David’s involvement with the funeral business. Having never married or had children of his own, Eric came to think of David and his children as family. Eric and David were joined by David’s son Richard in 1984. Eric decided to take more of a backseat and the Masons became his natural successors.
The Past
By 1987 the business had outgrown its premises in the lower High Street. With David Mason at the helm, the business, now known as Mason & Stokes Funeral Service, moved to its current location at Tudor Lodge, 54 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham.
David’s daughter Joy came to work at Mason & Stokes in 1990, starting out part-time in the office. Joy is now a partner in the firm and manages the office.
David handed over the running of Mason & Stokes to Richard and Joy but continued to be a crucial part of the business until he passed away in 2014.
Richard and Joy continued to run the business keeping their father’s family values and business ethos whilst moving with the times. The brother and sister team successfully guided the business and supported the team through the following years and the difficult times during the pandemic. Richard sadly passed away in 2022 following a short illness.
The Present
Joy continues to run Mason & Stokes with the valuable assistance of Jessica, Sarah, Daniel, Julian, Andy, Louise, Ben, Amanda and the team of bearers
There continues to be three generations of the Mason family working together under one roof and Mason & Stokes Funeral Service remains the local family business established by Thomas Stokes.
Joy is an owner and partner of Mason & Stokes. She joined her father and brother at Mason & Stokes in 1990 working in the office. Joy soon took over the running of the office, arranging funerals, looking after families and the staff and the day to day running of the business. Ensuring everyone is organised and things run smoothly, Joy is the head of the team and the heart of the business.
Jessica is Joy’s daughter and joined the team in 2004. She has a degree in Business Administration and her NAFD Certificate in Funeral Arranging and is one of our pre-paid funeral plan arrangers. Jessica has worked her way up to the role of Office Manager with responsibility for many of the administrative duties as well as arranging and conducting funerals.
Julian has worked in the funeral industry in Cheltenham since he was a teenager, Julian joined the team in 2010 as a funeral director and has his NAFD Foundation Certificate in Funeral Service. As well as arranging and conducting funerals, planning the bearers and vehicle logistics, Julian is also one of our pre-paid funeral plan arrangers.
Ben joined the Mason & Stokes team in 2023 as a funeral director. Ben has a HND in Business & Finance and achieved his Foundation Certificate in Funeral Arranging and Conducting in 2007. Ben is involved with all aspects of the funeral service from the first call to arranging the funeral to conducting the service.
Sarah joined the team in 1997 and is one of our experienced funeral arrangers. She assists with many administrative duties associated with arranging a funeral and supporting families; liaising with churches, crematoriums, officiants and florists on behalf of the family, processing the in memoriam donations and guiding families through the funeral arrangements.
Amanda joined the team at Mason & Stokes in 2023, having previously worked alongside us for many years as a celebrant taking services. She brings with her a wealth of experience having worked in the funeral service industry prior to becoming a celebrant.
Amanda's main duties are caring for the deceased, undertaking duties and looking after the vehicles, she has also been providing valuable assistance with admin work.
Daniel joined Mason & Stokes officially in 2005 having previously worked with the team for school work experience. Daniel achieved his NAFD Foundation Certificate in Funeral Service in 2006. Daniel is very much involved in all aspects of caring for the deceased and has worked his way up through the company to conductor.
Louise joined the Mason & Stokes team in 2022, new to the funeral industry. Louise is our administration and mortuary assistant helping care for the deceased and working in the office. Louise oversees the Order of Service sheets by liaising with the officiants, families and printers to collate the content, ordering the music and visual tributes for the service. She also helps process the in memoriam donations.
Andy joined Mason & Stokes’ team in 2010 having previously worked in the funeral industry, he has various undertaking duties but his main role is as our Mortuary Technician, Andy’s care and attention to detail ensure that the care of the deceased is carried out with dignity and respect.
Our trusted team of bearers Andy, Richard, Derek, Dave, Kevin and John drive the hearses and limousines and carry the coffin on the day of the service, assisting the Funeral Director and the bereaved families where necessary.
In loving memory
Eric Stokes
4th January 1913 – 13th February 1994
David James Mason
18th November 1929 – 6th December 2014
Richard Anthony James Mason
21st October 1964 – 1st May 2022
