Ann Loades was one of the cathedral's first lay members of Chapter between 2007 and 2008. She was a pioneer, as the first woman to be awarded a personal chair in Theology at Durham in 1995.
Ann was also, amongst other distinctions, an editor of the journal Theology, a member of the Church of England's Doctrine Commission, and a longstanding chair of the Durham Cathedral Choir Association.
Here at Durham Cathedral, we are mourning her passing, celebrating her life, and praying that she may rest in peace.
"Anyone who knew Ann will understand just how devastating news of her death is. She was a giant of her craft and she was classy and gracious all at once. She blazed a trail in so many ways in her field of theology but she encouraged and inspired much more than she edified and educated (although she did those good things very well too). To have sat at her feet and listened to her was to have been borne along on a tide of wisdom and wit which few people - if any - could match." - Michael Hampel, Acting Dean
"I studied under Ann Loades for three years as an undergraduate in Durham. Her passion for her subject was infectious, and her sense of humour was likewise. I fondly remember many a supervision with Ann over cake in the Almshouses, her hands flailing wildly with excitement at a discussion, and her laugh booming across the room. It was a privilege to absorb her wisdom and to be immersed within the warmth of her character." - Charlie Allen, The Reverend Canon